Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-08-04
CAMPS IN PHILIPPINES.
Volunteers Make Themselves
Comfortable In the Field.
PICTURES OF SOLDIERS ABODEs.

PICTURES OF SOLDIERS AB0DES.
Elaborate Dwellings Quickly Put
Up-EIenrtburnInEs Caused by the
order TO Move Jokes Played ON
the ROokies-GOod Instruction Civ
en- New Regulars by Volunteers.
The New York Suns Manila CORE
spoUdent. writing under date of May %
about camps in the Philippines, says:
Camp life during the war with the
Filipinos has its pleasant side as well
as its uncomfortable aspect With com
mandS continually ON the march, as in
the recent flying trip of l.awton into
the north, ii is of course impossible to
do more than toss up the shelter halves
and rake together a few armfulS of rice
straw for bed, but on the east and
the south of the city the troops adj
vance very little and consequently
have their living spots which have to
be rcgS,<,ed as home, while the daily
work is carried out on the sentry paths
and outDosts.
The American soldiers have come to
regard two squares of canvas with
small sticks and ropes as insufficient
for an abode. In the first place. the adj
vice to sleep off the ground is faithful
ly followed probably not because it Is
advice. but because the men have
! learned by experience that sleeping on
the ground brings rheumatism and
other ailments, and that in case of
rainstorms inundation follows. There
is, accordingly, n general hustle when
camp is pitched for sections of bamboo
! flooring and any sort Of fiat bamboo
structure to serve as n bed when prop
| ped up by sticks driven into the ground
or by four stones rolled into position
! In the conquered territory the deserted
! huts yield handsomely in these bamboo
| arrangements, for every native in
Luzon keeps goodly supply of BAN
! boo furniture on hand, and if this has
been prc-empted the soldier takes the
next best thing, which is the floor. The
floor of hut is constructed of thin
bamboo strips nailed or tied to cross
striugrrs.
The bed constructed, up goes the
pup" tent which is pitched as if the
bed were the ground, the ropes being
fastened to the Stats of the bed and a
piece OF bamboo pole from the thickct
ingcniouSly used as a ridgcpolr. Now
the soldiers house has its nucleus. 1t
| begins to grow and it increases in size
and comfort according to the length of
time camp is maintained on that spot.
1t is a common maxim in the army,
and such was also the case formerly,
according to the accounts of the hui
morous side of the civil war that to
clean up or to improve a camp is to
| invite an order to break up and move.
, On many occasions one may see thor
oughly disgusted pairs Of mel railing
against an order to break camp. These
| men probably tugged and perSpired all
the day before in erecting leaf roof
over their tent In the army blue
| book there are strict rules for building
camp, but the officers have gener-
oUsly neglected to enforce these rules
in the Philippines. The soldier in the
field is allowed to follow his own
whims after erecting his tent on a
prescribed line He may dig Il cellar
beneath it if he chooses or lie may
erect Il miniature Eiffel tower for an
airy sitting room.
A soldier seldom inhabts his tent
longer than Il day under a burning sun
before he begins to skirmish around
for more protection. If the country III
the vicinity of the camp has been re-
Gently cleared of FillptnoS, there Is
plenty of material. A section of nipa
thatch erected with pole at Gacl
corner heads off some of the sun whcL
1t is hot and rain when it is wet. Prob
ably next comes piece of bamboo
mating some Filipino has used fol
his bedclothes A cast off piece OF
corrugated iron from Manila is con
sidcred quite a prize. 1t can be ben
into a contrivance to shed water from
the ridge of the tent and it can be
used as the roof of a front porch
Oltrn thCS" camps are leit III one SpO
long enough to allow the men to Sc
up housekeeping with all the accoutcr
mcntS. But there Is always that ordel
to move hanging over ones head. anC
it destroys ambition. One of the dire
full things Of war in the mind of the
private is to build a camp for anothc
organization to occupy. The DISCUS
at being compelled to leave camp ha'
often culmnated In burning UP o
gathered bWlldlng mateFlalS' TO th'
further disgust OF the next set o
campers.
Having sport with the ROCKIES Is en-
of the paStlmeS OF the volunteer sol