The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-08-30

Carolina. Virginia. Illinois, Iowa. Mis-
sissippi, Louisiana, Texas. Alabama,
New Jersey, Wisconsin and Nebraska.
Peace-and now what: Are the boys
coming back? This is 4 question that
has been asked in many a Tar Heel
home. these past few days.
And not in the homes alone, by anXi-
Gus mothers and wives and sWeethearts;
but in camp also has it been discussed
by men and officers.
The enlisted men. for the most part,
wish 10 return home: the officers natur-
ally want to keep their commands IN
tact. The one gets $3.50 4 month: the
other receives 4 salary o f Sl.2oO 10
$500 a year. Perhaps this III part ac-
counts for the difference in sentiment.
Though another equally powerful rea-
son. no doubt. IS that officers being re-
Sponsihle for their respective" commands,
desire that they make as honorable q
record as possible to the very end.
The First regiment. we know, will 90
to Cuha-or ut any rate such Of them
as want to @o-as part Of General Lees
army Of occupation. The fate of the
Second is less certain. In all probability
it will he mustered out at an early date.
y III A'l' ~ - - IN - -
programme and the men of the Second
are hoping and praying hat it may be
carried out.
On Il recent visit to st. SimOn's Is
land. Tybec Island and other points
where the various companies of the
Second regiment are stationed. | found
the men sick and tired Of garrison duty.
"When do You expect we will get back
homc:" Nov that peace is declared
why should they keep us here Don't
YOU think we will hc discharged SOON
These and half a dozen other questions
, were always fired at me by the inmates
Of every tent.
Garrison duty. unless it be in we'll ap-
pointed barracks, is the most irksome
service Il soldier has to perform. 1t
means an everlasting stay III camp. 4
ceaScIrSS grind of guard duty and drlll.
a samcncss and monotony of life that
/ the outside world knows nothing Of.
j Then there are memories of home. and
letters from friends. and the activity Of
the world just beyond the sentry's we'll
trod lines. These things corrode the
spirit and wear away the life.
War with the volunteer is not a pro
f~cssi0n: it is patriotism. He offered his
services to his country rs Il fighter. and
he wants to fulfill that mission or 90
back home and resume his more peace
FIJI avocation in life.
To be sure the camp is Il safer spot
! than the field. but for the volunteer
soldier it is not always the pleasantest.
Man wants to be externally doing some
thing. At the front there is activity,
lifc-and death. Men see their comrades
drop without Il cry. They hear the
whizz of bullet and burst Of shell. but
what matters it? Glory leads the way.
Mems hearts are pierced by the sword
and bullet as worms bore the earth.
Bat On-on they rush to madness, whose
only balm is dcath-or fame. Fame
such as Il Hobson, Il Blue or Il Baglcy
has Won.
Santiago was not necessary to show
that the American boy will fight. and
that he is ever willing to die usclesSiy
and unjustifiably provided only that he
can see old glory waving ahead.
While they may have to sleep in mud
at night: sit in the sun during the day
and eat hardtack Gf anything at alb.
they are saved the everlasting do moth
ing Of camp-lifc, he foul odors and
choking memories Of long days and end
less nights that come to those in camp.
Then there are the hospital tents, with
pitiful. cmaciated faces in long rows,
their wanness accentuated by fever
scorched eyes glowing like Goals under
the din anvass
Do You know it is this place and vast
ING of disease that men dread more
than they do the crash of battle and
the bite of bullets?
If any soldiers in the world ought tC
he content it is the two companies at
st. Augustine in their comfortable quart
erS: and yet many of them told me the
other day they would be willing to give
up ali their comforts for the First regi
mcntS chances of going to Cuba. Their
there are the six companies Ruthcr
fordton. Ashcville. Nantahala. VIII
mington. Lumber Bridge and Murphy
at st. Simon's Island. under Colone
i.urgWyn. They hay n high CAM
ground. right on the seaShOrc; but they
are not happy. The wind is cool anC
invigorating. the air is clear and bril-
Liant. Over al hangs the summer Sky
brilliant meteorS flash across the night
and the hull's of huge vessels are seer
against the Shadowy sea. but the scene
has become monotonous. The sun shine,
again and fair visitors come again Will
merry p~rattlc and eyes look star-song!
into eyes that speak aeain..A nd at nigh
there is music and dancing, song ant
laughter in the big hotel on the beach
and groups of roguish girls in the porch
cS flash dark eyes and white teeth Il
officers, who smile back and love it all
and yet even the officers are not happy
and contented with staying in camp an,
never hearing Il hostile bullet fired.
X y y
because the ''boys' are coming bacl
home without having fired a hostile gul
they are no less deserving of credit an,
praise than if they had scaled height
O gllStcning with bayonetS and roarin;
with artillery. They volunteered to d
these things. theirs not the fault the,
| did not do them. Baking in tropical sul
4 and dying in miasmatic camp is littl
better than advancing through Cuban
t jungics and fighting Spaniards. Beat
g ing down the lush green growthS o
: Florida and lying among them as the,
@ fcrment. soaked with torrential rain
G and blaZcd upon by the tropical sum-. on
soldiers left behind are types of mos
heroic endurance. All honor to then