The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1898-07-01
CALH0UN'S LEYYKR
A Philipsburger Now at Camp Thom-
as, Chicamauga.
NOT AS ROSY AS 1T NIGHT BE
Will Calhoun Tells About the Happen
ings and Scenes of Camp Life
The Trip from Montana to
the Atlantic.
NOT AS ROSY AS 1T NIGHT BE

The Mail is in receipt of the follow
ing communication from Will Calhoun.
who went from Philipsburg to Missoula
when the first call for troops was
made and joined the Missoula cavalry
company. 1t will be found interesting,
and as Will has promised to write occa-
sional letters to The Mail. his many
friends in the community will have All
opportunity of keeping themselves ac-
quainted with his whereabouts and
his actions. He writes an excellent
letter and promises to write as occa-
sion will permit from the field of bat
tie when he sails to foreign waters.
He is still encamped at Camp Thomas,
Chicamauga Park, Tenn, but almost
any day may see him sailing with the
others of Troop F, Third United States
Volunteer Cavalr,. Following is his
letter:
Chicamauga, June 23, 1898.
Editor of The Mail :-"And l can't
get them up. and l can't get them up,
and can't get them up at ALL is the
first thing we hear sounded on the
bugle, and Immediately fall in for
roll call'' is given, so it is a sleepy.
half dressed crowd (not soldiers) that
is lined up in the street to answer
"here" when their name is called.
Woe unto him who fails to answer
for he must appear before the captain
only to be told he must do extra duty
that day. Fifteen minutes after
reveille, or five fifteen, mess call is
sounded. Again we are lined up to be
marched to the kitchen to receive our
piece of salt pork, potato. slice of bread
and cup of coffee, and then back to
our tents, where some merley nibble at
their so-called breakfast. while others
throw it away, preferring to 60 hun
| improvement on breakfast, Consisting
| bread and coffee. After breakfast
feed, water and groom. This takes
I
to the drill ground and for the next
two hours put through series of mil
itary movements - in squad. troop.
battalion or regimental formation.
None but those who have come from
the mountains to the south can form
any idea of what these two hours are.
drop out of the ranks-all but over
COME by the heat After drill comes
guard mount, and the poor unfortunate
Chosen for this duty certainly has a
hard time uf it for the next twenty
four hours. The guard is divided into
three reliefs-each relief having two
think 1t is easy to do guard duty. but
beat about hundred feet long con
weather, eyes and ears open that you
might see and hear everything tina,
takes place III the vicinity, you will
call to arms-to do battle for human
ity. Men have told me they were com
PEELED to put tobacco in their eyes OF
awake. 1t was but week ago last
night one young soldier fell asleep OIL
the post l patrolled the night before.
posted the guard, and left him slum
bering peacefully on. A half hour
later he awoke only to find himself
guard house and next day court mar
tailed, receiving dishonorable dis dais
charge as his punishment. After
| o,1
o'clock, except at dinner time, or fol
some special work.
The prevalent soldier spirit has
taken hold OF us very forcibly. The
spirit of which speak is work as SCI
amount of work you can
The percentage of sickness is very
small, considering the number of men
are ~ sick in the hospital presented by
mental hospitals. Pneumonia is the
sick are disabled from vaccination.
My letter would hardly be complete
without mentioning our trip of 8, ,00c
miles From the time we left Mis-
soula until we arrived here it was one
|
one town, if our coming had been an
nounced. wOnld try and out-do the
others in its reception. In the country
towns the greatest enthusiasm pre-
vailed, no matter if he was se,tion
hand or plowmau he would nave a
hand shake for US. The scenery was
as grand and beautiful as one would
wish to see. The boys were es ecially
struck with the beauty of Utah (not
the Mormon girls, but the country,
and more than one said if he came
out of the war all right he would pitch
his tent there. We passed through
the grandest part of Colorado. but un
fortunately it was during the night
Most of us were disgusted with Kan
sas. Its broad plains had nothing il
them to attract Us so we were all GLAD
when we came to the low hills of Mis-