The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1899-02-08
HIS LAST
Col. c L. Smith Writes for the
Last Time.
Regiment viii be Thing of the Past
in few Heurs-Men viii be Heme
shortlv-Saow Storm in Camp-Great
Excitement Among the Natives Prep
parations for Home Coming.

EH3ftif-StON rtofuf IN taup-Uftdt
Excitement Among the Natives Prep
parations for Home Coming.
Lieutenant Colonel G. L. Smith, Of
the First West Virginia regiment,
writes as follows 10 his paper, the
Fairmont Index:
CAMP CONRAD, COLUMBUS, Ga,
We had our first snow last night. 1t
was just like the ordinary West Vir-
ginia snow, but it threw new life into
every youngster, male and female,
black and white. Up to a day or so
ago the weather had been lovely, and
the first wild flowers could be seen
growing on every side. Then the
weather began to change. 1t grew
colder, and the clouds indicated fall
ing weather We all expected rain,
for they told us they had scarcely seen
snow hear since the winter 1884.
Early Friday night it began to hail,
which soon turned into snow, and at
Taps, when the boys retired TO their
tents, the snow was coming down in
the most home like fashion. This
morning we found about one inch and
half OF the beautiful on the ground
covering landscape and forest com
pletely The West Virginians be-
came homesick, and looked upon 1t as
only forerunner of mud and slush,
but the citizens were delighted, and
they turned out and engaged in gen.
eral SNOWFALL. Every one seemed to
have the right to pelt every passerby
with the snow They still use sum-
mer car from camp to the city, and it
was worth your life almost to go down
early in the day. 1t was certainly "A
gala day for the youngsters of this
section. But this joy was of very
short duration, for the southern sun
crused it to disappear before twelve
O'Clock. This much snow was GER
tainly very unusual for this section,
judging from what the people say and
the way they acted.
The work of mastering out contin-
ues. A vast amount has been accom-
plished since | last wrote you. Cap
tain Frederick, the mastering officer
| for this state, has sent Lieutenant
Douglass Settle, and Lieutenant j.
N1OiJ- Ndl ttis L HUI bOht w
assist in the preparation of the final
papers, and to muster out the regi-
ment. 1t will be remembered that
this regiment was mustered in at
Charleston last spring, and Lieuten-
ant Settle was the mastering officer.
We doubt if like instance Of the
same officer mastering in and muster
ing out the same regiment occurs
again In the history of the volunteer
service. From the way the work has
progressed we do not think that there
is much doubt but that the regiment
will be finally paid off and mustered
out on Saturday, February 4.
The paymasters are expected here
tonight and the muster-out rolls will
be given them as fast as they can ex-
anime them. Some little of the gov
eminent property has already been
taken up, but the bulk of it as yet re-
mains in the hands of the men. Ra-
tions have been issued to include Jan
uary 81, and commencing with Feb
ruary the men will be fed by contract.
The contract has been let for about
20 cents per meal for each man.
Each enlisted man will be paid an
extra months pay, and he will receive
travelling allowance of about so
cents day, and twenty-miles travel is
considered day 1t is estimated
that the distance to Fairmont from
here, gazing by the most direct route,
is about 500 miles, making As days
which Fairmont boy will be allowed.
This with pay for few days over two
months will give each man quite a
nice little sum. Out of this each
man must pay his own transportation
home. The railroads are offering
quite liberal rates.
The rate to Fairmontis little over
thirteen dollars with correspondingly
low rates to other points in the state.
There has been quite scramble among
railroads to get the business. The
Central, of Georgia, through it's pas
senger az ent Mr.. Camp, of this city
will get the most of it. For some
misconduct on the part of the agents
Of the Southern, at Knoxville, that
road will not receive per cent of the
business it would otherwise have
carried. Without any concert of ac-
tion the men seem TO have determined
to give that road the go by on their
return home.
A great majority of the men will
leave for home as soon after being
mustered out as possible. Several
companies have engaged special cars.
As each man goes on his own respon-
sibility, they will go by almost every
route, and be returning to West Vir-
ginia at odd times during the week
following. A few officers may he de-
tanned day or two, but it will not
be long before they are all back at
home.