The Columbus journal., 1899-01-04
Concerning the Soldiers.

Concerning the Soldiers.
Five hundred men are to be recruited
for the Twelfth United States infantry,
now at Jefferson barracks, Missouri.
The regiment will soon start for Manila.
The Second and Third battalions Of
the Third Nebraska regiment sailed to
sea Saturday night last at 9. They
broke camp about noon and by 8 o'clock
were at the wharvss ready to 60 aboard
the transport Michigan, which was tow
ed to sea by two tugs. The soldiers
marched from Camp Onward, three
miles into the city of Savannah, Geor-
gia, in drizzling rain, but they were
we'll equipped for it.
The Nebraska, Iowa and South Da-
kota soldier boys who are sweating
down in Manila while their friends are
burning hard coal in the effort to keep
comfortable at home, don't propose to
be classed with the -beens when it
comes to remembering their friends and
sweethearts on Christmas. Yesterday
mornings mail from the west brought
in twenty-four big mail pouches filed
with holiday gifts for friends in Nebras-
Ia, Iowa and South Dakota. Judging
from the size Of the packages and the
manner of wrapping them they contained
largely cigars and fancy work for the
ladies. Although the packages came
many thousand miles they arrived in
good state OF preservation. The sack
tags convey the information that the
postOfiice at Manila is branch Office OF
San Francisco. World Herald.
In letter home, from August WaS-
ner, We extract the following items Of
general interest to all who have friends
or acquaintances among the soldiers at
Manila:
No man can imagine the effect of the
rain and mud in which We slept many q
night. There are more cases of rheuma-
tism here now than fever. was laid
out one week on muscular rheumatism
and six others in the company complain
of the same trouble. This is Thanks.
giving day. We had 'swell" dinner
and besides had tables to eat on. After
dinner We called on our two lieutenants
for toasts and a merry day was spent
1t is now about 7 o'clock and a gentle
rain is falling. The air is very warm
and 1 perspire as write. We still dress
all in white, and at company drill in
brown. The climate is nice at present
Hot weather is predicted for January
and February. What is most peculiar
to us about this Thanksgiving is the
warm weather. Just think of us walk.
ing around in white suits, bare-foOted
Our work is not hard, but the bossinR
is awful. Our work will be much light.
or after this, as our guard duty will be
lessened. I am perfectly willing to stay
here for the winter, as I can occupy
spare time pro6tably in study.
More troops arrived; no sick ones are
sent homo, but will be soon. Only dis.
abled men will be sent.
MANILA, Nov. 16
EDITOR JoURNAL:-As you have been
publishing my letters which I have
written home, I now ask You to publish
this one-concerning Company Ks
Thanksgiving dinner in the army at
Manila:
When the boys fled in to dinner, an
agreeable surprise met their gaze. A
Widespread table AZ feet long, covered
with good things was before MS. Our
lieutenants were here to take dinner
with us, Lieut. Jens, commander OF
company X, and Lieutenant Webber.
Our menu was, soup, oysters, pickles,
chow-chow, mixed pickles, roast young
chicken, oyster dressing, roast beef,
mashed potatoes, sugar corn, lima beans,
blackberry and strawberry preserves,
ginger snaps, assorted cakes, coffee, beer,
champagne, cigars.
TOast-master Lieut.. Webber and the
first toast, Our Co. X, was responded to
by Lieut.. Jens; Our Recruits by First
Serg. Haney; Our absent Captain, by
Corporal Hyatt; Boys in the Hospital,
by Corporal Killian; Our Cooks, by
Serg. Pearsall. Each speaker took his
part and did it justice. Three cheers
went up as each finished his task.
Charles Flynn then made nice little
speech about our troubles, battles and
privations, and how our lieutenants have
stay ed with us through everything, and
again three cheers and a tiger went up,
and then We all joined in songs, and
again cigars were passed, compliments
OF Col. Stassenberg. We were all in