The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-15
ALABAMA TROOPS
 IN SPANISH AMERICAN WAR
 With List of Those {! Who Died Then. ! By {; WILLIAM W. BRANDON; :; Adjutant General A. N. G.i

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 Higdon and stan. At the same time.
 Colonel Cox and stan who are watching
 the car station through field glasses in the
 haze of evening atmosphere read upon
 the carpet bag the unmistakable sign Recruit"
 'In both camps the long roll is beat,
 and all the men arise and shout Re
 cruits, Recruits Emissaries are sent
 out by each camp to greet the new ar-
 rivals. The farmers look on in bewilder-
 ment at the array of white tents and
 "'You want to go to Camp Clark says
 one detachment.
 "'oh, no! You are looking for Colo
 mel Cox exclaimed the sergeant who rep
 resents Camp Johnston.
 There is a pitched battle in words and
 pantomine, at the end of which the em-
 missaries return triumphantly to either
 camp with a split delegation, com
 promise. having been reached whereby
 the recruits are divided between the two
 regiments"
 Up to this time the government had
 furnished nothing in the way of clothing
 to either regiment and as the men had
 been ordered to bring nothing with them in the way of clothing, it is an absolute fact and part of the history of these two regiments. that while in camp at Mobile some of the ''recruits'' and members of the commands wrapped themselves in blankets or quilts to hide their naked
 ness while others drilled not, because | they had to stay in bed waiting for Uncle Sam" to clothe them. It was about this time that the list regiment was dubbed "Higdon's Hoboes'' while the second was humorously called 'Cox's Army" But the time came when the 1st was mustered in and with flying banners marched out to Spring Hill and there were camped with the regulars and assigned to the First Bri- gade. under General Lloyd Wheaton. with the 1st Louisiana and 1st Texas regi- ments.
 This was on the morning of May 25 and the men of the 1st. as they left the End,
 felt hopeful that their transfer to Spring Hill meant equipment and an early move to the front. It was just here that Pri- vate Fred W. Roper, list Alabama, wrote | these lines, descriptive of camp life: Singing ballads, playing cards; | Eating side meat, running guards; Marching, drilling. exercising
 Lying round philosophizing Digging ditches, learning tachcs. Standing guard until your back aches;
 Doing laundry, picking trash up, Cleaning camp and dishing hash up; Cooking pork and taking baths, Eating hardtack, cleaning paths, Getting yellow as tan yard, Wondering when we'll meet the Spaniard; 1; Getting letters from our folks, 1 Shocking, boozing, cracking jokes. Reading papers, reading books, Fasting, grumbling, cussing cooks. Writing letters cleaning tents up, In our trousers sewing rents up, Turning in at sound of taps, Spouting verse and shooting craps"
 Taking quinine,, sick or we'll, Castor oil and calomel;
 Thinking We are not in clover, Wondering when the war'll be over" But this jingle, as has been said, is op- tomistic. It does not mention the absence of adequate food and raiment, the scar city of shelter or the anxiety to move. The 2nd Alabama, then left alone in Camp Johnston and when they saw the list move out, renewed their efforts to have their regiment mustered in and to
 go and be with their brothers in arms | at the camp of the regulars. Just before the 1st Alabama left their
 camp. a delegation from Birmingham
 brought them a beautiful hand painted flag and Miss Louise Chisholm, a beau- tiful young woman of the Magic City, presented in touching manner the col ors the 1st was to follow. This was cause for enthusiasm. Miss Sims of Birming- ham on the same evening presented in we'll chosen words a stand of colors to this regiment and one of the recruits"
 was heard to say after these ceremonies: By gravy. we've got something to fight
 for now, ain't we?"
 After the 1st with their colors and ban pK,A hAa to af once Officers and men began to work to
 make the 2nd efficient and through the | efforts of their noble chaplain, Rev. A. C.. | Harte, shoes and clothing were received so that they could go on drill ground. In their efforts to make the raw re- cruit" what he should be, many anus | ing incidents occurred. The writer was interested in teaching a certain Irishman | how to turn out the guard for the of | fcer of the day.
 This Irishman. being on duty, the writ
 CT said: Now, Mike, you must turn out the guard for the officer of the day" Sure and who's officer of the day?' Captain Walden of Company K" re- piled the instructor. ''The old man with | the whiskers?" queried the sentinel.
 Yes" replied the officer. and he will | be here in ten minutes. Don't you fail to | get him" The Irlshman pulled out his watch and said: You say he will be here in tin minutes. eh? We'll, faith and oill stop him meself." Captain Walden was delayed
 and did not get down to the guard house | for an hour. When he came Mike failed
 to turn out the guard. Walden approached
 him and sternly said: Why don't you call out the guard for the officer of the
 day?" Faith, and are you officer of the
 day?" 'I am, and you must be on the lookout" replied Walden. Mike stopped 1 took out his watch and exclaimed: You
 will catch h-l, sir! You are one hour and 1 foive minutes late. Corporal, lock the offi-
 cer of the day up and send for Major. It has never been satisfactorily ex-
 plained to Mike why Walden was not | locked up.
 On June r the End Alabama fully
 equipped, was ordered to Camp Coppin-
 ger at Spring Hill. On June A, to com
 plete the happiness of the End Alabama
 and two days before they left for Miami, the ladies of Mobile presented to the
 2nd Alabama a beautiful flag. Miss | Semmes, granddaughter of Admiral
 Raphael Semmes, presented, in words that swayed the assemblage, the banner which was the handiwork of Mobile daughters
 At the same time Miss Daisy Tacon, a
 beautiful young lady, presented deed Of
 gift to a full set of band instruments on | the part of the Clara Schurmann Club or
 Mobile.
 On June A orders were received to
 move to Miami. The 1st Alabama left on that day and arrived in Miami three days | ahead of the End. We felt sure that we | iswerA off for Cuha r Rut alas not so.