, 1898-07-26
FROM CH|CKAMAUGA|
CAPTAIN CHARLES E.. GOLDEN
WRITES OF HIS NEW LO-
CATION AND DUTIES.
Thinks He Has Been Particularly For
tunate In Being Assigned to His
Present Position-Descrtption OF
Historic Park-Very Little Sick
ness There, Despite Other Reports.

Dr.. ]. II. Hayford has received the
following from Captain Charles E.
Golden, late of Laramie, who is now
with the volunteer troops at Chicka-
manga park, Ga:
Camp G. II. Thomas, Ga, July 90
My Dear Friend-When l left Lara
ME you asked me to write to you and
| promised to do so. You seemed to
think at the time that there was no
much hope of your hearing from me,
but while there is not much of the
George Washington in my makeup, l
think | am the greater of the two
from the fact that George couldn't tell
a lie, while | but | won't.
Well | presume you will first want to
know where l am and how situated. l
consider that | have been particularly
fortunate in getting the assignment
have. | have been assigned to General
Waite's staff as brigadier commissary.
4lS pihtSS hh' III ma 81 " shN ooo
sistence for the entire brigade of three
regiments. The position is a very re-
sponsible one, but am able to handle
ii without any difficulty. There are
three regimental c~ommissaries under
me. | find General Waite is a gentleman
in every respect and the entire men,
hnrcbin of hic ctaf 10 main IN NJ a1
fine a set of men as l ever saw. Cen
elal Waite is in command Of the Sec
ond brigade, Third division. First army
corps and the First corps is command
ed by General Brooke who is now in
Washington arranging for the Porto
Rican expedition. General Brooke is
persistent in his demands to take his
whole command to Porto Rico, but
they don't seem to think it is neces-
sary to take them all. His command
is fully equipped now and ready to
take the field on a moments notice.
This morning things look more like a
move of the entire First corps. Gen
bloohU . Slai 'aNNc tlio oASSi hHooA
for Newport News, where a portion OF
his command is now. Three regiments
left yesterday and he goes to arrange
the necessary details for e~mbarkation.
Now t o the park. 1t comprises 5000
acres of land purchased by the United
States at an average cost of $3.50 per
acre. There are now $50 miles Of
roadway through the park and elegant
roads they are. Most of the park is
timber land, but the under brush and
small trees have been cut out so that
visitors can drive over every foot Of
the timbered portion with a two-horse
conveyance. Large spaces OF open
for drilling and dress parade. All
through this park of nearly eight
square miles can be seen monuments
erected and dedicated to the heroes Of
some particular regiment, brigade or
division who distinguished themselves
on this or hat particular spot, and on
" ~ Id ills' IpCu u ia detcllI vi
the part they took in that terrible
fight. Here and there traces ~ still
visible of the long line Of trenches in
which lie the remains OF 80, 900 human
beings who were sacrificed in the ter.
rible battle of Chickamauga. One is
impelled to walk With uncovered head
| &C bn nnnrnarha- thneo 1if{In ,,,,,Ic
upon which are reared those beautiful
monuments, feeling that beneath his
very feet lie the remains Of some faith.
er or son Or brother whose thread OF
life was suddenly severed for the coun.
try he so dearly loved. This is the in.
evitable result of war. d
There is a regular park commission,
with General Boynton at its head. He
is an indefatigable worker and has
been of a great deal OF assistance in To-
eating the different camps. There are
now about 1000 troops camped here,
so you can imagine what 1t requires to
administer to their wants. The gov
ittus tncIl we'll. lney nave
facilities for giving them (the sick
all the the medical attention they could
receive at home. and while some of the
northern papers are giving out that
there is a great deal OF sickness in
camp, say it is absolutely false, and
II the soldiers who are sick had acted
in accordance with general orders they
would o nov be in hospitals. OF
course. among such a great number of
men some must be sick; but in this
great camp there are but few, and none
very serious.
Yours sincerely,
CAPTAIN CHAS. E. GOLDEN.
Second Brigade. Third Division, Fint
Corps.