Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-19
VERY HAPPY CHANGE
In the Programme at Camp
Columbia,
F|ELD-OAY IS CELEBRATED,
The Exercises Supervised by The CON-
paDy Officers.
THE FOURTH VA. sLANDERED,
But the sIanderer Was Made to Re-
tract-Rejoicing Over tho Recovery
of n Mascot-Dischnrges and Pro-
mOtiOns-Tbe Sick.
THE FOURTH VA. sLANDERED,
Correspondence Of the Dispatch)

CAMP COLUMBIA, HABANA, CUBA,
March 14.-To-day the sun seemed to shine
differently from any of the preceding
days in the camp OF the Fourth Virginia,
for the long monotony Of drill, parade,
and march, which has been the only order
Of procedure during our experience of ten
months in military life was broken for
the first time. Instead of drills held-day
was celebrated by every company in the
Fourth Virginia Regiment as well as by
the men in the other regiments of the
corps. and the boys entered into the sports
with a little more alacrity than that
which characteriZes them in camp rou-
tine, being actuated by the spirit in the
village school, where the lads who came
slowly into school went storming out to
play" The exercises were supervised by
the officers of each company.
The sports in II Company were led by
Sergeant Field Wilbon. In the 100-yard
dash, Private Charles Krouse, by leading
all the heet-oi-foot Of III Company, show
ed that he would be as safe a man in bat
tie as he is proficient now in executing
"r6ut step" Private George Trice shook
off the lethargy which is large compo-
ncnt of his good-nature, and captured the
! honors in long and high jumping. Inter
est finally centred around a match game
of baseball in IL Company, in which
Captain Wyatt. as tosser; Lieutenant
! Hazen behind the bat, and Lieutenant
! Cheatwood in left-held, showed that they
! had probably had as much experience in
stopping base-balls as cannon balls. After
the usual amount Of kicking the game
was decided in favor OF the winning side
| by a score of to g."
one of the most popular trials Of
strength was the tug-of-war, some OF the
! companies having nearly their whole force
| swinging 10 the ends of a long rope.
The closing competition was the striking
| of tents and removal with floors and all
contents to the opposite side Of the COM
| pany streets, which is nearly equivalent
| To moving camp. The men Wed with
one another. and the move was executed
with such celebrity and precision as IS
rarely seen, even i'm camp life.
These athletic exercises are 10 be held
every Tuesday and Thursday to replace
The drill of those days. and division and
brigade commanders are ordered TO ar
range contests between the regiments
composing their respective commands
with l. view to promoting general interest.
HAVE a GRIEVANCE.
The boys of the Fourth Virginia and
| F0rty-ninth Iowa hold a grievance
against first sergeant of the Sixth Mis-
souri, for an article written to the Globe
! n. Iii OF In
regiments, and there have been many ex-
pressions OF Indignation on their part. He
| said i'm the course Of lengthy boost Of
his regiment that while the men Of the
| Fourth Virginia fell out in squads, pla-
! toons. and companies, the Sixth Missouri
! marched on with unbrOken ranks mat
! when camp was reached the MissOuridns
showed up I'm full force, while the Viz
| ginians rode in ambulances, wagons, etc
/ Among other fabricatOns, ne attributed
| several statements to General Hasbrouck
| praising the Sixth Missouri TO the detrl-
ment of the Fourth Virginia and Forty
ninth Iowa all Of which General Has
| brouck disclaims. The correspondent hap
pened To omit that all of his statements
| i'm this regard were what he would have
liked 10 see facts but what were In reality
! lust the opposite. The truth IS, that the
| Fourth Virginia dropped as few men by
| the Wayside as either of the other regi-
mcnts. 1t would have been impossible for
! any lot of men to have shown up fresher
! and stood the weary marches any better
| than the Fourth Virginia. When we
| reached Camp Columbia on the last day
| only thirteen of our men had fallen out,
| while the sixth Missouri were one and
| one-half hours behind our regiment.
MADE HIM RETRACT
TWO Of the men Of II Company-Ser-
geant Floyd Hunt and Private w. Il.
| notwithstanding the fabrications, went
over TO the camp Of the Sixth Missouri
and made the Missourian swallow his
own words in the presence OF about lO)
Of his comrades by characteriZing the
article in terms more pugnacious than
| amicaiIe
J. !. Ward. police sergeant Of the
Fourth virginia. possesses the only mas
cot which has accompanied the regiment
since It's organization. IL Is pretty pug
dog by the name Of Dixie. which became
| very well acquainted with us while the
| regiment was i'm camp AT Richmond. IL
has always been "A per among the men.
| and although IL has been lost time ana
again. IL has always turned up. shortly
after the Maine Artillery broke camp the
other day. the Sergeant was very much
OlSfff SStQ TO lilu lIiA iftAA' iAt'' Nf'N'''ft
deserted After a long search ne was
| told that one Of the Down casters had
been seen with him. whereupon Sergeant
| Ward HE'D him TO Habana and on 70 the
transport Michigan just before she lett.
and after many trials he found the long
lost ranking mascot Of the Fourth VIZ
| ginla tied down in the hold of the snip
| with baggage checked for Maine. IL was
difficult 10 tell which was the happiest al
| the. reunion-the Sergeant or Dixie.
Sergeant j. 4. Parker Of Company J.
has received his discharge. and VIII leave
for his home I'm Franklin, on the nrst
| transport that sails.
Private X. +. Luck, Of Company @.
| Fourth Virginia. has been transferred 10
Company X. First Texas. OF which COM
nanv his brother Is a member.
Corporal o. NJ Johnson, Of Company q,
has been apoointed band-sergeant OF the
Fourth Virginia.
The following promotions have been
roasa IN the regiment: Corporal W. b.
Isaacs 10 be sergeant in Company NJ, Sc
cond- Sergeant II. O. Jordan 70 be htst
sergeant. and Corporal \. J. Wood 10 be
sergeant OF Company u; Private c. W.
Marauedaui To be corporal
Sergeant f. n. Richardson. OF company
G. who has been confined to the Second
1 al 10 months