The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-07-20
rRox CAMP THOMAS.
Interesting Letrsrs From Somerset county
velnatesrz-Eon-conn officers
Appointed.
cAxr TnoxAs, July Is. 1885

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CAMP THOMAS. July Is. 1885
Ed. HERALD
Believing that some of your readers
will be interested in letter from a mem-
Der Of Co. i. Filth Pa. Vol, l will employ
the time afforded me this morning in
writing a few sketches concerning our
trip south. our location and present con-
difion.
Amer leaving Somerset and seeing the
crests OF the Alleghenies fade out OF
sight, the last familiar object 10 many Of
us. night closed in and our opportunities
for sightseeing was at an end.
When day dswned We found ourselves
at GAINESVILLE. o. Riding all day Sunday
brought US 20 the Gateway Of the New
South" otherwise known as Chattanooga,
Tenn We slept in our seats In the train,
the same as we had done the previous
night, and in the same coaches in which
we leff Somerset After such long and
tiresome ride the boys we've very anxious
| to pitch tents in Camp Thomas. but it was
Sor o'clock we before we began keeping
step with Captain Kooser over the old
battle field of Chickamauga towards the
quarters of the Fifth. We were met by
teamsters al the railroad station who
came TO haul our baggage to camp They
told us some very encouraging % stories
in regard to the prevaleDcy Of typhoid
fever and the death rate per hour among
the Loops. We did not give full credit
TO these stories until we encountered the
stencil as we passed through the camp
and saw the long tiers of cots in the hos
pitfalls, which our Imagination easily pic
ured ss being occupied by fever patients
Recruits receive certlin amount Of
hazing which has good bit Of droll
hamor connected with it. Before we had
gone far we met a young corporal who
timed cur steps by shouting:
Had good home and 1 left-len-Ieft;
Had good home and left-left-ieft -
Some times whole companies would
| cry out 81 Dor in imitation of our tax
ing the oath of enlistment, snd here it
dswned upon US for the first time why
Captain Taylor had insisted upon such
an emphatic 81 DO'' at Somerset a few
days previous.
The first few meals we did not have the
regulation army rations, but at present
we are living very soldier-like- By the
way, the young man who has been reared
amid the luxuries of Somerset county
home is compelled to n axe quite a saeri-
flee TO sccustom hii sslf to camp life.
Our camping paraphernalis consists of
meat pan, tin cup, knife and fork. can
teen, gum blanket and two woolen blank
cts. The boys have already experienced
the novelty of spreading a gum blanket
in the mud and wrapping themselves In
the woolen ones before lying down to
dream OF nome.
The site upon which the camp of the
Fifth is pitched is too low for good santa
ry conditions to exist. Rumor has it that
we will break camp and pitch again
nearer Chattanooga. at a place called
'Snodgrass HILL" whilst another rumor
is TO the effect that the Pennsylvania
troops will be sent TO Gettysburg to re-
main until fall-a pleasing speculation
for the boys who long not so much for the
fleshpots of home as for drink of Penn
sylvania water md Whit of her air.
Chickamauga Park is said to be about
ten miles square and to cover the battle
fields of Chickamauga and Missionary
Ridge. The underground il the timber
portion ives cut away four or five years
ago by the L. 5. Government There are
many farms in the Park and the boys in
going TO rifle practice and TO drill often
march through cornfelds. orchards, etc.
Guards are placed so as TO protect all
pri, ate property. Limestone lies scatter
ed over the surface in great abundance,
and the soil is thick. heavy limestone
clay, too compact to hold water like the
porous soils of Pennsylvania. Therefore
springs never form and brooks are either
rushing torrents after rains. or else dry
channels few hours later. On account
of this all water is cistern water that has
! to be caught and held either by an ar
tificial arrangement or a natural basin.
The season and appearance Of the land
scape much resemble Pennsylvania in
September. The timber is mostly oak,
pine and magnolia.
The face of the HERALD was quite IA
miliar TO the members of Company /, for
which accept our hearty thanks.
Company X arrived from Tiogs county
this morning and. after getting the same
reception that we did, began to pitch
their tents on our right. The Company
is made up Of nelooking specimens of
manhood.
Governor Hastings paid the Fifth
visit to-day.
The non-commissiOned officers, who
passed the competitive examination last
Tuesday, were appointed to-day, as fol-
lows:
Orderly Sergeant-R. NJ. Linton.
Quartermaster Sergeant-F. P. Pfahler.
Sergeauts Lewis ID. Gasteiger, Ezra
]. Milliron, Moses r. Ross, Charles F.
King.
Corporals Edward b. Barnett, Irving
J. Engle, Herbert IL. Pfahler, Plus NJ.
Speicher. Harvey ]. Zimmerman, Chas.
Ewing. Thomas Carey. w. II. Koontz,
John Groh, Jr, VIM. p. Hurst. VIM. A.
Saylor. Lawrence Sipe.
CHARLES +. KING.