The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-08-19
WITH THE REGULARS.
A MankatO Recruit in the Third u S.
Infantry Writes Home.

in the regular army, was assigned tC
Co. E, Third U. S. Infantry, and is
stationed at Camp Waco, GA. He
writes home to his sister, Mrs. A f.
Chlquet, as follows:
81 am naturally little lonesome
at times, as there is not face that I
ever saw before, although one of the
boys that enlisted the same time I
did was from Mankato, but I have
gotten acquainted with all the boys
in my company, and there are lot of
nice fellows: My company is E, and
in inspection by our lieutenant yester-
day he conplimented US by the re-
mark that we were the finest appear
ing company on the grounds, and
there are twelve companies. We ex-
pect to soon have some sham battles.
1--WE moved our camp yesterday to
higher ground. We are now nicely
located on small clearing en- top of a
hill, where we get nice breeze. Ny
terminate and I got lumber today and
built us a bed and put our tent over
so now. tonight, I expect to sleep
good. Before, when it rained, we got
wet on the ground. ........ ....
"You want to know what I think
about the war. I really can't say,
although it looks more like peace
every day, but if peace is declared 1
suppose it will take until late this
fall or in the winter before we can
get our discharge. It is really hard
to say, as there are all kinds of rumors.
Spain is full Of deception, you know,
and our government goes right on re-
cruiting and equipping the army.
"Our supper tonight consisted of
coffee, two potatoes and two small
biscuits. That seems rather small,
does it not? But as a general thing
we get meat in one form or another,
but generally it is in the shape of
''slum," mixture of meat, flour,
potatoes and old scraps from the
kitchen.
"Some of our boys are sick with
typhoid fever and were shipped to
Fit. Mcpherson hospital. But I think
we will fare better now. as we made a
road to spring, where we get pretty
good water, although it is warm. I
tell you, it does not take long for an
army OF men like us to make road.
We were only four hours making a
road three miles through heavy tim
Der and big hills and rocks. The
water is hauled by four government
mules into camp. You folks may
think US boys do not have much to do,
but that is mistake. We are pretty
busy all daV. The first bugle call is
at 5:15 a. M, next call at $50 q. no. to
fall in for revielle-that is to
line up and all names called. Then
we have double time drill for fifteen
minutes, then we get our dishes and
fall in line again to march to break
fast, at 500 a. M. We file by the
kitchen single file and the grub is
dealt out and we 60 and sit down on
the ground or any place we can find
and eat. Then we wash our dishes
in mud hole and 20 to our tents, and
and then comes the order police up.
That means for every man to clean
up around camp ground. Then the
bugle call at 7:C0 a. m. for drill, and
from 7:15 to 9:15 we are drilling. Then
there is generally some special work
to do until 11:30, then fall in for din
ner. After dinner if we do not have
special duty we can rest or walk
around in the reservation until $3.50
o. m. Then first call for drill again
for one hour. Then supper at $50,
and at 800 we have dress parade for
half an hour. At 800 p. M. we are
called for retreat-that means all
names are called again-and at 900 p.
m. all lights are out and all talking
stops. But that is not all. We are
detailed on guard duty by turns of
twenty-four hours at time, and the
guards are put on special work the
next day for nine hours"