The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-08-11
CAMP LIFE
BY II. Harris Bower.
CAMP CHICKAMArGA G..

hackneyed subject at thepresent tim,
can be well described by the ON,
word-Monotony. Day after day
week after week-the same. Civil.
iansperhaps wonder why the men il
camp are so eager to risk their live.
in battle, but the soldier, who ha.
endured for months the unending
sameness, is willing togivc anything
tor change of scene. Men did not
volunteer expecting to encamp tor
any length of time in one place.
They expected to go directly to the
front. Ana, of course, grinding
bitter disappointment is the fate OF
those who expected to smell Spanish
powder Immediately.
For the recruit, however, all is
interesting. During the stmonth
or more some novel phase Of camp
life and army discipline presents it.
self daily. New scenes around and
about this historic battlefield, where
our fathers fought and died gcner-
alton ago, are tobc visited. Drills,
marches, duties combine to make the
life of the "rookic" one unendinr
round ofnovelty and interest. And
to the man with ambition and high
aims this interest in his work con-
tinues, despite the drcary round of
passing months, for he is striving all
the while tor something higher and
can well afford to leave it to the
sluggard to sit dissatisfcdin his tent.
The camp of the Fifth Pcunsyl-
vania is located at the cXtrcmc east
of Camp Thomas. We are alto
gcthcr "out Of the world.' TO the
northwest OF us !irs tie camp of
the Twelfth Minnesota, Il regiment
Of giants; and to the west is found
the deserted camp of:he First South
Carolina which was recently ordered
to Porto Rico. There is ~ we'll
travelled road near lis, 50 as the days
pass we see very Jew visitors. Cur
location is extremely unhoa'thtui, in
Il place which is considered hv the
natives hcrcabout to be- Il swamp.
As Il result the sick rate h : been
great, and a number of deaths have
occurred, Everything considered,
our camp is on the least desired
plot ot'groundin Chickamauga Park.
This, however, will be righted
within few days. Preparations are
now being made for change Of To-
cation. In our new quarters we will
he at the intersection of two travel
ed roads, the ground is reported to
be dry and well drained, and we
will be within u mile Of the village
of Lvtle with its renowned Midway
nnd many allurements which work
havoc to the lean pockct-book oft!e
soldier. The boys are all Happy at
the prospect of a change.
Uuclc Sam takes good care of his
soldiers. Compared with the i'll
clad and poorly fed army of Spain,
the American soldier lives like a
king. He is well fed, his rations
being plain and good and of suilic-
lent variety. We hear now and
again of some worthy who registers
a complaint against army diet. But,
mark you, the very fellow who does
the most grImbling is then whose
own larder is not overly well sup
piled. The men are all well cloth
ed, an allowance of sixty dollars a
year beinggranted toeach man. The
quarters are comfortable, that is, as
comfortable as circumstances will
permit. Each five men are allowed
one tent, and although the quarters
are trife crowded, the soldier can
congratulate himself that he fares as
well as he does.
There is one principle which per-
vades the camp-obedience to the
superior. There is no man in the
field who acts upon his own free
will. Men who have been accus-
toned to live a free and easy life,
affording obedience to no one, are
compelled, to learn this the first duty
NJ a ro1dior IT, uoop,e horI Cor