The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-17
SOLDIER LIFE IN LUZON.
The Effect of the Canteen-The Ra.
tiOns and Clothing of the Men.

Guilford S. CARRIER in Madison Courier.
We are having very pleasant times. The
regular army officers have taught us their
ways of turning off business, and while
hundreds of details are observed in taking
care of the men, everything goes by sys-
tenn, so we don't notice the work. The
men have learned that they have got to
keep themselves and equipments clean
whether they want to not; that they
must police camp in the cool of each morn
ing until there is not piece of food or dirt
anywhere the ground. They have
learned to drill and do guard duty so that
we don't have to teach them any more, and
the non-commissioned and company clerks
are well broken in. If a man gets drunk
and is absent without leave or disorderly,
he knows just what he'll get, and gets it
without any fuss or feathers We have
the full army ration right along, and all
the clothing and equipments we care TO
put in for without delay. The men are all
in high, weather-tight bamboo houses, and
altogether our affairs run like they were
clock work.
Each battalion has canteen, which
works fine. Our company got about 500
from the sale of beer and tobacco last
month, which went to buy sugar, tea, lime
juice, beans. and whatever the men wanted,
other delicacies that are not issued, or stuff
that they wanted in greater quantities than
the government ration allows. A good deal
of our ration We trade for delicacies, or
sell. and the profit goes into the company
fund. The canteen has stopped the men,
all except a few notorious buns, from
running away to Manila, and the men sell
dom get drunk at the canteen, they
always did when they went TO Manila for
their booze We never drill or work when
the sun is hot, but only in the mornings
and evenings, when IL is really cool and
the air is bracing. AS a result of every
soldier knowing what things have to be
done to preserve his health and fulfill our
duty on the line, and having all the equip
mentS, ETC., wanted, and a good table, the
soldiers are perfectly contented We had
kicks from morning to night in the regi-
ments at Camp Alger last year, but every
thing IS lovely now The men get all the
fresh beef that they can eat, two meals a
day, fresh from Australia. 1t is frozen and
We have to cut the beef up with axes.
The uniform is the regular blue flannel
shirt and cocky trousers, campaign hat and
leggings. eve have light cotton shirts, but
a man would die of chill in them from 5
in the evening until i'm the morning and
would get chilled in them in the day time,
by reason of their getting wringing wet
with perspiration. The flannel shirt takes
up the perspiration and does not feel too
warm. officers and men wear the same
uniform, barring signs of rank Officers
wear metal shoulder straps about an inch
or two inches long pinned on their shirt
collars, and non-commissioned officers wear
small chevrons on their shirt sleeves. All
officers wear gilt and black twisted wire
hat cords to distinguish them from the
regulars.
The personal relations among the officers
are very pleasant. In the old militia vol
unteer regiments the officers took their old
quarrels into the army with them, and
everyone was sore at everyone else Here
there is nothing like that, and nothing {
the sort would DE tolerated.