Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-06-23
A NEW ACQUAINTANCE.
Geo. e. RAIN" Was a Welcome But
Tardy Visitor at Chickamauga
Camp-All Feeling Well.

| Correspondence of the Ledger.
CAMP GEO. H.. THOMAS, CHICKA'
MAUaA, GA, June ~ met a queel
fellow to-day, a Geo. E. Rain; he wa
a hard fellow, a long fellow and a coo
fellow and is still with Us. While he il
not entertaining III much 1 expect
that we are furnishing a great deal O
amusement for him as he watches
our unsuccessful attempts to KEEP
dry. On account of the old fellow
visit the company street is full of ruts
the company cellar is full of water
the boys are full of disgust and the
tents are full of gossipy boys, also flies
Who is Geo. E. Rain? Well, he ii
the worst individual 1 eve happened
to meet. When Sherman said thai
"war is hell" 1T must have been just
after he met Geo. E. Rain. l Car
readily excuse him for the profanity
If such was the case.
This afternoon we enjoyed the first
rain since we reached the park. Isay
l enjoyed it and in the same sentence
I use the word afternoon and l do moi
prevaricate, but if l we're to say that
we enjoyed the rain clear through ]
would be subject to court martial.
because, as the evening began to ap-
proach and Geo. E. showed no signs
of departure, the tents began to leak
and some of the poorly constructed
trenches around them began to fill up
and fail to do their part of the job OF
carrying the water away from the in
side, the boys began to grow weary Of
the at first welcome visit, and then az
the day began to fade so did our
chances for supper.
Taken all in all the downpour OF
water wasa God-send to the thousands
of troops camped in the park. For
days n could not tell where the diff
ferent parade grounds were located by
clouds of dust w%hichswere so dense at
times that one could see but only a
few feet. In this I found the only re-
hinder of Mexico and these dust
clouds did remind me of that once
prosperous time when Mexico enjoyed
one of the best country fairs in the
State and when the roads leading to
the fair grounds were thick with dust
from morning until night.
understand that arrangements are
completed for a good fair this year.
That it may be a good n and re-
establish Mexico on her old footing as
the best country fair town in Mis-
souri,, I sincerely hope.
At 6 O'Clock tonight, and during
the hardest of the rain, a four mule
team swung a covered army wagon up
to the side of Captain Blacks tent
and carried off Lieut.. Eagon, Corporal
Robbins and about Is men from other
companies. Their destination is Mis-
souri, and, as I wrote the LEDGER a
few days ago, their object is to recruit
the 9th Missouri volunteer regiment
to full strength.
Many were the envious eyes cast at
the covered wagon as it turned out on
the road leading to Sytle station, the
park depot. Although raining like sin,
a large number of soldiers stood in the
wet, straining their eyes and necks to
catch a last glimpse OF 'the lucky
ones" who were going to get their
feet under mas table for a few days.
That's considered sentiment at this
place.
All kinds of rumors are running
through the camp as to our chances
for moving. 1t is reported that the
End Missouri will soon be sent to San
Francisco via St. Louis. Some of the
knowing ones predict that the 5th will
60 through the same programme and
pick up the recruits al we 60 through,
and of course san Francisco means
the Philippines.
: The company's sick book is absorb
ing less and less ink each day, as the
boys are becoming more able to cope
WAth Shc A0A W SdLlP IAC3 anu
the kickers, Lord bless 'em, are grad
ually working down to fighting weight
and are becoming interested in mill
tary matters and have less time to
spend In the at first popular pastime.
We are being fed quite well for SOL
diers and will never starve unless a
radical change is made in our rations.
It has been more actual work to
write this letter than it would be to
report a meeting of the Audrain Dem
ocratic County Committee. My tent
has II of the boys in it and each has
been trying to sing different songs at
the same time for the past hour. I am
casting no slurs at the Central Com
mittee, as 1 have a high regard for
the members, who have done so much
towards u%pbuilding the party in i'm
perial Audrain. The only objection l
had to reporting their meetings was
that they lasted until so near press
time, and the similarity is that the
boys in my tent are going to crowd
to get my copy in before taps.
WILL G.. HUTTON.