Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-05-12
CAMP DELUGE!
OUR BOYS IN CAMP.
Co. f, 10Th Regiment, CamI
Hastings.

CHAUTAUQUA P. O., LEBANON Co, PA.
SATURDAY, MAY :, 1898.
As we wrote before Co. E volunteer
ed every man into the U. S. service
which the law permitted her to, and
that was sixty men and three officers.
We had sixty three men along, so three
had to be left out. Everyone of US
wanted to go in and had said so before
leaving Butler. Allison and Mitchell
were selected to stay out because neith-
er could pass the physical examination.
Barr received word of sickness in his
family and he did just what he should
have done, returned to Butler to care
for his own. The full Fifteenth Regi
ment volunteered. We were cheered
and hurrahed for by the other regi-
ments.
After it was over Col. Krepps spoke a
few words to each company. To our
boys he said this is the happiest and
proudest moment of my life.
We had week of miserably wet
weather. Rain fell all Monday after
noon, Tuesday and Wednesday were
dry and nice, but it started to rain
Thursday morning and has been at it
ever since Everyone is soaked from
the soles of his feet to the crown of his
head We can't drill, have roll call,
guardmount or do anything else except
be wet and uncomfortable. The red
mud in our company street is not more
than yard deep. We all hug the big
sheet iron stove in the cook house as
much as we can. Several have bought
small oil stoves which make the tents
somewhat warmer. Sergeant ODon-
mel, Corps. jackson and Kamerer, and
privates John Pierce, Hindman and
Bowser, the cook, have each had little
sick spells, but not lasting more than
one day. A tent that don't leak is
mighty good thing in wet weather,
he HsrHd doMn Sy2 n"I within two inches of our
heads. and yet never drop of 1T reach
ing us; Al,
once and battalion twice under Junior
Mai. Baker of Meadville. He was elect
ed last winter vice Maj. Hanna, resign
ed, and the regimental officers can con-
gratulate themselvs for the choice of
such an efficient and model officer
Wednesday there were two tragedies
in Co. E, one youngster who is noted
for his volumnious dramatic speeches,
broke loose in tragic harangue about
4:30 a. M, woke everybody in b and q
and then went to yelling and pounding
each tent to keep US awake. Later all
fell to and gave him pounding which
he will remember with groans and
sighs to the end of his days.
The other tragedy happened thus: A
certain one sought to entertain his fel-
lows with Dutch song, when behold
they fell upon him, roughly carried him
to the water spicket, and dampened his
musical spirit with liberal application
of cold water. We are not allowed to
give the victims names.
Just here let us report that Clarence
Graham has found his shoe somewhere
and is now as happy as lark. In a
ball game the other day he knocked the
ball clear across the lake and half way
up Gov Dick, the mountain to the east.
Only small quantities of fire wood
have been issued to US. We must get
what we can as best we can. There is
a gro7e of young timber between the
camp and railroad whose trees have
nearly all been cut down and burned.
This morning the company was ordered
to fall in in column of twos and then
charged on rail fence which Corporal
Jackson had discovered on the west
ridge We captured the enemy and
now have wood to burn. There are
some immense chestnut trees out here.
The trunk of one back of the officers
quarters is easily seven feet in diameter.
This afternoon we are carrying Stag up
from the railroad and paving the streets
with it, great improvement.
Prof. E. Mackey and wife of Reading
came out in the rain yesterday to see
Co. E and invited us over to visit them
if possible. Prof. Mackey formerly had
charge of the education of a majority of
Co. Els boys and we were glad to see
him.
The regiment was examined today by
the surgeons, Drs. Heilman, Martin and
Wright, who have been commissioned
into the U. S. service. Co. caught
it this morning Everyone passed ex-
cept private Haz jackson, who is minus
the index finger of his right hand. 1t
was cut off in lumber mill several
wears ago. We are sorry to loose him.
Several were nearly knoc ked out by
weak eyes.
Lieut.. Scott left yesterday for Butler
to bring out new recruits. he was
loaded down with love letters, decorat-
ed hardtack, etc, before starting. We
don't know how long we will be here
vet. Batteries A and & haye left for
Newport News, Va. Several of the
University of Pennsylvania football
PLAYERS are in battery A. Some of Co.
Els bows went over to their camp and
kicked a ball about with them. The
guard will not be taken away from Mt.
Gretna until the recruits are brought
here and equipped, after which the
completed Division will be moved.
SUNDAY, MAY s. That miserable
rain, driven by a cold, strong east wind
has been coming down in torrents since
Yesterday afternoon. The camp is
veritable lake of mud All the little
cinder paths we made yesterday are sub
merged The cooktent partly blowed
down this morning and the officers tent
started travelling also. They had to be
caught and pinned down again. 1t Is
very pleasant to work with wet canvas
in the rain and mud, don't think The
water is running through all our tents
and there are several inches OF 1t In
some Most of us have been in bed all
day That is the only place the least
bit comfortable. We are not only wet
through, but we are hungry. Bread
and coffee for breakfast and coffee alone
for dinner We feel that someone
should be kicked at least seven times
around the camp, but don't know just
who it is.
We saw some recruits come in for the
First brigade this morning. They We're
dressed in light citizens clothes, were