Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1898-05-25
LIFE AT CAMP SnITH.
Experiences of Company I During Its First
Week of Camp Life.

CAMP SMITH, Mont, May 16, '97.
Life at Camp Smith is about as dis
NAL as anything that could be imag-
ined. 1t has rained almost incessant-
ly ever since last Thursday night, and
the spirits of the men, once buoyant
and hopeful, are gloomy in the ex-
treme. An experience of this kind for
a few days longer would end in a
mutiny. Everything is thoroughly
soaked, and it is only with the great
est difficulty that we are able to keep
warm with our insufficient bed
clothes. The suffering OF some of the
boys must be terrible, and not a few,
unable to withstand the rigors of
camp life, have become hospital
charges. The sick list is bound to
increase If this weather continues.
Fortunately, everything possible is
being done to alleviate the sufferings
of the men. A new site has been Sc
lected on higher ground, to which
place Camp Smith was removed last
Saturday morning. Existence would
have been impossible upon the old
camp ground, and it's selection in the
first place was a blunder of such col
lossal proportions as to admit of no
p~alliation. The new site, however,
is in every respect an Ideal one.
1t has been found necessary, owing
to the condition of the weather, to
suspend all drill exercises. Instead
of this inertia being welcomed as a
relief from toll, a might be supposed,
it has increased the monotony to
such an extent that few, ii any,
would object if the weather permit
ted the regular program of the day
to be carried out. Arduous as the
drill exercises may be, they are a di-
version in comparison with the in
supportable sluggishness of our pres
ent life.
1t must not be supposed, however,
that we are all inactive. Various
eXpedients are resorted to for pass
ing away the time. Those with a
bent for music, of whom there are
not a lew in camp, regale themselves
in that way, and the strains of both
sacred and profane songs can be
heard ascending to the skies at al
selves by talking, smoking, or play
ing cards. When the weather ia ia
vorable all kinds of athletic sports
are INDUCED in, including running.
jumping, leaping, etc , and many of
the boys i'm Company l have devel-
oped especial proficiency in particu-
lar sports.
Discipline is maintained in camp at
all hours. Guard mounting takes
place about 8 a. M, when the guard
march up to the guard tent under
charge of the first sergeant. / am
assured by those who have beer on
the guard relief that it is one of the
most unpleasant duties devolving
upon a soldier. but little complaints
heard, as it is regarded as essential
to accustom the boys to future con-
t~ingencies. Daring plans are formed
and sometimes successfully executed
for running the guard" 1t is con-
sidered a kind of a pious fraud, and
our Owl Rev. Pfaus has been known
to sanction such a proceeding by
coming into camp in this n
late at night.
A spirit of characterization has be-
gun to manifest itself in the ranks.
No direct case of di%sobedience to or
ders has been reported, to my knowl-
edge, and the disposition to resent a
rigorous enforcement of discipline is
confined to grumbling and growing.
Our officers, both commissioned and
non-commissioned, ar very popular
with the men. They are strict dis
c~iplinarians, but are not u~nnecessar-
lily severe. 1 do not think the slight
est discourtesy has ever been offered
to n of the commissioned officers,
and l would feel sorry for the cnlprit
who would be guilty of such a thing.
We had q great many visitors in
camp yesterday from different Mon
tana cities. Several thousand took
advantage of the excursion rates Of
fered by the railroad companies to
come to Helena and Camp Smith. 1t
was a gay spectacle to see all the
people.
AT this writing it has not been def
initely determined when the regiment
will start for Frisco. Col. Kessler is
apparently as ignorant of the gov
when the soldiers will leave as any
one; but this is only conjecture, and
he may be in possession of morecom-
plete information than Is generally
supposed. The opinion prevails, how
officers and men, that orders to