The evening times., 1898-05-04
IN THE TENTED FIELD
National GuardSmen Take Up
Their Abode in Canvas Houses.
NEW YORK TROOPS In CAMP
Aching Homes and Hoarsc Voices the
Order of the Day mt Hampstead
PIains-Wind and Rain Cause Dis-
comfort to the SoIdiers-They Raid
Hen RoOsts.

,.mp Black. Hampstead Plains, /. L..
MAY 4-There were aching bones ana
rasping voices among the eighty-hve
hundred weary soldiers when they rolled
off their straw beds this morning. night
of chilling rain and ctiiting wind had
brought discomfort and a realization OF
the seamy side of5''war,' But the men
jumped willingly at the bugle's call and
began their second day in camp.
In spite of the trying experience, out OF
all the great company of men, only one
showed serious illness. This was Private
F. H. Smith. Of he,Fifth Separate Com
pany of Newburg- His tent mates re-
ported that he was sick, and captain
Sheehan sent for a regimentai surgeon
who said the man had pneumonia. AS
the field hospitals are not in shape Ior
handling pneumonia cases smith was
sent 10 the Hampstead Hospital Word
come tonight that he will recover.
Aside from simple colds and stiffness,
all the troops are in splendid condltloh,
but they eagerly hope for fine weather
..If the sun would come out this would
ba a picnic." said Il brawny member Oh
of the Sixty-ninth, as he Jabbed a
sharpened stick into kettle and brought
forth a smoking potato
For certain of the men the harusNnp ol
,act NIGHT was intensified by the preda-
tory actions of their neigh6ors Inc eth-
ics of camp life do not prescribe strict
regard for property rights, and large
number of tents were depleted of straw
during the early evening. Complaint 10
the quartermaeter general brought forth
only the sage advice to keep your eye
on your things
AS the men turned out at revelIle
sounded at $50 o'clock. great cry 1or
water went up. and there was none IN
the land. A line of pipe is being lald
from Hampstead, but ;.ntil it Is complet-
ed one small pump. near the camp OF
the Sixty-ninth. furnishes the only per-
manent supply. An armed guard keeps
vigil over it day and night to prevent
any tampering with the water supply by
an enemy. Most of the water has to be
carried more than mile, and all over
the plain men could be seen. in pairs
hearing between them wash boilers filled
with water.
AS late as 10 o'clock certain fastidious
soIsiers wandered disconsolately through
the camp. towel in one hand and soap
in the other, seeking water wherewlth 10
wash, and finding it not.
You're lucky to have it to drink. said
a grimy sergeant, to whom two of them
appealed.
Major General Roe's order prescribing
the duties of the day has not yet been
enforced in full, and will not be until the
Camp is shaken down. So this was
holiday for most of the men, and they
labored to bring their tents and other
fttings into proper shape. All day long,
however. the plain was dotted with
squads and battalions going through the
daily drill that is TO make soldiers of
raw recruits There were companies of
these latter still in the hab.liments of
city life, but marching and counter
marching with all the earnestness of
veterans.
On the Hudson.
Camp Townsend, Peekskill, n. Y, May
NEARLY every one in camp was awake
and dressed at o'clock this morning, a
full half-hour before reveille was sound
ed The men were chilled from the cold
of the night and seemed glad to move
about. This was particularly the case
with the recruits. several hundred of
whom had received no uniforms or equip
ment and who had nothing to cover
themselves with but blanket. They
were uuartered three or four in tent,
and burrowed deep in the straw on the
damp earth. The recruits were today
provided with blankets and extra cloth
ing. Six men We're in hospital today,
as the result of colds con- tracted by sleep
ing on the ground
The first detachment of the three reg
iments had breakfast at minutes to
G and the rest 20 minutes later. 1t was
raining slightly. but the men were called
out for squad drill as soon as they had
eaten. going through elementary work
for an hour.
Each of the three regiments, the
Eighth, Ninth and Twelfth. has it's own
campground guard house and guard