St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1899-05-13
Camp Cafery Historic
cally Preserved.

The Adiutant General of the |
Army having sent out q circular
asking for Photographic views OF
The incidents connected With the
American war, TO be used
in contemplated pictorial history to
be issued by the War Department,
Mr.. N. Bear, now connected with
the United STATES Quartermaster's
Department al Havana, has for.
warded for this purpose . set OF
views showing some Of Col. Hood 9
work, which, as our readers may
recall, was carried on under great
Mr.. Bear was summering in st.
Tammany parish at the time, ana
that he was keeniy observant Is
amply Indicated by the folio wing
copy of his letter transmitting the
Photographs referred to:
War Department,
Headquarters Division OF Cuba.
ONCE Chief Quartermaster,
Havana, Cuba. March Is, 1899.
Adiutant General, U. 5. A., Washing
ton, ID. e.
lThrongh military chsnneD:
Sri have the honor to O1er
as q contribution for the purposes
indicated IN attached clipping from
a recent number of the Army aud
Navy Journal q set of Photographic
Views dealing with the preliminary
organization of the Second hegi-
ment, United States Volunteer
Infantry, Col. Duncan y. Hood
commanding, taken q. Camp Cat
fiery, near Covlngton, La.
1t these views covered nothing
of more general interest than the
lining up OF numoer OF uniformed
recruits IN front of q kitchen tent,
or In the company streets, would
never have been deemed worthy
of your serious consideration.
They do illustrate, however, wnat
was regarded by everyone Win
the slightest PRIOR knowledge Oh
service details who visited lamp
Gallery as amounting to phenome-
non.
When recruiting Offices were
opened for this regiment in new
Orleans and other southern cities,
ard Covington, La, was designsteo
as the assembling place for tne re-
crults, there appeared to be no
clothing. camp orgarrlson equlpage
or ordnance available. Col. HOOD
managed to secure, either through
the Quartermaster's Department OF
by personal arrangement with the
owners, a considerable number OF
the tarpaulins used on the New
Orleans levees for covering baled
cotton. lie sent his men into the
woods adjoining Camp Cafery and
they cut down saplings and limbs
with which to improvise tent poles.
Company streets were LAID off with
regulation exactness, and with these
poles and tarpaulins . camp was
constructed. These improvised
tents were open at both ends.
Most of the men were without bed
ding of any description, but the
leaves and twigs of the adjacent
pinerles were used in supplying
that defect, and judging BY the alb.
sence Of sickness IN the command.
satisfactorily. Indeed the woods
supplied even the arms of the men
dong guard duty during the early
days Of this unique piece of organi.
zation; sentries carrying sticks and
clubs at q fright shoulder" reliev-
ing each other with the utmost de-
c0rlum.
For days and weeks before the regl'
ment received any clothing equip
age, or ordnance, drills and guard
mouts were held, and the monde
script apparel Of most Of the mer
can be discerned in single glance
at the views herewith transmitted
While the statement is ex-psrtt
and possibly uncalled for, it is none
the less true that the ease witt
which the men of this regiment
adapted themselves to their cloth
ing and equipment and the ready
facility with which they acquired
a knowledge Of the drill manua
when they were finally equipped
by the United States was the mar
vel of all professional or lay, who
witnessed il.
Very respectfully, your ODE
dient servant.
&. n. BEAR.