Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-07-21
AS SEEN BY A SOLDIER.
A Brief but Interesting Sketch of Life in
the Service Of Uncle Sam-Southern
Ladies are Very HosDitabIe.
CHARLESTON, S. c., July II, l


| write you after We We're aboard and
have been waiting for some time to en-
bark but we are still left here encamped
in the cotton warehouses along the
wharfs living on hardtack, canned corn,
beef and canned beans, but the boys
enjoy the camping place much better
| than Chickamauga Park, for here they
have a good supply of water and can
bathe at pleasure, but must be careful
and not swallow too much salt water
for the taste is not pleasant. The sea
breeze is also very refreshing after liv-
| ing in the dust breeze at the Park.
! The part of our Company left at
Chickamauga joined us last Wednesday
and as soon as the supply train arrived
we were set to work unloading the sup
plies from the train into the transport,
LIE Grande Duchess, and after doing
that we were ordered to pack up and 60
aboard with all our goods except our
blankets. We finished this work shortly
before II O'Clock Wednesday evening,
|
floor, to sleep until O. clock, then went
on board the boat, but orders came to
unpack the cooking utensils and two
days rations, the rest Of our goods are
on the boat but think we will soon be
made to unpack all, for the opinion
about camp now is that we will never
leave the American soil, the boys feel
somewhat blue to think. after coming
this far, we can't go farther. Laramie
and myself were detailed from the
Second regiment to act as nurses at the
Marine hospital where all the sick
soldiers are taken. Until yesterday
there were about l25 patients but the
First brigade was ordered out IN heavy
marching order yesterday morning
without anything to eat, by Gen. Will
son, to march to Chicora Park and back,
a distance of fourteen miles, and the
sun was very hot, consequently great
many were prostrated. The colonel
| (Col. Born) of our regiment saw that
bis men were beginning to fall out, SO
went to the general and said, General,
| have regiment of good, strong men
but unless this march is stopped | will
| have but a skeleton left" but the gem
eral ordered him on and we have but
one-half the men feeling well, but the
twin city boys from both the Second
and Third all stood the march and are
| feeling O. X. On the way back from
the Park some of the boys took the
street car but the general ordered them
to walk but Carl Bandelin and Charles
Parker wished to get the start of the
general, SO Carl succeeded in catching a
switch engine while Parker ran up an
alley, getting ahead and catching the
same car the general put him off from
Houston stayed at the Park with the
Second bard, which gave a concert dur
ing the evening, and had the car home
BTamstedt is hearty and knows how TO
run guard line when he wishes to 60
up town. Laramie and myself have all
We can do at the hospital at present We
have - hours on duty and u hours off,
but arrangements wilt soon be made to
have 24 hours off When we are off
duty we are allowed to 60 anywhere we
please for we have a permanent pass
and are off all duty 1T our company, but
one of us goes after our mail every day
so we don't have to run guard lines
anymore. [ was very sorry when the
balance Of our regiment arrived here to
hear that Earl Ridgman was left at the
Gieter hospital at Crawfsh Springs.
Only fifteen of my company stood the
march through and two from the Second
died last night from the effects and a
good many are in the hospital and they
ase bringing them in from the brigade
pretty fast.
} I had the pleasure Of going through
the Spanish prize boat Rita and also q
; schooner.
, Charleston is situated on the bay nine
miles from the Atlantic, the houses are
far from the modern style of archi
lecture and the streets are about fifty
feet wide, few are wider, but the
: people are a very sociable class anG
they show a great deal of respect to us
r Wisconsin boys for it seems that Wis
consin boys are more manly and polite
than the Massachusetts and Ohio troops
? that preceded us. When we go out tc
} drill, for we drill i'll the streets, the
ladies bring out lemonade, iced tea anC
, sand wiches which the boys are very
: eager TO get, and any information We
may ask they are only to glad to give
us. Last Tuesday evening the Carolin;
} Yatel club gave to each company of tht
Second Wisconsin two kegs of beer anr
: large basket of sandwiches and ever,
day they bring us magazines and papers
our quarters are just behind their cluE
house.
S Will see you later. Will take shove
r bath now, so long.
CHAs. A. PoDAw1LTz
--ER- seEr--
] Free Pills.
. Send your address to H E. BuckleI
. & Co., Chicago, and get free sample o
| of Dr e.