The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-24
FOLLOWERS OF THE ARMY IN WAR.
Men and Women Who Make a Living
on the Soldiers.
From the Providence Journal.

From the Providence Journal.
Army suffers are discountenanced by the
new regulations, and thus a very pictur-
esque class Of camp followers will be alb
sent from the encampments of our soldiers
during the present war. The officials com
pissary department will try to replace
those useful adjuncts of former campaigns
by suitably equipped and authorized shops
which, accompanying the troops on their
travels, will supply all such things as the
old-time sutler was accustomed to deal in
These viii include various Injuries, such
as canned fruits and vegetables, sugar
cured hams, sardines condensed milk, but
ter, cheese, ginger, candy, etc. Soldiers are
mostly very fond of candy, and complaints
have been made recently because MANY of
the brave boys at Chickamauga and other
camps were reiegated to the hospital in
consequence of excessive consumption of
sugar plums contributed by admiring
young women.
In former days half a dozen women were
regularly attached as laundresses 10 each
company Of United States troops As a
rule, they were the wives Of enlisted men
or non-commissioned officers, and nearly
always they were very worthy persons
Some of them followed the regiments for
as much as forty years, and they We're Of
ficlally recognized as belonging to the mil
itary organizations. One ration-in other
words, the food allowance of q soldier
was allowed TO each of them, and every
enlisted man paid al a given rate for their
services as washerwomen In war time
they did splendid work as nurses, and the
quarters occupied by them at each army
post usually went under the name of Soap
suds row. Eight years ago however. the
war department made an effort to dis
pense with them, and their rations were
a lie = 1xy L.,
will follow the troops during the present
campaign, and the soldier boys will have
to wash their own clothes.
1t is an interesting fact that in num-
Der of instances the sons of these army
laundresses were educated and sent to the
Military Academy at West Point, holding
at this day commissions as officers. For
obvious reasons it is not desirable 20 men
ton names In this connection but a uota-
bic case in point is that Of a well-known
infantry officer, who was coached for
West Point by the wife of Gen. Graham
He failed to pass because of an imperfec-
ton in his grammar, but Gen Sheridan
took a great interest In him, and the IN
shot of the matter was that he was an
pointed from civil life as a second lieuten-
ant a year before the class In which he
tried to enter was graduated. His father
was a non-commissioned officer and his
mother was a regimental laundress.
Women as naturally flock to the neigh
borhood of a military camp as crows "a a
cornfeld. Wherever our troops settle
down for even so short a time as a dav or
two. there will be plenty Of volunteer
laundresses. In Cuba the native women
will be only too glad to do washing for
the soldiers. for the sake Of making a Few,
pennies. While on the march, however
the men will have 10 wash for Thorn.
selves, while the officers will employ their
servants. who are most commonly negroes
Officers servants and mess attendants
constitute quite large class of camp fol-
lowers and ordinarily there are good
many people who struggle along IN the