Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-08-25

hospital tent and placed in a hearse
and led by an escort, which formed
the firing squad and composed of a
Sergeant in charge of privates Brown,
Brewer, Holland, McDermott, hanley,
Kidd, Boatman, R., and Wolff, filed
slowly from the camp towards the
national cemetery, II miles away. By
the side of the hearae were the six
pail bearers: Privates Beshears,
Henegar, Kimball, McCheney, of Co.
L.; Buff, of Co. K, and Sweek, of the
1st Mississippi. The escort and pail
bearers marched about a half a mile
from camp and got into army wagons,
in waiting, and the long drive was be-
gun.
In all of that drive very few soldiers,
officers or enlisted men who passed
failed to uncover while the procession
was going by. 1t was lea $3.50 O'Clock
when the remains reached the massive
stone pillared gate of the cemetery,
where Chaplain Coleman and Lieut..
Eagon were waiting, forming in the
same order as before and led by the
Chaplain and the Lieutenant, followed
by Bugler Graham, the sad procession
filed through the dark roadways of
the cemetery to the open grave. The
firing squad formed by the side of tho
grave and stood at present arms while
the coffin was lowered into the grave.
AT parade rest and with bowed heads
the comrades of Fred B. Belk listened
to the beautiful words spoken over his
dead body by the Chaplain and at the
conclusion and folio wing that impress
i've word, "Amen," came the order
from the Sergeant, "Squad, load,
ready, aim, fire." Three such volleys
were fired into the darkness, which
fell like a pail around the mourners.
After the last volley was fired and
"cease firing" had been given, Trum-
peter Graham sounded ''taps" and the
ceremony was at an end. Private
Belk hal been buried with military
honors and the squads were marched
silently to the entrance of the ceme-
terry and got into the wagons for their
journey back to camp, reaching there
at 1880 o'clock.
1t is to be hoped that the regiment
will be moved to a more healthy To-
cality before it will be necessary to
hold another funeral service over the
remains of a member of Co. l..
The boys are kept in a continual
turmoil of excitement by the many
''grape vine" reports which are being
spread continually. The latest is that
orders have been received for placing
advertisements for bids on transport
tation for each regiment to its State
capital. AS is the case with so many
other reports this may be another
fake, although the Evening Neaos gives
some credence to the report. The
paper says that 1.-The park will be
cleared of troops as quickly as posi-
BILE. Everything is excitement and
there is almost continuous shouting
throughout the park. Everyone Is
worked up, even those who have no
preference as to whether they go home
or to Cuba to do garrison work. Those
who are living in a house and are in
civil life can scarcely appreciate a
private's feelings on this cor
OF course, there are a great many
in the volunteer army who did not
possess a very intimate acquaintance
with pick and spade and when they
found that to be a soldier meant they
| should handle one of these instru-
ments of torture as well as a gun they
were somewhat nonpIused, but it was
all right then. The war vas still On at
that time and even after the protocol
had been signed and peace was well
nigh assured they did not car a great
| deal, but when efforts were made to
have the men sent to Cuba and shovel
vermin in the streets of Havana and
Santiago the boys began to kick and
kick hard, and for this they should
not be blamed. OF course; it was not
| at all military, but then all know that
there has been many unmilitary hap
penings from others than privates in
the volunteer forces.
The volunteers think that they have
fulfilled the purpose for which they
joined the army and many-IlI say the
great majority-now wish to return to
their homes and business interests,
which they left SO impetuously at their
country's call. 1t may Q strange
to see a regiment, which was as anx-
ious and untiring in her efforts to get
to the front as the Fifth Missouri was,
making such demonstrations in their
efforts to get out of the service now,
but then those who think that they
are doing wrong must remember that
the boys answered a call to fight fol-
the glorious stars and stripes and
would rather not improve parks and
clean filth-ridden streets in a disease
ridden country. But after all II they
need the boys then l guess they car
get them.
LOCKE Macfarlane just now came
down to my tent and told me that the
orderly to the Adjutant had just tolt
! him that the order had come to mus
ter the Fifth from the service as sooI
as possible.
J, The Missouri hospital train, bearing
the sick of the Missouri regiments il
the park, will leave for home thi
week. Company L will furnish Ave o.
:DR. A. c. WHITE