The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-09
INCIDENTS OF CAMP THOMAS
COL. SMITHS MEN LEARNING HOW TO
SHOOT MEN IN TRENCHES.
Departure of the Signal Corps for
diers to BE Reviewed To-Day.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
BRlSTOW, Va, Aug. S.-Orders were re-
ceived tonight for the Second Division to
move on to Thoroughfare Gap at daylight
tomorrow. This will be the camp of the
division for some time to come. The bag
gage and details left at Camp Alger will he
at Thoroughfare Gap by the time the troops
arrive. 1t was also announced that the
troops would be paid on Wednesday at the
new camp. Mail addressed to the One-hun-
dred-and-f1fty y-ninth Indiana at Thorough
fare Gap, Va. will reach the men. large
detail of men was at work all day building
bridges on the road to be travelled to-mor-
row. The county authorities do not seem to
build many bridges in Virginia, as the
troops have had to build them over every
stream crossed. The division hospital will,
for the time, be left at Gainesville, which
is four miles from the new camp. The COM
mand was thoroughly soaked with rain this
afternoon.
The court-martial of which Colonel Bar
nett was president, was to-day dissolved.
Colonel Barnett has not yet been able to
join the regiment. His condition is not
thought to be improving, as it was ex-
pected Major Stunkard was busy tonight
arranging to handle the sick and disabled
but there is only one ambulance available.
The Indiana boys have had varied ex-
perience since leaving Camp Alger. The
men have stood all kinds of weather and
short rations for five days. and are in such
good spirits that the men who left camp
in bad health are already improving, and
without the aid of medicines. At Burkes
Station last Thursday night there was
rain and it lasted all night. The efficiency
Of the new tents was tried and found sadly
wanting. The result was that every man
was wet to the skin. At 4 o'clock in the
morning the camp was broken and the
march taken up over the wet roads towards
Clifton Station. The nine-mile march was
made without any loss of men, the regi-
ment reaching the camp in good shape. The
camp was located about one mile from Cliff
ton and two miles from Bull Run. The rain
made the Bull Run ford impossible and the
delay in the arrival of rations caused Gen.
Davis to order the division to remain there
until to-day.
The fact that the men have not been paid
and that they were short of rations caused
every land owner within miles of the camp
to suffer severe losses. Corn fields, gar
dens and barnyards suffered in proportion
despite the fact that every place for miles
was guarded by outposts-even the cows lost
their milk. 1t is said of Pennsylvania man
that he found COW which had been milked
but a few miutes before. He accepted the
situation with good grace and sat down in
the shade to wait patiently until the animal
was ready to be milked again.
When camped on the scene of the prelimi-
nary skirmish of the battle of Bull Run
the men were overcome with a mania for
relics and the surface for mile on either
side of the camp was carefully searched
and made to give up rich supply of bullets,
brass buttons, etc.
The e-hundred-and-fifty did not
fare so badly in regard to rations as some CT
the regiments, but many of the companies
suffered or were driven to foraging.
G. w. B.