Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-05-25
COMPANY II AT cHIcKAMAuGA.
Trip of Bert Smith from Camp Harvey
TO Camp Thomas. Tennessee - About
$4,000 Men Already There.
CAMP GEoEGE Fl. THOMAS.
Ghicamaupa Tenn Nay

TO Camp Thomas. Tennessee -Abou
$4,000 Men Already There.
CAMP GEoEGE II. THOMAS.
Chlcamauga, Tenn, May /.
EDITOR CENSOR: Having given yor
a short detail OF the camp life at Camr
Harvey. / will try and pen a few uoiut'
ers on the life of q regular soldier. I,
differs very widely from the life OF /,
state volunteer or guardsman. w,
were mustered into the national req.
ulars in due form. We took an oath
with our left hands lifted and hats off
and then we signed the documents foul
times. That is to make sure there is nc
forgery of names. Then we were put
under the tactics OF the regular army,
and they are a great deal more strict
than in the state guards.
We are camped in Georgia, 1.-THE
National monument park at Chicka-
mauga) but our p~ostoffice is in Tennes
see. The camp is tan miles square and
is a park in every detail and is called
Camp George Fl. Thomas. It is almost
all covered With heavy oak timber aud
occasionally a pine tree, and all over
the park is mounted statues and monu.
mento, ard old ~cannons, used in the
civil war, aud they are kept pointed so
they look like new cannons. L. is a fine
place for a camp, except the water, which
is very warm aud not fit to drink.
The trip from Camp Harvey at Milwau-
kee, to Camp Thomas was a great change
for us. We had orders Fridav night to
pack up and be ready to leave by 7:3O
the next morning. At 8 o'clock every
one in Camp Harvey was astir and pack
ing up of knapsacks, havers4eks and
other utensils too numerous to mention
were packed and at the trair in due
season, and to keep things a going thay
kept us laying side. tracked frcn 1880 a..
m. till 5:45 in the evening, when We
started for Chicago, all as hungry as
wolves. Reached Chicago at 8 O'Clock,
were transferred to the Polk street de-
pot, where We were given slee ,srs, and
when we got out of Chicago it vas / 40
in the morning. La the morning when
We awoke We were within six miles of
Terre Haute, Indiana. Trees and eve-y
thing were 10 full bloom and corn up
from 2 to 6 inches. Quite "a change.
When the sun came out it was hot. On
leaving Camp Harvey we wore our
%overcoats and you can imaeice what
the change was to us. Ashort ride and
we came to the Wabash riyar, and for
beautiful scenery I don't thi K it can
be beaten, although the country is no
good for farming. l did not STE a good
farm from southern Indiana to Georgia,
but the people living in those parts are
chiefly negroes, and they are Q lazy set,
| should say, from Their looks.
We were less than 40 hours making
the trip from Milwaukee, to Cha t snooga,
a distance of $50 miles, so you can
guess we came right along We we're
very heartily recei ed at every station.
Seven miles north of Nashville is the
National cemetery. It is a file park
Going through Nashville, we pass
down a long valley into M~urphysboro,
where, during the rebellion, The battle
of Stony Greek was fought. SIX thou
sand troops fell on that battlefield. and
it is in fact a battlefield all over this
country. After leaving Murphysboro.
we started over the Cumberland noun
talns, and it is a long and rough road.
1t would make n see stars to go over
them the way the Third Wisconsin vol
unteers were pulled over. When we got
into Chattanooga, about IL O'Clock, we
were left standing on the track till 8
O'Clock the next day, when we were
shipped 10 miles into ~Chiekamauge
Park, and we ere osmped nov CT tie
ground as the Ironsides Brigade
was in '68 from Wisconsin,. The Third
Wisconsin,, Fifth Ohio and Illir, lis form
the brigade, and they are in copm and of
b igadier General Bird and commanded
by General Brooks. A gentleman from
Wisconsin, who has been in Scotland
and came from Washington q few DAYS
ago, says the Third Wisconsi is con
sidered the best regiment in tn United
States, and as chat is the case & speaks
pretty we'll for ON state. IL is nmored,
so L have heard. that orr ~cettain left
when we were called. That is > mistake.
Our captain already bears tn title of
Fighting Bob" as well as ore of the
best, if not the best captain in the state,
and also as the best commander of a
company. He made speech after speech
as his BOYS kept dropping away from
him. and he felt pretty bire The
people of Vir qua who know Boz Mccoy,
know he is no coward.
There are about $4,000 men here 10
camp now, and quite a good den of sick.
ness. There are several who have gone
down with the heat. We hava't been
out In the day time yet; have dress par
ade in the evening. Some of the boys
wilt ever then. You can see hem un-
der every shade tree tanning themselves.
Inside it is suffocating, 10 cas- of rain.
BERT SMITH, OF Go "L"