Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-08-25
EIGHT NINTRS SICK
ONLY ONE NINTH OF 1ST WIS
CONSlN BOYS WELL.
A FEVER STRICKEN CAMP
Condition OF the Regiment Pittaole,
lndeed--Drill Dispensed with Be
cause There Are not Enough Well
Men TO Make Showing Private
Makes Seorching Comments,

Camp Cuba Libre, jacksonville,
Fla, Aug 24.-lt the people OF Wis
ccnSin knew the real condition of al
fairs in the list Wisconsin volunteer
infantry, there W uid be such de-
mand fer q change in the conditions
as would compel the government to
heed it, If GOV. Scoheld knew the
facts, he would be grossly negligent
in the discharge Of his duties If he
did not at once demand either the
return of the troops to Wisconsin or
their removal to camp farther north,
where they could recuperate.
The condition of the regiment is
indeed pitiable. When Col. Schadel
issued the order few days ago to
dispense with the daily drills and
confne that kind of work 10 the
evening parade, it was not, AS the
people of Wisconsin no doubt have
been led TO believe, because of the
hot weather, but simply because there
were not men enough In condition to
drill and the daily drills had become
a regular farce. There is hardly a
company that can turn out more than
dozen men for drill, out of a total
strength of JOG mon, about ninth
of the strength of the company. The
rest are sick, the direct result of the
climate and the insufficient food fur
nished t. them. And yet they talk
of sending the regiment to Cuba.
One cannot go amiss of the signs
which tell of the fearful devastation
that disease has made in the ranks.
The regiment is worse off than any
other in the camp in this respect, and
there is not room in the hospital for
those who should be there. here is
one big tent in which are placed all
tire new cases. From it the dead are
carried out to be buried and the con-
valescents are taken to a ward.
Malarial and typhoid fevers are the
common complaint, but if they are
common, tllat is no sign that they
are harmless. When you see man
in the ranks one morning standing as
straight as the best man in the line
and with as much snap to his move
ments as that same best man, and
then see him the next day. pale, bent
ever like an old man, and with no
more life in his movements, when you
see these things and others of which
this is Caly a type, then you can
comprehend something of the condi-
tor of the LIST Wisconsin volunteers,
One private says:
If there was war, and We were
real needed in Cuba, there is no
regiment in the service that would
b, mere willing to go than the LIST,
regiment it would be an outrage to
sent it to the island. II
there was any prospect Of change
for the better in conditions 1t would
not be so bad, but things are gettlH4
worse every day, There was hardly
a man in the regiment that did NOT
: want to go TO Porto Rico when the
I'd and Sd regiments wore sent there
but tn n we were in better condition
Now there is hardly man who does
not want to go hons, or to have the
regiment moved north To healthier
camp, for eva the well men feel that
their conrad are marked for death
, If we stay here.
THE officers, Of course, do not
want to 60 home, but they are no,
} crowded into small tents nor do they
. get the stuff TO eat that the men do.
Be, ldes that. the nest Of them would
go home to positions that would
not pay them half the money they
While in the army Fancy men go
; ing out to drill in the hot sun ash.
n the pelting rain on a piece of frieo
. honiny two inches square and per
haps an inch thick. with half a cut
CT coffee ca and a bareback, as vi
Cften have to do. OF course, the of
ficers can stand It, for they have theil
private mess and have enough good
wholesome food. Not that they ar,
not good oiiicersI question if yOl
could find better &nywhere-but thi
= ought TO be enough to show the PEG
lie Of Wisconsin the state Of affair:
in the regiment.
We hear all kinds Of reports here
many of them made no doubt to joll!
the boys up and make them beieyt
, that there are better times coming
One ef these reports was that thu
colonel had been not fed that unless
, his regiment was put in condition fol
!, active service within month i
> would be mustered out Another Il
that he Is try ng TO get permission Z
take the regiment to Pablo Beach fo
a stay of ten days 70 recuperate tn
J1en. We do not know what to be
leve and consequently we belieyt
) 60 hing. but we do know that few
mere weeks in this camp will no
leave enough we'll mea for guar
duty. No man dare write the trutt
home and have the letter publishet
over his own name, 80 the people ar
(. ! # to think that the regiment Il
getting along we'll enough and tina
! the sickness Is only the usual resu
~ rppu pnfnp into r.arnu