The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1898-06-01
HOW THEY GOT THERE.
A Graphic Description of the
Trip South.

Soldier Boys Before they started
Not tin soldiers by Any Means and
Don't you forget it-A Tedious time
Getting to Camp but they Have a
Bea utiful Spot ON Historic Ground
An Interesting Letter Written by
Col. {. ). Smith.
j CAMP GEORGE III. THOMAS, CHIcKA-
MAUGA PARK, GA, May "a, 1898
Should we live TO get home and any
one call any one of the West Virginia
volunteers tin soldier he would be
shot on the spot. During the last
week we have gone through as many
haraships as usually fall to the lot of
volunteers, and with the exception of
hearing the whistle of bullets we have
experienced real army life. The reg
iment was mustered into the United
States service on the night of the l4th.
| On Sunday it was rumOred that we
would move to Chickamauga Park at
once. Monday was one of these rainy
days for which the Kanawha Valley
is noted. About noon on Monday the
to orders were issued to get ready
move. On account of the delay of
getting the train the tents of
the first battalion were not struck
until after six o'clock and the s'gen-
eral was sounded during one of the
worst rains through which we have
passed.
The first battalion consists of Co.
A, of Huntington, Capt. Lyons, Co.
d, of ClarksbuIg, Capt. Smith, Co. f,
of Huntington, Capt. Verlander and
Co. H, of Martinsburg, Capt. Moore
under the command of Lieut.. Col
Smith embarked ON the first section
of the train. The train was composed
of three baggage cars, one stock car
containing the horses of the regiment
and the eight day coaches to which a
Pullman sleeper was added at Hunt
ington for the officers. This was
the first section that left Kanawha
City at about $3.50 Monday night, but
was delayed for two hours at a
switch between Kanawha City and
Charleston. When we reached Charles
riotic citizens under the leadership of
Gen. G. G. Watts assembled to bid us
farewell with words of patriotic we'll
wishes. But on account of some mis-
understanding the engineer pulled US
by the station not giving US chance
to hear from Gen. Watts. The boys
were very wet and uncomfortable when
they entered the train but they soon
settled down in as easy positions as
their accommodations afforded. We
reached Huntington about 2 o'clock
a. m. and there we found hundreds of
people waiting our arrival and the
friends of the two Huntington COM
panies so lavishly fed them that their
supplies lasted well on the following
day. From Huntington we left for
Lexington, Ky. Just before reaching
Lexington private Davis of Co. d, a
former popular cadet of the Univer-
sity, was sitting with his feet hang
ing out the baggage car when he
struck cattle stop and injured one
of his feet very severely but DIR. Mes
bitt says he is doing very well and
will be out again in few days. That
was the only accident that marred our
trip. From Lexington we Were taken
to Chattanooga on what formerly was
known as the Cincinnati Southern
railway, now known as the G. N. 0. &
T. p. which has one of the best road
beds over which it has been our pleas
ure to travel. This road passes
through very beautiful country. On
leaving Lexington we traversed one
of the richest farming countries this
nation affords. Next we reached the
mountains of Southern Kentucky
which were very much like the foot
hills of our own Alleghenies but grass
was nothing like as abundant as is
found with us. About one hundred
miles north of Chattanooga we enter
ed another fertile farming section.
All along the road from Lexington
down there were beautiful towns and
lovely homes. The National colors
were flying from many houses and at
every stop the young ladies of the vic
unity flocked to the station and laden
ed the brave soldier boys with the
most exquisite flowers.
This country is a great deal more
forward than ours. Every thing is
in full leaf the wheat and rye being
headed and in many places the corn
worked for the first time. We. reach
ed Chattanooga about 10 O'Clock at
night when we found the railroads
| crowded with troops from other
states. The little road running up
to the park was so crowded with
| business that we could not be taken
out Of the yards before Tuesday. We
reached the battle field station Just
about o'clock p. m. and were COM
PEELED to bivouac in the slope of the
hill overlooking the railroad. This
was our first experience of this kind
and the boys after eating slight lunch
spread their blankets upon the sod
| hallowed by American blood split some
thirty years ago and was soon lost to
all thought of war and blJodshed.
Early next morning wagons were pro-
cured and the battalion was formed
and marched to it's camping ground
which is about three miles from the
station. 1t occupies position on
both sides of what is known as the
Jutts mill road not very far from the
Jutts mill made famous by the hard
| fighting in its vicinity during the
battle of September 20'63. We have
the most beautiful camp that we
have ever had. The tents are pitched
under the large shady trees with
splendid drill grounds nearby. Our
camp is to the west of Chickamauga
creek which affords good bathing fac
ilities. This is swift mountain
stream about as large as Buffalo
creek. This park is a beautiful place
and reminds a West Virginian very
much of Mt Lake Park and that vi
entity. The weather during the day
is hot as we ever have it at Fairmont,
but the nights are cool and the men
sleep very comfortably.
The drilling up until now has not
been severe and it is not supposed
that it will be hard work as it looks
as though we will have ample time
for preparatio before we are needed.
They are very slow about equipping
the command for as we write the first
load of uniforms are being hauled
into the camp.
| We are brigaded with the 15Sth In
diana, and the sixth Ohio on the Sec
ond brigade of the second division Of
the first army corps. Our command
ing officers have been changed so
frequently this week that we do not
.,snow who they are at the present,
| 4 81 c.