Middletown transcript., 1898-09-10
CAMP WIKOFF TALES.
INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES OF THE
SANTIAGO CAMPAIGN.

INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES OF THE
SANTIAGO CAMPAIGN.
Lieutenant Newell and the Brave Sergeant.
A New Slang Name For Popular Bev-
erage-Major Browns Orderly Loses His
Only Suit of Clothes.
1t sometimes happens that 1ieuten-
ant finds himself suddenly in command
Of company which has been somewhat
demoralized by the loss of the man to
whose leadership it has become accus-
toned. Then is the time when he must
act swiftly and firmly if he would avoid
disaster. Such crisis came to Lieuten-
ant Newell, second lieutenant of Com
pany A, Twenty-second infantry, at El
Oaney. Early in the fight the captain
and the first lieutenant fell, leaving
the command to Lieutenant Newell,
who is young southerner. His men
were nervous and disheartened by their
losses, and their commander saw that
unless he got them in hand soon there
would be some happenings that would
not look we'll in the reports. Some OF
his men were out ahead skirmishing,
and one of them, man who was pop
ular in the company, fell. The lieuten-
ant ordered his men forward to get the
wounded soldier. They stood still.
Again he ordered them, but they did
not obey. Turning to sergeant whom
he implicitly trusted Lieutenant New
ell said quietly:
Sergeant, want you to go out with
me to get that wounded man."
eyes, SIR" said the sergeant, salut-
ing.
The company stood and watched them
go forward. At the first glance the lieu
tenant saw that the soldier could not
live more than a few minutes. He
groaned out request to be taken back
to the lines to die.
Gall right" said the officer. "We'll
take you in minute. just lie quiet,
and I'll stay with you"
In two minutes, during which time
Lieutenant Newell and his sergeant
stood there under fire, the soldier died.
Then the two went back to the lines
Nothing was said between the company
and the officer, who had just proved
himself, but the nervous wavering OF
the line was over. The men stood like
rocks, and when the order came to ad-
vance they went forward with cheer.
In three minutes they had passed the
line that separates the tyro from the
veteran.
"That amt in the book, SIR" said
the soldier, who told this incident to
the writer, "but, by God, that's the
sors Of thing that wins battlesi"
A new slang term has sprung into ex.
istence at Camp Wikoff and is spread
ing fast. 1t is the word "hoot, F" used
as synonym for rare and much de-
sired article of commerce. When man
says "Have hoot with me, " every one
in hearing replies enthusiastically,
Certainly, old PAL" whereupon the
man produces bottle and passes it
around, each man taking his shoot"
directly from the bottle, glasses being
regarded as a sybaritio luxury. The
term did not come from Cuba, but from
the southern part of New York state,
and the following is said to be the au-
thentic story of it's origin and its ex-
tension to this camp: A young politician
Of the southern tier received last spring
a consignment of particularly fine
Scotch whisky. In Difference to the
quality and nationality of the spirit he
and his friends when they took drink
of it, instead Of using the familiar
"Here's how" or "Pros't" or "Salue"
or Regards" or any of the other IA
miliar formul@ of conviviality, always
exclaimed before drinking, "Hoot,
mon." Thence the drink came to be
known as "hoot," and by natural
transition from the particular to the
general all whisky was termed hoot
When company from the city in which
the young politician lives went to Camp
Black, it took the term and quantity
of the beverage for which it stands with
it, and the expression had some vogue
there. Not long ago some soldiers from
Camp Black visited Camp Wikoff,
bringing bottles of hoot with them in
which to drink the "Hoot, mon, !"
toast. The picturesqueness of the thing
struck the military imagination, and
now across the stretches of the night
man boots to man and is answered in
kind, until the sound is as that Of a
convention of barn owls.
Major Ira M. Brown, the executive
head Of the general hospital at Camp
Wikoff, has an orderly who is model
Of neatness. In spite of his many duties
this orderly contrives always to keep
himself in spick and span raiment, a
remarkable thing in camp where all
formalities are relaxed. The other day
the orderly did not appear at his usual
time. His officer sent man after him.
The man appeared wearing q grin.
"Says he'll be over as soon as possi-
BILE, sir" he reported.
"Tell him to come at once unless he
is ILL.," said Major Brown, who failed
to understand this delay on the part Of
his usually prompt attendant. Three
minutes later voice behind the major s
chair said:
"Did you wish me, sir?''
"Yes. Come around here, said Ma
jor Brown, without looking up from
his writing. "Don't stand there behind
me-.
"Yes, sir" said the man. "If you
please, sir, I"-
81 want you to take this letter." in
tezrupted the major, land give it
why, what in the name Of wondersr'
For the major had looked up at this
point and beheld his orderly clad in
such attire as is nowhere prescribed in
the regulations. 1t consisted of faded
pink garments, very loose, and a pair
Of carpet slippers.
"What have you got on?" demanded
Major Brown.
"P-p-p-pyjamas, sir. Somebody stole
my clothes, SIR"
"Stole your clothes? Where did you
leave themr
ION the tent ropes to air, sir. B-b-beg