The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-05-12
THE BOYS IN CAMP.
The Examinations abouts Finished
and the Twelfth Regiment
Mustered In.
Col. Bobletter Ha. the Distinction of Be
Ing the First Minnesota Soldier that
Takes the Oath--A Few Boys =.
Get Feint Hearted

given the honor OF leading the way,
and the oath of allegiance was admin
istered at o'clock p. M. by Capt.
Swigert, the mastering officer. The
ceremony was entirely without unusual
formality and the oath was such as was
used in the regular army on all occa-
sions. The examination OF Col. Boblet-
er was finished in the morning and i'm
mediately after dinner he was mustered
into the service. Maj. Fitzgerald and
Capt. Clark were next to take the oath
and they we're sworn in together The
other surgeons, DR.. Cole and DR.. Game
followed.
Drs. Caine and Fitzgerald had up
stairs rooms at headquarters, while DR..
Clark took the billiard ROOM When
everything was ready the men marched
in two or three at time They were
first stripped to the waist and their ex-
pansion measured. Then the doctor
would size up his man, scrutinize his
general build, the roof of the mouth,
the ear, and careful feeling of the scalp
would often be enough to show that the
man was not in condition to become a
soldier, and his name would be called
out, with big R after it,
If the man stood the first test he would
have to strip completely, and he would
be examined for indications of broken
bones in earlier days. Then the feet
were carefully looked after, and more
than one recruit slipped on this test.
1t took an average of two and a half
minutes for each recruit The commits
stoned officers were seated at table, and
when the doctor was through he would
call out the mans name and say "A'
or r. which meant accepted or re-
jected When a man heard the "A'
after his name he could feel certain that
he was pretty good specimen of hui
mainly. About six out of seven volun-
teers were accepted.
AS rule the non-commissioned off,
GERS and privates were examined before
the commissioned officers.
The First regiment, Minnesota Ma
tional Guard, is now practically out of
existence, as Gov. Clough yesterday is
sued an order changing the numbers of
the three Minnesota regiments from
First, Second and Third. to Twelfth,
of this was to save confusion. as Mime
sofa sent eleven volunteer regiments to
the front during the civil war, and they
are really in existence now, and it is de-
sired that their identity shall be kept in
tact. This is the idea being carried out
IN other states to commence numbering
the new volunteer regiments where the
old ones left off, and while Governor
Clough's order wipes the familiar First
out of existence, there would be little
objection to it. were it not for the fact
that Col. Bobleter's regiment is given
precedence in the matter of numbers as
we'll as rank.
The members of the First regiment
have taken considerable pride in their
number, and if there was to be change,
they would like to have the first number
given to any Minnesota regiment, but
instead Col. Bobletef's regiment is to be
known as No. IL. Col. Reeves as No.
IS, and Col. Van Duzee's as No. "a.
A matter of one day in dating the
commissions is responsible for all this
change, as Col. Bobleter's reads one day
ahead of that of Col. Reeve and accord
ing to military law this is enough to give
Col. Bobleter precedence, though the
members of the old First did not ex-
pect that it would be necessary to change
the order of the numbers OF the regi-
ments
Col. Bobleter's regiment, the Twelfth,
was mustered into the service of the
United States. 1t is now no longer SUBJ
ject to the orders of Adjutant General
Nuremberg or Governor Clough. 1t is
part of the United States army. Col.
Bobleter, however, will retain his COM
mand of Camp Ramsey until his regi-
ment is ordered away. The ceremonies
were simple and impressive. Over 1000
stalwart young fellows, whose perfect
health and physique enabled them to
pass the rigorous examination, were
sworn into the services of their country.
As many OF the men are OF gigantic stat
ure, they are bound to create an impress
sion wherever they go, and if Spanish
odds are not far too overwhelming, VIC
tory is bound to perch upon their BAN
ners when they go into action. Given
half a chance, they are certain to achieve
the distinction which will entitle them to
be known eventually as the Fighting
Twelfth"
The men in each company were
formed in alphabetical order, after
which they passed in review before Capt.
Sweigert, the mastering officer. AS rap
idly as their names were called, they
took their places in another column at
right angles to the first When each
man of the company had responded, all
were commanded to uncover, and with
their right hands raised they took the
oath of allegiance to the United States.
The sensational feature came when
four members of Company E, Winona,
who had at the last moment shown the
white feather, were drummed out of the
camp in regular wartime fashion. They
were Robert Cierzan, Joseph Kropidi-
signing the roll, they refused to be mus
sick, and another said that he did not
know how long he was enlisted for or
wherc he was going, and that he did not
want to go, anyway. The other two gave
similar excuses. Their explanations
were flimsy, and when this became ap-
parent, they were showed out of line by
Col. Bobleter, who remarked, with fire
in his eyes, that there was no room for
towards in the army.
They were branded as deserters and
then escorted to the boundaries of the
camp by the company, where they were
ordered to "Vamoose, and be quick
about tips.
The keen scrutiny with which the
regular army officials, charged with
swearing in the men, prosecuted their
duties, was we'll illustrated when Com
pany A, New Uln, was lined up for in
spection. It developed on cross-exam-
nation that four men had not yet taken
out their naturalization papers. The en-
tire company was ordered back to its
quarters, where justice of the peace
was called into service.
Tamarind Water.-Pour a pint of
boiling water on one-quarter of a pound
of preserved tamarinds; allow it to