The evening times., 1898-09-24
COMPLAINT OF A SOLDIER.
Curious Letter Received at the War
Depurtmenf.


Department.
Among the many letters of complaint
received daily by the War Department
the following was found yesterday, and
preserved as a curiosity. after having
been copied for the press:
kansas City, Mo-. Sept. 20. 1898.
Gen. Alger Secretary War:
Dear Sir: Having seen in the papers
that you wanted all Soldiers 10 tell what
they know have been thinking some time
about dropping a few Inns to you but |
thouht that ii would go In the waste bas-
ket now as the Papers says that you
want to heaar from the boys so will
tell what now i was Enlisted April 29the
at kansas City & muster in May 9the
that is our Pay Stated from that Date
and we started for the Park or Chamau-
ga the latear Part of the same mount of
May. when we got thir our Rastons was
short for about 10 days or tow weeke
Our officers said that We took 10 days
rastons when we left the Barris & we
would have TO waite but we had to Drill
and you bet il was Drill Gen in vac talk
witch a good meney Of the boys and they
think like myself & and that is what miss
gives the Government hade or we hold
no Greavens can forgive her and unkel
Sam can get me aney time getting to-
6dtIIcI SSH &c DoNS VI iAAStA iAAo'A any
one witch coming sance now we would be
short i will forgive Government but the
Officers never no Vol Officers for me now
Gen serven 2 years & 3 monts in the
V. u S Cavalry. serve also In ReSiary
infantry & also in Navy so you can see
that Had some experience and by look
ing over RecOard you see my name on the
Rustear of the Company q May 1869 till
August III never mist a ROal Call &
in he rd g / the
same in this company & the Rest of
coarse desearted them others but they
can Run me out of this am going 10
have one Discarge from unkle Sam now
Gen all Paper all over the country or
talking a bout Camp Thomas now let
me tell Something all the trouble that
hapan at Camp Thomas can be trace
Right TO the Officer
som of them hadan stslce a nuf 10
come out of Rain Even the Sickness can
be laid at thir Doar let me tell you our
Officers & the Rest the Same but / say
what Ours doom we hadan got our tents
up & harly aney thing to Fate & take US
out & Drill Duble time all over them hills
in fack never saw doom thir Duble time
but go as fast as you could Rum Or
ders was hours in the moring & 2 hours
in the Eaving but it & hours in morng
& the same in Eaving well the Sun TO
hot & sweat & cloas all wet throw <
would get no chance TO Dry because the
same in aftonoOn going bed in wet Cloas
night in & weeks & Gavin mounts would
| kill most aney one
Somehow We never got aney Cloas
until the Iatir Part of June & then it was
over shirt & 3 Pair Socks & Pair Shous
| & about half of company got Pants, SO
| you see witch no Cloas to cange & going
| to Bed witch Sweet Cloas eaVery night
| il started Dyrfear & from Dyrear & hard
| work of coarse would Statrt something
eals & IL did & 10 make matters worst
! thir a Roman that the Regiments Snow
| ing the Best healt Report would go 10 the
! frunt & when one would go on sick Cah
/ he would get a PHI or tow & mark Duty
so the Book had no sick & at the same
| time half of the Company was sick & mad
| to drill. No one excuse.
zone them would go TO day & other
! to marrow & the others the day afther *
| 10 give them a good they would send
! seargant out witch the Company & they
| would Rest & write Reparts 10 they Pa
| pers & a other thing that is Bad is the
| cooking that is something that the Gov
| enment shall look after. in a company
| IO6 men they ought be tow Cooks that IS
| Cooks. one is not a nuff- you take a
| man working aroung a camp fire & he
| get tired & shoul be Relieve by the other
Il have to say i had good healt doom
1
| in the Vol survis-the men that fOwlOw
| Public works as a Rule they stud il the
| Best but the others that left good homes
| they got il & it is them that is making
| all this Roar we'll Gen think j said a
| nuff & what have said is for the Benetite
| of the Survis if country. call again to
| Ofhcers that is men * if he wants any
| thing he now how to get ii. the one we
| had didn't now how eavery man TO this
| bissness ii takes a soldier TO make SOL
| diers / am afraid said TO mush already.
| / am in the survis & it would hurt me III
| getting a good Discarge. i have mearet II
| so far so if could be aney Binfutt to
you call by writing TO me II Is no uese
to you tFow in fire & let 1t go at that
"P. S. the Papers blote about what
! they doom for soldiers & how Nancy car
| loads of stuff they send 10 her soldiers.
all my Company got could Put in my
| Pocket was Detail 10 go to the outer
MISTER for it & all i got was emty
| cracker Box. why doont the Papers say
| something about that the Govements
hadn't aney thing to do witch that have
| no Doubt that was sends the officers &
| he apined them the men & State the Cove
ment had noting TO do witch it & thir is
| WHARF all this truble come frome q thir
on this howell TO keep the Public frome
| looking at them.