The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-21
SHORTAGE OF EQUIPMENT
BATTERY A ALMOST BLANKETLEsS,
AND GUNDER's MEN SHOELEss.
FOrma ton of the First Provisional
Army Corps Completed by General
BroOke-Cnmp Incidents.
corresnondence of the journal.

staff Correspondence of the Journal.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, May 20.-Water
famine and heat made life miserable for In
diana soldiers to-day. and, realizing the
scantiness of supplies, the Hoosiers are
storing all the water they can get in buck
cts, canteens and tubs, before the forty or
more thousand troops yet to come further
tax the wells. So insufferable was the heat
this afternoon that Col. Harry B. Smiths
regiment practically deserted it's camp and
went several miles away to Chickamauga
creek. The regimental officers went first,
and when they returned from the swim,
fifty or sixty men from each of the other
companies marched over and plunged into
the cool water, much to the disgust of Ohio
and Pennsylvania volunteers, who objected
to whole regiment swimming in one small
pool that would ordinarily accommodate
about fifty. AS some of the wells are rum
ming dry, Colonel Smiths men go by bat
talions to the pumps and, If the water Will
keep in utensils for several days, the regi-
ment will fare better than others. Surgeon
Charlton was busy to-day, but his cases are
not sufficiently serious to alarm friends at
home by mentioning them.
At o'clock in the evening the officers
gathered to witness the arrival of sixty
three surgeons had their bandages and med
icines all spread out, but Quartermaster
Hopkins and his detail returned without the
animals, which are not to be allotted till
tomorrow. The detail, before leaving for
the mule pens had bid their friends good
bye, and Lieut.. Ed Thayer shouted after
them, Remember the Maine boys!'
There is not a bottle of whisky opened
in Colonel Smiths regiment or in Captain
Curtis's artillery battery, for the boys gen
orally recognize the danger of drinking the
stuff in this climate, although beer in bot
ties is bought freely by the soldiers. A
canteen has been established in Colonel
Studebakers regiment, with some of the
soldiers proprietors, and yesterday it took
in over $3.50 in the sale of beer and luxuries.
All day the battery boys drilled by squads,
with little to disturb the routine of camp
Late in the evening an Italian" drill was
held. The boys are bitter against the state
officers for taking away their equipment.
In several tents as many as three men sleep
under one blanket, and at the high altitude
of the camp it gets chilly in the early morn
ing Forsythe and Musser have both recov-
cred Quartermaster oliver spent the day
in issuing underwear, socks and leggings.
A requisiton went into headquarters for
fifty-seven uniforms for old Battery A. On
account of the crowded tents some of the
men are sleeping under the trees. Other
batteries in the brigade are getting horses
before the Indiana men.
A squirrel chase enlivened the early morn
ing with five hundred men in pursuit. The
wee animal was pulled down finally from the
top of a hundred-foot pine tree in front of
Captain Curtis's tent, and served to the two
sick men of the battery for mess. The cap
tain gave the men a severe talk to-day, the
hardest, he says, he ever gave them. He
told them the rigid wartime discipline must
prevail from now on.
Barefooted men are to be found in Colonel
Gunders camp, and the colonel is making
strenuous efforts to get supplies, which are
promised him by Monday.
General Arnold visited the Indiana regi-
ments to-day, and highly complimented Col.
Smith for the conditions at his camp.
Colonel Studebakers regiment was in
spected for equipment. Captain Gilbert, of
Angola, has been made brigade quarter
master, and he does not like it, for he wants
to be back in the fighting department. He
is suffering from severe bruises his horse
having fallen on him this morning. Colonel
Studebaker rode for two hours this morning
to pay respects to Colonel Smith, but could
not find the camp. Hospital Steward Schulz.
of Colonel Studebakers command, has been
attached to the division hospital under DR..
Wakeman.
Captain Allen, of Frankfort, finds himself
commanding a company on the very field
where, as a private in the Tenth Indiana,
he participated in the opening of the Chick
amauga battle. G. L. p.