The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-23
CAMPS IN THE PHILIPPINES.
VOLUNTEERS MAKE THEMSEL TEs
COMFORTABLE IN THE FIELD.


Move-Jokes Played on tho Rockies.
MANILA. May 80 Camp life during the war
with the Filipinos has it's pleasant side a. we'll
as its uncomfortable aspect. With commands
continually on the march. as In the recent
flying trip OF Lawton into into the north II 10
OF course impossible to do more than toss up
| the shelter halves and rake together few
| armtuls OF rice straw for bed. but on the east
and the south OF the city the troops advance
very little. and consequently have their living
spots. which have to be- regarded as home.
while the daily work is carried out on tho sem
try paths and outposts.
The American soldiers have come to regard
two squares OF canvas with small sticks and
ropes as insufficient for an abode. In the 0rst
place the advice to sleep of the ground 10
faithfully followed. probably not because II 10
| advice. but because the men have learned by
| experience that sleeping on the ground brings
rheumatism and other ailments. and that in
the case OF transforms inundation follows.
There Is. accordingly, a general hustle whom
camp Ia pitched for sections of BAN boo flooring
and any sort OF fiat bamboo structure to serve
as bed when propped up by sticks driven into
the ground or by four stones rolled into POSI-
ton. In the conquered territory the deserted
huts yield handsomely in these bamboo ar
| ranRements. for every native in Luzon keeps
| goodly supply Of bamboo furniture on hand.
and IL this has been preempted the soldier
takes the next beat thing, which Is the floor.
| The floor OF hut is constructed OF thin bam-
| boo strips nailed or tied to cross stringers.
The bed constructed. up goes the pup"
| tent. which is pitched as II the bed were the
ground. the ropes being fastened to the slats OF
the bed and piece of bamboo pole from tho
thicket ingeniousy used as a ridgepole. Now
| the soldiers house has its nucleus. 1t begins
| to grow and 1t increases in size and comfort
according to the length OF time camp is main
tained on that spot.
| 1t Is a common maxim in the army and such
! was also the formerly. according to the
accounts OF the humorous side of the civil war.
| that to clean up or to improve camp is to
| invite an order to break up and move. On
many occasions one may see thoroughly dis
Rusted pairs OF men railing against an order to
break camp. These men probably tugRed and
| perspred all the day before in erecting leaf
| roof over their tent. In the army blue book
| there are strict rules for building a camp but
| the officers have generously neglected to en-
| force these rules in the Philippines. The SOL
| der in the field is allowed to follow his own
whms after erecting his tent on prescribed
| line. He may dig a cellar beneath 1t II he
| chooses. or he may erect miniature EifTel
tower for an airy sitting room.
~, soldier seldom inhqbits his tent longer
gins to sklrmish around for more protection.
BEEN tine T ren in the yeiny 2t the has
plenty OF material A section Of nipa thatch
erected %, WITH VT pole at each corner heads on
i is, wet Probably next comes apt piece of
bamboo mating some Filipino has used Tor
iron from Manila j. considered quite a prize.
1t can be bent into a contrivance TO shed
SstG from as ho ha ridge ROOF Of Il ,o %Pd S
Often these camps are left In one spot long
Ing With ali the Observation-Disclosures m mt ~ But there ia
| always that order TO move hanging over ones
All 9 DE- wsr n Ss %d Of qR the Of 5
is to build camp for another organization to
The n p 6sS GO%psed
no gathered building materas. to the fur
1sgGst 2i ,hs , f6s sS Of ~
pasmes {" the pI2pnteer soldier serving at
Transported TO Manila since the trouble with
Many fRn%s D HS mdrr are han Ct k t6
members ;b Hl thG Teglmsnt the men who went
came to Manila The remandcrs o Of 't the r" sH
| mont usually consists of brand new boys from
covered The majority Of these new men a"T" took
| the course of living up TO the reputation their
o had S" mrn tray he do bear
the regiment.went through in Cuba, and then
LET out the fact that he was only plain citizen
| when that campaign was in progress. is too
much for the volunteer; on the other hand the
ferior class of soldiers. And thus the small
| rivalry grew lntl 1t has eliminated in several
The recently arrived Ninth United States
Infantry saw its first rhiInrino service in tho
vacated, by the KanSas and Montana men
c wM"n hSy y %"n, on n TIA" s1
Ninth Infantry arrived 10 take charge Of his
section OF the lines the p'nS" was worll 'i'tle
! cleared OUT from the 'front.' A battalion OF
from the waterworks to hold this place for ten
5 .i companies Of the Ninth Infantry; With
tents. arrived for duty at dusk one evening.
To efrce, the change Of bodies Of TROOPS at a
the ,non-r9mmissioned officers and COM
maPaeT m Of the twG nt inst 10
| Ninth. the Colorado men laid themselves out
for their entertainment while the changes Of
who had never heard war bullets sing suG
f eS ed the plot by urIwary asking whether
water in place during the growing season. and
searthworks, from behind which they fought.
The eol" rrh mSI assured him that he had
lectures on the nghting qualities OF the insur-
of the ground and it is mpossihIe to ' see one
! at night until he has wriIpled right under yer
Then yer want e watch out. for ali FiIipnos
carry razors Just like other coons'
Another related how sentry after sentry had
steaitfy maraIders and advised that the head
should never he poke above the trenches
The rockies gathered round tried hard to re-
member all the advice offered them while
their eyes ulged and their breathtcame hard
Some wanted TO know how far Il was to tho
front They wanted to get into the struggle nj
once. The obllging volunteers pointed out the
direction TO get the best fighting and also the
dark streak Of woods, where they declared
there were 900 unhuried Filipino corpses whose
ghosts walked and fired Volleys at midnight
Meantime the squads detailed for outnost
duty were having very interesting time ono
IN particular was enjoying itself by crawling on
all tours through stubbly paddy held A rms
cally, young volunteer Sergeant. who never
could resist playing his Joke when he had the
proper man, conducted the party. warning
them not to III a head or a yolley OF Fiiinino
bullets would get EN- sure. There was not A
beIligerent Filipino within two miles Of tho
sp9t. After painful trip OF a quarter Of a
mile on their bellies the Ninth Regiment party
came 20 the volunteer outpost and procrcl.d
to relieve 4. The dark spots were pointed
out where Fipinos were supposed to be Turk
ing and they Werr loft TO their hntiea III IL