Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-15
SOLDIERS OF THE SECOND CALL.

There seems 10 be no purpose upon the
mart of the United States Government TO
hurry into camp the quota of the several
States under the Presidents second call.
This course we think wise one. We
would better clothe and arm and equip In
n proper manner the men we already
have in the field before sending others
there. IN short, it is better to do well
a few things than TO do many things Ill
TO this day the great majority of our
volunteers are neither armed nor clothed
as they should be for service in this
war. OF course, rapid progress IS be-
ing made; still the men now actually IN
the field demand all the attention the
government can give them, and nothing
is TO be gained now by calling into camp
tens of thousands of other raw recruits.
So far as the Dispatch can learn, there
IS general agreement that the rations now
issued are better than those that were
issued at the beginning of hostilitieS. 1t
is true also. that the men have learned
much that they did not know at the De-
ginning about dividing, cooking, and serV-
ing their rations. Much, however, yet re-
mains to be done 10 make the men as
comfortable as they should be. There
,an be no doubt at all. upon this point,
since Colonel Baker, Of the Second Nir-
ginla. has sent the chaplain Of that com
mand here to raise funds from the State
or otherwise. in order to purchase neces-
saries for the regiment. 1t is even stated
that the army is ill-provided with medi-
cal stores. Why this should be, we can't
see. Certainly, there are plenty Of drugs
in the country We guess the War De-
partment is waiting upon some partcu-
lar contractor or contractors TO furnish
4bese stores, We are a nice nation to be
talking about overcoming Cuban diseases
by HYGIENE and sanitary measures, when
we haven't medicine that is needed to
combat the comparatively mild diseases
of the jacksonville camps. Bah!
II is said to be the purpose OF the gov
eminent TO abandon Tampa as port OF
embarkation. 1t is TO be trusted that 1t
win. The selection OF il was Il big blunder,
and showed an utter lack OF forethought
upon the part OF the War Office. Tampa
hasn't the railroad or wharf facilities, nor
the drinking that are needed. In
deed. we would better rot oyertax any
one port. but make use OF several.
Charleston. Savannah. etc, all might be
used 70 good advantage.
OF the camps of rendezvous, Chieka-
mauga ought 10 be the best, because the
government has spent money lavishly
there; but II is said 10 be far from beins
am ideal camp IL Is not nearly so popn-
lar as Jacksonville, where there is an
abundant supply of pure. sweet water
from an Artesian well, and where there
arc bathing, boating, and fishing galore
and where every prospect pleases anC
only the insects are vile.
The Artesian well at Jacksonville was
bored when the exposition held there.
and IL has proved TO be great blessing.
The water gushes from the we'll IN large
stream and falls into basin, whence Il
~ pumped into a standpipe. and is
thence delivered wherever II is needed
on the other hand. Camp Alger seems tC
have been selected during the rainy sea
son and because there was little or nc
water there! But after the troops pitch
ed their tents there. and when the wsa'
ther became hot. the discovery was made
that water Is q very necessary thing II
summer. Since then. the digging OF wells
has proceeded very rapidly. and the camI
viii now soon be in good condition.
bat. talking about the men who are e
answer the Presidents second call. WI
must say they viii have much more
comfortable initiation into the mysteries
OF soidier-life than the volunteers nov
IN the field had.
All our camps are now IN better condi
ton tran they were at FIRST and supple
OF all sorts are coming In much NOR
freely. Moreover IL would seem tha
"the new issue Will not have so long 4
sat before being transferred to acty