Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-01-10
HOLIDAYS AT CAMP CHURCHMAN.
The Manner in Which the Soldiers of LIST
Territorial Regiment Passed Christmas
and New Years.

Concerning life among the boys at
Camp Churchman, and the in
which Christmas and New Years were
celebrated by the soldier boys, Frank
Dettlebach has written home as follows:
Camp Churchman, Ga, Jan. 5.-We
are all mixed up. We don't know
whether we are going to Cuba or will
be mustered II One thing is sure,
however, and hat is we will move to
some other place pretty soon, but where
we have no idea. We We're to have left
yesterday for Savannah, but didn't, and
today everything points to a muster
out, judging from rumors. 1t is almost
impossible for any one to get either a
furlough or discharge for the reason
that ever officers do not know what to
expect. The suspense is somewhat ex-
citing, but very wearing on the nerves.
Captain Strover has gone to Washing
ton, and it is whispered around camp
that he is to be transferred to the regu-
lar army. OF course, the boys do not
place much confidence in camp rumors
but no one can tell what is going to
happen and oftentimes camp gossip is
based upon information given out in a
quiet manner from headquarters.
The regiment passed a jolly Christ
mas and New Years in spite of the fact
that the boys all wanted to be at home.
For a week before Christmas we were
all at work decorating and fixing up the
company streets, and all last week the
camp was a regular park. Visitors fill
ed the camp streets from morning until
night, and SO long as the boys live they
will never forget Christmas and New
Years in Camp Churchman. Some of
the decorations were things Of beauty
and will never be forgotten by those
who saw them. Each company, except
l., had a large arch erected at the head
of their street, L company built a large
cross, but company Els (Albuquerque)
took the cake. 1t looked like a trium-
phal arch in some old city.
The Santa FEES decorations, with In
dian blankets and curios, however,
drew the crowds. Company H had a
log cabin built. and also a Typographical
map of New Mexico made out of sand.
The mountains on the map were repre-
scented by red sand and all the principal
cities and towns were shown by little
squares Of white wood. Small flags
were stuck into the map where Santa
Fe, Albuquerque, Las Vegas and Las
Cruces are located, with the letter of
each company belonging to those cities.
Company Fl had a log school house
built to represent a western school
house. Company B constructed a
miniature representation of the Copper
Queen mine at Bisbee, A. r. The MEM
bers of the company sunk a shaft and
dug a tunnel in about rs feet. 1t made
an unique and interesting exhibition Of
western mining methods. Company c
had the battleship Maine anchored at
their company dock. The boys had
steam up on the ship and at very short
intervals the screech Of her whistle
could be heard from one end of the
camp to the other. The floral decora-
lions of the camp were grand. Magno-
liza, cedar and pine trees were planted
all along the streets and the boys made
raids On every plantation for miles
! around for flowers. 1t was no trouble
at all to get material, the woods are just
back of the camp. The boys Of the wild