Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-03-15
LEAVE MARCH ~.

Fifteenth Boys Fondly Await
the Joyous Homecoming.
Special Cor. to Minneapolis Tribune:
Camp Mackenzie, Ga, March ST.
The paymaster arrived Saturday, and
with him came marked change in the
weather. Last week was an exceeding
ly warm one, but heavy thunder
storm Sunday morning ushered in a
cold wave and camp life is again ex-
ceedingly uncomfortable. But we'll
soon be going home, so everyone is
good-natured in spite of the weather.
| Monday, March q, is the date set
for mastering out the Fifteenth Minne-
sofa. The Tenth Ohio goes on the 24th
and the Thirty-Fifth Michigan on the
31st. The boys are counting the days
now, only nineteen of them left. They
are resolving to get back to Minne-
sofa by the shortest and quickest
route possible.
Some few will not return, their
homes being in other states. Some
will go by steamship from Savannah
to New York and then home, and there
are few who will cross the Atlantic,
returning to the "old country" to visit
friends and relatives there. But most
of them, as soon as they have their
discharge papers and money in their
pockets, will start for Minnesota on
the first train.
The statement published to the effect
that the news of the muster out orders
were disappointing to the men and
were received with no enthusiasm, de-
serves a stronger appelation than mis-
take.
| We were never ordered to the Phi
lippines, as was also reported, and as
to mastering out, there are not ten en-
listed men in the regiment who are not
over-joyed at the prospect of going
home, returning to the more profitable
avocations of the civilian. We can
all get mustered out, draw our full al
lowance, re-enlist in the regular in
fantry and be furloughed for twenty
days. reassemble and be taken to the
Philippines. A telegram to this effect
from President Mckinley was read at
retreat Sunday.
If any correspondent dared state on
his company street or in the presence
of his more sensible comrades, that
the men Of the Fifteenth did not. want
to be mustered out, he would be given
the worst "blanketing" ever received
by soldier.
Our position on mastering out has
been systematically and perseveringly
misrepresented eyer since last August,
and we are getting awfully tired of it.
And the officers, too, are glad to
leave the service, for most of them
have something better and more pro-
itable at home. Camp life with it's
never-changing routine has become
very monotonous.
The physical examinations begin
this morning, Company C's mess shall
being used for the purpose. The CON-
panies will he examined in alphabeti-
al order at the rate OF two a day.
Major Westervelt of the Tenth Ohio is
senior officer of the examining board.
Major Dennis and Lieutenants Frye
and Hyde constitute the board of sur
geons who will examine the Thirty
fifth Michigan. They begin their work
today also.
Major James Elwin, Captain Spicer
and Lieutenant Mahon are detailed
as board of survey to determine the
responsibility for the loss of a large
amount of quartermaster's stores for
which Lieutenant w. T. Coe is &C.
countable. Most of the missing pro-
perty was stolen at Camp Meade.
Among the men, little that is worthy
of note has happened.
In Companies D and F there is room:
tor lot of promotions, the non.com-
missioned officers who were particip-'
ants in the recent mutiny all being re-
duced to the ranks. They are Ser
geants Herbert johnson and Nelson
J. Perror, Company F.; Corporals c.:
F. Newton and David W. Roher, CON-
pany F; and Corporals G. G. Larson,
and H. A. Hardy, Company D. !
The regiment began work on the
rife range last week and the target.
practice is welcome innovation to
the boys, and they go at it with en-
thusiasm. The work at the 100-yard
range was. completed Monday. The
score has not yet been summarized
but in the opinion of Captain Cross.
field, the range officer, Company c has
made the best score. Sergeant East:
man and Corporal Casey of the COM
pany each made. score of so. .
The event of the week was the re.
lease of all the prisoners confined III