The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1898-06-16
THE SOLDIER BOYs
How the south Dakota Regiment Il
Earring at Camp Merritt.


Ihe following interesting letter was
written by the Sioux Falls Argus
Leader correspondent with the troops
at Camp Merritt:
We are now in camp here in San
| Francisco. and only part of an army
in camp. instead of being the whole
thing"
At the pier in San Francisco we
| found small army of young ladies,
! mostly friends of the Red Cross socie-
| " of California, and marching to n
! martial air from the Thirteenth Min
| nesota, led by the regimental band.
We Immediately surrendered To them
and permitted them to give us Il very
wholesome and enjoyable dinner. AZ
| ter the dinner, served by the aforesaid
young ladies, stirring Dakota cheers
| were given for Admiral Dewey. in re-
Spouse TO call from Mr. Stetson.
| Gen. Miles. President Mckinley, Col.
Frost and Maj. Howard.
As soon as Mr.. Stetson had finished.
Maj. Howard proposed three cheers
for the Red Cross society. which were
given with a will and repeated.
The ladies, meanwhile, before and
after the cheering. were passing beau
| tiful bouquets of various flowers
around. and every man went out look
| ing very much like a flower garden on
the war path. They also passed post
al cards to each man. and then collect
| ed them when the men had written.
As we marched out they Cheered us
repeatedly. and made us feel that we
| had friends already in San Francisco.
The companies were then marched
to our present camp, going through
the business portion Of the city. The
| streets were crowded as we passed,
even into the streets, the citizens form
| ing in line out into the street on each
| side.
We were cheered and cheered again.
| Pretty girls smiled at all, and from the
windows and doors they waved a hos
| pitable reception.
our line of march extended through
| the city for about four miles. and all
| along the route the demonstrations
continued.
Arriving in camp. we found the 9th
| er regiments looking for .uS. and we
We're received with cheers again.
After waiting an hour or so we re-
ceivcd tents, small-SXlO-and in a
short time had them up. For some
! reason there was delay in the arriv-
al of the equipment, ana il had to he
| distributed in the dark. The supper
appeared, and the boys We're getting
very hungry indeed, when word was
sent that the Red Cross would send
| out 800 lOavcs of bread and 100 gal
| Ions of coffee. The provisions arrived
| about o'clock. and were happily re-
ceived by Il thousand hungry men.
| once again the Red Cross society
proved itself GOd-given institution
and blessing to the soldiers.
Too much cannot be said for the
Red Cross society. So soon in the war
| il has shown itself To be of inestima-
BILE good and help. in more ways than
one. The boys would have had TO go
hungry had it not been for them.
There has been much confusion in
| getting settled. but it is not TO he Won
| dered at, considering all the circum-
stances.
TO civilians it may seem hard and
| unnecessary that the men should have
TO go without food until pretty hungry,
as they did last night: but such
| things are incident To war, and the
| boys are bearing them like soldiers.
Yesterday several citizens brought
| us two or three boxes of oranges ana
| tossed them over the guard line 10 the
| new arrivals. who soon put them TO
| their proper use. 1t was an act that
made the boys feel welcome.
One Of the San Fancisco papers
speaks of Maj Howard as the ladies
man Of the regiment"
The kodak and photograph tiends
| We're out in force yesterday. Flash
light views OF the depot during dinner
We're taken several times
Solicitors for various papers and
firms are very common on the grounds,
especially among the newcomers.
IL Is thought the regiment will have
an opportunity To take an ocean bath
soon. as ii is the purpose at present, to
take the battalions to the beach in
body and straighten out the bath reg
lister. which was somewhat neglected
on the journey.
While South Dakota mud made
things rather unpleasant at times dur
ing our stay there. yet most Of us
would welcome IL in place OF the sand
Of California.
II is harder 10 walk in than mud.
and seems 10 permeate everything.
Just why we should be camped here
on the sand. when there are beautiful
camping grounds not half Il mile from
this location, it IL difficult 10 tell. 1t
is called the Presidio, and Is a govern
ment reservation, and, SO far as your
correspondent has been able 70 learn,
could be used.
Nenrn lynchph