Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-05-21
CKAMAUGAg PARK
THE BOYS IN BLUE TENTING ON THE
OLD CAMP GROUND.

General Brooke Proud of the Troops-Says
World - Drilling DiTeren. Arms of the
| service-Ready to March on Short Notice.
The tramp Of infantry, the numbering
Of artillery caissons and the Gathering
of cavalry which are to be heard on
Chickamauga park q. present foroibly
call up the shostly scenes Of 1868,
when Confederate and Federal met in
death grapple and battled until human
nature gave way, accelerated by Long
streets puncturing CT the Federal Gen.
ter. Chickamauga is a fitting ground
upon which to mobilize the troops of
the Union in the conflict which is now
ahead OF us Upon this field was fought
a battle SO desperate and so pertinacious-
~ held by both sides that the sons of
the old veterans can well afford TO meet
and fraternize upon it, for it stands as
record that American manhood is in
| yincibie.
"They arc fine body Of men, - said
Adjutant General Sheridan Of General
Brooke's staff. Man for man, think
they are equal to five Spaniards We
have been enlisting men between the
ages of IS and 80 as the limit. They
had to pass severe physical eza,nina-
ton and were required to be able to read
and write The result is that our army
has been graded up until it is Of tho
highest standard. So severe have been
our requirements that only one in five
applicants could pass, and then the sup
ply of eligible men was above our needs.
One recruiting officer in Chicago had
800 eligible names which could not be
acted upon because our limit had been
reached. From this it will be seen that
we have had the pick OF men and that
the 10, 900 men whom you will see here
within few days will be equal to
more than five times their number.
may be excused Tor saying that if a reg
. iment were TO lose every commissioned
, man in its line, the noncommissiored
; staff from the ranks could lead it
! through"
4 forcible illustration Of this was
found in the arrival Of the second squad
! ron of the Second cavalry from Fort
Logan, Colo. No sooner had they tum-
bled out of the long train which drew
! up at the rural station than rider and
horse were together, and the cavaloado
began to wind its way up the slOpo in
good style. Every man had the carriage
, Of an officer. inpatient at their long
fto obo7nnol ond
reared, and when the main road was
reached it needed no spur to put the
whole squadron into lope, which
brought it 70 the brow OF the hill over
locking the valley beyond, where tents
were TO bo pitched. One borseman S
stirrup became entangied, forcing him
to disnount for repairs, thus losing
sight of his fellows.
'That won't do in Cuba,' said an
onlooking artillery subaltern. "Is was
by just such "a slip that the prince i'm.
perial fell into the hands OF the Zulus,
and from all accounts the Spaniards are
! just as cruel"
All around are spread tents-wbole
a villages OF them-and the activity is
!. such that no loitarers seem to be found.
The artillery is in place, with its long
guns IL trim; the infantry is ready fol-
: the march; the cavalry tents in double
line, with the horses drawn up behind,
all show superb control, even in thl
disorganization consequent upon their
just coming together. Said Major Raj
ferty, in command Of one of the cavalry
regiments:
"We are not keeping up with the pol
itics of this thing, but we are ready tc
do our duty. 1t is the duty of thost
above US to point the way, and you can
depend upon it that Rafferty's herst
will keep in the road
From the tower On Snodgrass hill
+ the scene below spread out as in PIANO
rama. In every valley almost there mes
tied Its village of tents, while the rid
> ing orderlies from one regimental head
: quarters to another presented an ami
mated scene. AS soon as a new regi
|, ment arrives and begins to pitch tent!
|, extra sentinels are thrown out, and thu
) the ground begins to be occupied. Tht
! headquarters of General Brooke are on
. gentle knoll hard by.
Il must say that / am proud of thest
men, " said General Brooke Il Away!
did believe that Americans made thc
best soldiers in the world but as this il
the first occasion in years in which Sc
! many of them have been brought to
gether, it is the first real opportunity
have had to see them to such good ad
vantage. Our work here is purely mill
tary, getting the different arms of The
= service together and putting then
through the routine Of army organiza
tion in the larger field movements Be
, yond this it is obvious that / could SAY
nothing"
1t is evident that the regular army
organization being perfected here is t
serve as school fer the volunteer regi
= meDts which are now springing int
: service in all parts of the country
When they begin to arrive, there vii
follow the differentiation Of tie sons q
Georgia. and of Maine, Of Texas and @
California. 1t is upon the coming o.
this 1875, 900 men fresh from the peopl,
that the importance of the great ma
tional encampment is hinged. They
come not at the command Of section