The times., 1898-06-28
THE DISTRICT VOLUNTEERS.
Gen. COppinger Compliments thu
Regiment on Its Appearance.

Private William A. Hickey, of Com
pany C. District Volunteers. sends the
following letter to The Times from Camp
Tampa, Fla. under date of June "a:
There seems to be an impression
among our boys that our stay here will
be longer than was anticipated at first.
The boys want to fight and to see some
skirmishing, and there is no regiment in
the volunteer army that is more compe-
tent to fight than is Col. HAIRLESS COM
mand. If our friends at home could wit
ness some of our drills marches, sham
battles, ETC., they would be proud of the
fact that their lads were among the best
fitted of the troops under Gen. Coppin-
ger.
1T was stated that more perfect
showing has not been made here than
that at the guard mount of Capt. Do
mer's men on Thursday morning. The
comments of experienced soldiers are
very fiattering to the boys.
Our pastimes are of the usual sort
baseball. singing, music, etc-and we are
a happy lot We continue to take practice
marches to Tampa Heights and only
yesterday we went there for the third
time. During this march, the boys put up
a good drill and not man fell out. Last
Sunday evening, when we were drawn
UP ready for our departure on n practice
march, Gen. Coppinger and s,af rode up
and complimented Col. Harries on the
appearance of the boys.
Twenty of our boys were sent on pro-
vost guard duty to the city on Wcdnes-
day. They were treated well by the
chief of police of Tampa. Two squads
composed the guard, one under Lieut.
Crist and the other in charge of Lieut.
Hardin. The following boys were among
those selected for the honor. Sersts.
Claxton and Sisson, Privates Walsh,
Putsche. Ketchum, Dawson. Nash,
Staples. Loucks. Helling. Jones' Saul.
! Greenwalt Hansel Ruckles, Proctor,
o Brierx Craig, Milstead and Ike Wear.
In Ybor a suburb of the city. the boys
were escorted around among the cigar
factories by the proprietors and treated
| TO some genuine Cuban-made cigars.
Ybor is a Cuban town. practically and
the way our lads were treated is an eTi-
dence of their love for the Americans.
while writing this a squad of WASH
! ington boys from the Brooklyn Navy
Yard has just arrived on their way to
Key West. Among the number were VII
| liam Lacey and John McDeTmOtt, ma
! chinists on the Vermont. They were re-
! ceived in camp royalty. Today we go on
fatigue duty and in the afternoon the
! boys viii go in bathing.
! Last night we attended divine services
and Rev Dr. Walker, of Tampa talked
to us in a patriotic strain. At the con-
! clusion of the service. the boys sang in
( unison, Nearer, My God to Thee. Rock
! of Ages. and several other hymns.
Several of orr boys went over last
last night to take supper with the ladies
Of Tampa Bay Inn. about 200 yards from
our camp. After the meal was over. Cor
poral Jones and Private Barghaussn fur
nished music. assisted by Privates Mad
! doX and Brown. Of the regImental band;
! Private Kenneth in songs and negro dia-
! lect sketches; Private Jimmy Nolan and
several others also engaged in the amuse-
ment furnishing
The big eagle which was captured
some days ago by Private Mallet. of
: Company ], is perched on top of the tent
! each day. with the national colors tied
around his neck and each time the mess
| bugle blows. Private Brown hands the
! bird his meal on a long stick. The eagle
! is lover of fresh beef. and Private
/ Brown says he viii be sent 10 Washing
/ ton as soon as arrangements for his
! transportation can be completed"