Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-07-28
Our Soldier Boys.

LYTLE, GEORGIA, JULY -, 1898.
EDITOR NEWS ITEM AND FRIENDS.
| send you, at the request of
friends short description of soldier
life at Chickamauga.
The first thing soldier has to
learn here is to obey orders, eat and
drink what he can get and say moth
ing. 1t is very hot and dry here at
present. The ground is so hot that
one can not walk on it without hav-
ing on shoes during the day. The
day we arrived it rained and couple
of days before that but since we went
into camp we have had no rain.
Chickamauga Park comprises the
old battle ground where the boys of
the civil war fought. 1t is fifteen
miles long and six miles wide. All
through it one can see monuments
and old cannons and slabs telling
how and where brave boys once
gained the victory for Old Glory.
The principle trees here are oak and
pine, a few walnut and Il kind of
evergreen. The principle grain is
corn and most all kinds of vegetables
are grown. The MELONS are very
enticing and injurious to the boys
health but nothing can prevent them
from getting them only that they
have not the money to buy with and
now nearly all the boys Of my COM
pany are troubled that way, for two
reasons: When they first reached
here the climate and water made
them sick; very few if any escape,
and they will give the last cent they
have or pawn their clothing to buy
what ever their appetite Graves.
We get bread most always, some
times crackers, meat, such as it is,
about twice aday. Once we had good
steak. We have had eggs a couple
of days. For drink we get coffee of
about the rankest kind, without
milk. We can only get half the
water we want and not very good at
that. We get ice every day but
it soon melts. At present there is
an Improvement i'm our rations. In
most parts of the park there is very
good bathing facilities. Water
comes from pipe line and we get
shower baths. Every one has to
take bath twice II week or as much
often as he chooses. Company NJ,
has received many compliments as
to the quality of its men. The boys
are proud of this.
We get drills from G:3O Il. m. to
IA. m. Afternoon drill, 1880 to 3,
with evening dress parade. This is
short but it is a very fine sight to see
a whole army in uniform on drill.
On "Wednesday last we marched six
miles in the boiling hot sun for in
spectiOn, and part the way made
double quick time (Which is running).
| think there was something like n
hundred dropped out of the ranks
but all recovered. Today the whole
division was inspected by General
Brookes in regard to going to Park
Rice. We don't know whether we
will go or not. There is a strife be-
tween the 9TH and 9th regiments as
to which will go.
The Y. M. c. A. is doing a very
good thing for the boys. There are
several large tents where they hold
meetings every evening; also give
all the paper and envelopes and furn-
ish a place to write, which thousands
of the boys take advantage of When
the time for services arrives, all
writing stops and all join in the
meeting. | wish to tell you what
we have to carry when under heavy
marching orders. A knapsack with
two extra suits of clothes, blue and
brown, under clothes, and extra pair
of shoes, a heavy sack with dishes,
canteen, woolen blanket, rubber
blanket, tent, gun and Il belt with
fifty rounds of cartridges, so you see
there is some little work as we'll as
sport. hope this will interest all
who may read it. Our boys are all
well. Hoping we may meet again,
l am, Sincerely yours,
ARTHUR MINER.
Company NJ, 9th Reg. Pa. Vol.
Successful Landing Effected.
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