Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-05-05

Camp Harvey, Wis, April 30.-The
Wisconsin national guard will prob
ably be mustered into the regular
army Monday-or at least the work of
mastering is expected to begin on that
day. OF the 2,400 soldiers in camp
there is not a one but feels the thrill
of patriotism and the sincere desire to
fight to the last for his country's
honor
The soldier boys began work in real
earnest Friday morning and the large
camp ground was early dotted with
companies and squads of men On drill.
Visitors began to pour in long before
noon and there were large number
OF curious and interested people stroll
ling over the grounds all day.
The West superior company brought
LOO men into camp during the morn
ing. These, with the tour Milwaukee
companies which had arrived by noon,
completed the camp.
Gov. Scofeld put in an appearance
early in the morning and spent the
time consulting with the officers IN
charge and looking over the appoint
ments OF the camp.
Company C, fourth infantry, came
into camp SO strong, 80 being in uni
orm. Seven members Of Company D
were In the ranks.
EX-Gov. Peck reached the camp
about IL o'clock, and was soon in the
midst of a group of personal friends
ut headquarters
Beyond patrols and pickets Thurs
day night there were no military reg
ulations enforced as it would have
been most difficult to have had any
EJ was in a large sense a scramble,
though in every sense an orderly one
Many of the men were without uni
forms, many had neither great coats
nor blankets, many had never tried
a military step before and none had
had food enough to satisfy even Or
binary appetites. Nobody knew
where his home was for the time be-
Ing and the officers had not fixed their
quarters. Friday that was done and
last night there was a strict military
camp.
Perched on his stand in front of the
quarters of Company H of the first,
from Monroe, is "Joe," the company
eagle. Joe is fine-looking bird and
has been in camp before with the boys.
He is now for the first time to become
a regular. He is an old campaigner,
however, and a year ago lost his toes
through excessive cold while serving
the state. Company H is the Eagle
company of the first and takes pride
In that fact and in it's emblem Not
man in it turned last night with
out first seeing that the eagle had
been fed and saying good night to
him as he did to comrades Joe" was
presented to the company by the fam
lily of Joseph Sickinger, a veteran OF
the civil war.
How do you like the idea of going
90 Cuba or to the southern states?'
was asked many of the volunteers
why, | am here for that purpose,
was the general reply. There is not
man in camp who is not eager to
get there and the sooner the better
We enlist to fight and the closer we
get to the Spaniards and the sooner we
polish them off the better we Will be
satisfied. We are not boys and we
know as we'll, or nearly as well, what
we are going up against as the people
who are trying or who are anxious
TO advise us. The fever and all that
sort of stuff does not scare us; il ii
id we would not be here. We have
made up our minds to go and after hav-
ing done that, we have put OFF all doubt
and hesitation. 1t is Cuba or the coast,
where there is fighting that we are
looking for, and after that our homes
again. We don't want to stay here
long, but if it is orders, why here We
will stay" This was the answer OF
one young man of the first and his
sentiments were reiterated by others.
There are none hesitating, none back
ward none shifting, but all are eager,
determined and hopeful. They do not
look upon their duty as a picnic.
They realize the responsibility upon
hem, but as one said: do you want
us to be sad-faced soldiers? For my
part, If l must die on the battlefield,
let me die fighting and laughing"
Gen. Boardman has issued orders
charging regimental commander:
with establishing guards about their
regimental camps and directing them
TO give all necessary orders to senti
nels for the preservation of order and
the protection of property. A regi-
mental guard will consist of not fewer
than twelve posts and a provost guard
of thirty-six men is provided for. Ac-
cording to the order, guard duty at the
camp, in all its details. will be exc.
cuted in the same manner that it is il
the regular army.
There has been a great pressure
upon Gen. Boardman for permits tt
sell fruit, cigars, tobacco, stationery
and numerous other things in tn
camp, but to all the applications the
general gave prompt refusal. Gen
Boardmau said that he did not pro
pose to turn the camp into state fa1
and that there would be no exception
to the rule laid down that there shall
be nothing offered for sale within tn
camp. 1t is probable that the result
of the exclusion will be camp G
booths and stands erected outside tn
gates.