Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-05-06

army mustered out some months ago.
One of them, Pot Watson, | am proud
to say, comes from Homecoming. He
is fine young man and good soldier.
The band is stationed here. 1t has
IS members and gives us music every
evening, which helps 20 cheer us in
our bachelor life.
A number of these men would like
to go to the Philippines. feel little
inclined that way myself. 1t the
President calls for the $4,000 volun-
teers, to be known as 1.-THE Provisional
Army" | think | will apply for my
discharge and 90 with some of the
Maryland boys to the Philippines.
That is, if Gov. Lowndes offers any
for that service, and | feel sure that he
will. | feel sure also that it will be
necessary to call for volunteers before
the insurgents can be subdued, and it
Is the general opinion of army of
tclalS. | think, too, in case Maryland
is to furnish some soldiers. FrOstburg
should be represented by at least Il
company. Why not organize and get
in good shape
Our State would be proud of a com
pany from FrOstburg. made up of men
who can stand hardships and take
good care of their share of the line
and duty. If some good military man
would organize a company it would be
no trouble to have it accepted as Il
whole, and the War department is in
better shape than ever to take the best
care of an army twice the size of the
one employed in the war with Spain.
| have always Jared very well, and
have never made habit OF complain
ing. | have always been with sick
soldiers, and have had an experience
that | will never forget. | have seen
men in wards-sOme dead others dy-
ing; some afraid they would die /:
others too sick to know anything-all
while we were preparing the dead for
burial, helping the dying to die easily
as possible, and consoing the sick.
Sometimes we have had a very busy
time, but | am glad that have always
been able to perform my duty, no
matter what | was called upon to do.
My experience during the last -
months in the army has been equal to
that of some medical men with ten
years experience in civil life. Before
entering the army a wound or any
severe ailment would make me
shudder. Now | feel as comfortable
IN the operating room, sponging blood
for the surgeon, as do looking at a
case of measles or a man with tooth
ache. We look on man when he
comes to the hospital as a sick man,
and feel no more uneaSlness about ty-
phoid. malaria, measles, or any other
disease, than we do at a sprain, and
we do not care who of us takes the
case. In this Hospital corps we can
take any case and nurse it, do our
bandaglng as well as any male or
female nurse who has come from any
training school. We are respected by
all the soldiers, and from my own eX-
perience they prefer the Hospital
corps men to any nurses they ever
saw in civil life.
am anxious to see Frostburg offer
company in case the volunteers are
called, and | would like to have a
months furlough to help organize a
good company. | believe, if | under
stand the provision for this additional
army, that the companies will have
only 80 enlisted men each. This al
lows for ~ regiments, as the law calls
TOR 0O,UOO. The number VIII be FUR
nished by each State, the same AS be-
fore, but not so many regiments for
each. The small regiments will en-
able the organizers to get all first
class men-good, able-bodied men,
who can take care of themselves. The
danger of so much sickness will be
lessened, and, with small companies
and small regiments, the men can
have good time, in case they don't
get too close to Aguinaldo. | believe
if Gen. Otis had an equal number
of men the Filipino hostiles would
have been subdued long ago. But it
is evident that he bias not men enough.
Tell the boys to get together. |
will go with them with pleasure. |
will write you again. | remain yours
truly, JAMES A. SAURBAUGH.