The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-27
Special from a Staff Correspondent.

posts were assigned it, one at Merri-
field and the other at Dunn Loring sta
tion. The first post guards and pa
trolls the road connecting the Dunn
Lorine and Falls Church portions of
the camp and the Dunn LorinS camp
site. The second looks after the sta
tion and warehouses.
The battalion is to be divided into
two details of two companies each, one
relieving the other every twenty-four
hours. Company A went out this
morning to the Merrifeld post and
Company 8 to the Dunn Loring post.
Tomorrow Company G will relieve
Company r and Company d will re-
lieve Company A. While of duty the
provost companies will have nothing
to do but eat. The extra draft that
will be made on the companies of the
Second battalion for interior guard
and other regimental duties will thin
out their numbers to such an extent
that the regiment will be greatly de-
moraliZcd for the next twenty days
as far as routine work Is concerned.
Colonel Coursen has given mis- ap-
proval to the officers mess and word
was sent today to C. II. Hood, who
has been selected to conduct it, to
come at once and get the thing under
way. When the mess is in operation
all the officers will eat at the same
table. 1t will alsC provide a general
meeting place for leisure hours. where
the officers can sit down together for a
smoke and chat A refreshment priv
ilege goes with the conducting of the
mess.
HEAT INTENSE.
The heat continues to be intense and
the water difficult to procure. The
well is still being worked but without
results. Although the men in charge
of the sinking have reported that the
well will never amount to anything no
steps have been taken to start anoth-
er. General Goblin upon reaching here
today and learning of the Un-northern
way in which the well sinking is being
carried on was very wrathy and vowed
things would be different or he'd know
the reason why.
The sick men are reported to be do
ing nicely. None of them are critical
ly ill just at present and the most
of them are convalescing.
Before the week is over all the regi-
ments of the First division will, it is
expected, be located on the new Dunn
Loring site. The Thirteenth and Eighth
Pennsylvania, Third Virginia, First
Connecticut, and Seventh Ohio are al
ready here and the Twelfth Pennsyl-
vania, First New Jersey and Sixty
fifth New York are either moving or
pnaking preparations to move. The
Second South Carolina, which with the
Third Virginia and First Connecticut
is to compose a brigade, will come on
from Columbia in few days. The
Chittenden manor has been taken by
General Butler for his headquarters,
and yesterday the summer boarders
who are occupying it were given orders
to pack up and get out. General Goblin
transferred his quarters today and the
other generals are to come as fast as
they can make ready. When all are here
the farm will contain an army of over
5000 men, commanded by major gen.
eral and two brigadiers. No COM
1nander has as yet been assigned to
the Second brigade
THE WATER QUESTION.
What the new corners will do for
water, corps headquarters alone
knows. The Twelfth will have no well
VI It's OWN lOG d week at ledSl. Inc
Thirteenth's we'll is now possible
complete failure as the drill has tapped
bed of quick sand, which will pre-
vent further sinking and, also. likely,
absorb what little water flows into it,
The Fighth's well cannot supply more
than one regiment, The soldiers have
given up all reliance on the authori-
ties for their water supply and are pre-
pairing to forage for themselves. 1t is
needless to say they are not throwing
their hats in the air over the pros
pect.
Major C. r. Parke is still landing
new honors. Yesterday an order was
issued appointing him inspector gen.
eral of the First division hospital.
This position gives him independent
supervision OF all the men and prop
erty of division hospital corps and is
considered one of the most desirable
places in the medical arm of the SER
vice.
Private Richardson, of Company E.
who is trying to secure his discharge,
had his application formally refused
today and he was ordered to return
to his company and report for duty.
He says he will be shot before he will
do tap of work. He claims that he
is incapacitated by reason of physical
disability. The consulting board of
the First division hospital could not
find the alleged disability and so re-
ported. 1t will be remembered Rich
ardson's wife wrote an appealing let
ter to General Goblin setting forth that
IT her husband was not allowed to
come home they would lose their prop
erty and that she and their two chill
drtn would be left on the streets to
starve. Richardson wrote in similar
strain to the President. Both letters
were referred to Lieutenant Colonel
Mates and he referred the matter to
the surgeons, with the result above
noted. Whether or not Richardson
will persist In his determination to get
shot remains to be seen.
BUG IN HIS EAR.
Private Henry Murray, of Company
+, native of Dunmore, yesterday eX-
perienced literally what 1t is to get "a
bug in the ear" He was resting in the
woods during the afternoon while wait
ing his turn to do guard duty and
while reclining on the grass an insect
of the spider variety and about the
size of a house fly crawled into his ear
When he failed to dislodge it by ordi-
nary methods he FASTENED to the hos
pital and told the surgeons what had
happened to him. After half an hours
work the insect was extracted and
Murray was relieved from a terrible
agony. He said that while the bug was
crawling around his inner ear he felt
as II he was inside a tin house and
that a whole army was throwing big