The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-04-18
ON THE TRAIN.
A estate Journal" Reporter
Travels With
The Eleventh Regiment En-
Route to the Front.
BOYS IN BLUE AREGAY
Rejoice at the Prospect of Mill
tary Activity.
Incidents of the Railway Trip
Through Kansas.
BOYS IN BLUE ARE GAY

l NBy a state journal Reporter on Cne
Train.)
| A State Journal reporter was dis
| patched from Topeka Saturday to
| board the first military train from the
Far West carrying the United States
regulars southwark. He met the train
| at Florence.
Long before the first section of the
| train bearing the Eleventh regiment
| United States infantry from Forts
Whipple and Apache, Arizona, on their
way south, arrived at Florence a crowd
| had collected on the depot platform to
| see the boys in blue. The train was late
but after a half hours delay it was
| sighted at 7:15 a. m. 1t pulled slowly
up to the depot platfrom- Not a soldier
was in sight. The waiting crowd was
afraid of a disappointment but sudden
| ly and without warning the platforms
and windows of the four tourist sleepers
swarmed with infantrymen and across
the platform to the eating house they
| rushed for their mornings supply of
coffee. The first to appear from within
| the Pullman used by the officers and
their wives was Col. Lloyd De Russy,
commanding the regiment.
''Do you know where we are going
to be stationed?" asked Col. De Russy
''The 11th, together with several other
regiments, is ordered to Mobile" was
the response.
By this time the other officers and
the ladies had gathered around on the
depot platform.
ITO Mobile!" they exclaimed and then
such chatter and the news was passed
from mouth to mouth and in a few min
utes every soldier on the train was dis
cussing the new order.
Mobile is where 1 commenced my
army life more than 80 years ago." said
Mrs. DeRussy, who accompanied her
husband. ''Well, you Won't end it
there" said Col. Def2ussy, 1--WE shall
leave the baggage and the ladies at
Jefferson Barracks, st. Louis"
"Oh, DON'T exclaimed one young Ia
dy.
Baggage and women left behind
said another with a curl of her lip,
neither seem to be useful in trying
times and both in the way
There, there no nauttering,'' said Col.
DeRussy.
It's a bad place for feVerS" said
Surgeon Wilson.
The four tourist sleepers occupied by
the men had the appearance of travel
dng armOrieS From the post sl1Dport-
ing the berths hung rifles, baYonets.
canteens, knapsacks, cartridge belts
bristling with fixed ammunition, haver-
sacks and trumpets. The men were
busy eating breakfast of ''traVeIine ra-
tons which consist of potted meat
bread and coffee. The men carry no
personal baggage more than they can
stow away in their haVerSackS and
knapsacks and they did not appear to
be worried about personal BELONGINGS
or whether they sat down to a banquet
or ate out of a tin can. In the bag
gage car the baggage of the officers was
packed away.
For seven years the 11th infantry has
been stationed in Arizona and officers
and men show the effects of the eli
mate. Companies ''B'' and "C'' and the
regimental band were stationed at Fit
Apache in command of Col. De Russy,
Major Galbrath. Capt. Hoyt, Lieut..
Vance, Lieutenant Alexander, Lieuten-
ant Suttleworth, Lieutenant Edwards,
Surgeon Wilson and Lieutenant Hurst.
They left Fort Apache on April Sth and
march 80 miles to HOlbrook where they
were Joined by companies A, D, F and
H of Fort Whipple, commanded by
Capt Quimby, Capt. Mansfield, Capt.
Mackling, Lieut. Penrose, Lieut.. Battle
Lieut.. Wells, and Lieut.. McGraw Al
Holbrook the entire six companies
here took the trains for the east The
men We're deeply, tanned and plainly
showed the marks left by the sun,
winds and dust of Arizona. They were
dressed in fatigue uniforms, brown can
vas leggings, blue flannel shirts and
campaign hats. Except from the should
er straps it was impossible to distin-
guish the enlisted men from the officers
The wOmen'S faces also gave signs
of army life on the frontier. One sriz-
zled old sergeant, who might have made
a perfect model for one of Frederick
Remington's famous pictures of an old
campaigner, said: Powder and paint
doesn't do any good out there. The
wind blows off the powder and the sun
meltS off the paint
Men and women alike were tanned
but it was. a healthy tan, and all look
ed as if they could stand the climate of
Cuba or any other country.
I'VE have had a royal trip" said Col
De RusSy, when he had finished break
fast and was taking a morning walk
The railroad officials have done all
they could for our benefit. Why we
sent an order last night from La Jun
ia to have As gallons of coffee ready
for US when we reached Florence and
now find 80 gallons. What more could
we ask for?'
For those so loaves of bread I or
dered delivered to US at Topeka" said
Lieut.. Vance, ''this reporter tells me
we will go from EmpOria- over the cut
off and not go through Topeka. What
will we do for bread?"
Perhaps some that we cast upon the
waters out in Arizona will return to
u.s. said one of the ladies. The lieuten-
ant continued to worry about the bread |
trip caid Col. De Russy. 1--WE have
all the men, women and children on
board 1t seems like a checker game
First st. Louis, and now Mobile. Well |
I'm glad to go there. We are all ready
for a change, and the men are in hopes
they will see some fghting.'
After a stop of half an hour, the train |
left Florence for Emporia, 80 minutes
ahead of the second section, which also |
ctoppad at Fsl0rRnca for braa