The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-18
ONE REGIMENT LEFT.
Camp Mount Not So Large rs 1t was
-Equipping the Men.

A large number of people made the trip
to Camp Mount yesterday to enjoy the ride
and the fine weather, for they knew that
but one regiment inhabited the fair grounds
where two days before there were four reg1-
ments and two batteries, and that conse-
Quently sightseeing would be on a small
scale. When they entered the gate they saw
four soldiers, each of whom might be lden-
titled as a soldier by some article of uni
form, but they carried sticks instead or
guns. There was considerable speculation as
to whether they were guards posted to
keep other soldiers from leaving the camp
without leave or civilians wearing parts or
uniforms. The big buildings which last
week were the quarters of the One-hun-
dred-and- fifty-eighth Regiment were empty
and locked up0 and Hthe grounds which
were covered with soldiers were deserted.
At the end of the main driveway there was
a long line of members of the One-hundred-
and-fifty-ninth Regiment waiting to be
paid off and this attracted some attention
from the visitors. The sum of $21, 94S.16 was
distributed through the regiment, but it was
of little present value to the soldiers, for
there was no immediate way of spending it.
The visitors found in the condition of the
troops many things to amuse them. The
officer of the day, a great fat man, wan
dered through the grounds wearing a mill
tary coat. but no other part of a uniform.
He had no sword, not even club, but he
said he was all right so long as he had
plenty of tobacco.
Where last week, before General Mckee
and his staff left the. camp, guards with
rifles on their shoulders paced the veranda
of the headquarters building, yesterday a
few, soldiers with thin sticks lounged ana
made no protest when visitors entered the
door. All this is no fault of the regiment
or its commander. The guns and all other
equipment except that necessary to cover
sleep half comfortably has been taken away
from them and they feel more than the
to The matter of moving the regiment to
some other point Colonel Barnett had heard
nothing officially in fact he had received
no advices on any. subject from the War
Department He believes that his regiment
will be fully equipped before 1t is ordered
away from Camp Mount He thinks that it
with what his superiors may intend to do
with him, but to obey orders without ques-
ton.
Eight hundred blouses were taken to the
camp yesterday and stored in the building
occupied by State Quartermaster General
Richardson's department. They were from
the War Department and were consigned to
Governor Mount. There is some question as
to what troops the blouses are meant for.
Full equipment has been asked for the One
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Regiment and it
may be that the blouseS were sent to sup
ply the regiments which have already
moved to Chickamauga. They will be held
back from the troops at camp now until the
question is settled. In the matter of arms
a telegram was received yesterday which
stated that one thousand Springfield rifles
of the latest pattern had been shipped here
from Washington to equip the troops and
that they would be issued from the United
States arsenal here.
The condition of the fair grounds after its
use by the soldiers interested many of the
visitors yesterday 1t will require the work
of large corps of men to remove the rub
bish left by the troops who have moved to
Chickamauga. The buildings which have
been used by the troops have all suffered
except the fine arts hall, which has lately
been used by United States Quarterma ster
PetersonS department and shows but few
signs or injury In the barns which were
USED Tor quarters boards have been torn
from stall sides and other places to use as
mattresses and the names and initials of
many OF the soldiers are carved in the wood
work. bill of damages is expected to be
nied against the government by the State
Board or agriculture to cover all destruc-
tion ana INJURY to the property, including
the fence on the north side of the race
track, Wnlch was pulled down to feed camp
nres on the first nights of the camp.
Yesterday was a lazy day at camp calcu-
iated 70 breed spring fever in the soldiers
nut colonel Barnett kept up the regular
programme of drills. No cases of serious
SICKNESS were reported and the guardhouse
heio no culprits except those charged with
peiuS absent from camp without leave or
with other minor misdemeanors.