Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-08-12
CAMP IS AT AN END
Fiftieth Regiment Begins Striking
Their Tents.
YESTERDAY Was BIG DAY FOR BOYS
Hundreds Of People From ottumwa,
Muscatine, Davenport, and Other
Places Visit Encampment and View
States Soldiers on Parade.

Oskaloosa, Aug 11.-(Special)-
Camp Lacey is at an end. The little
city of white tents that has been To-
Gated in the fair grounds in this city
for the past week aud has been the
home of the members of the Fifiieth
regiment Iowa National Guard, is no
more This morning the tents were
struck and preparations were hasten
ed for the departure of the companies
to their homes. The first company de-
parted shortly after l o'clock and the
last one will leave this evening at g.
o'clock.
Yesterday was big day at Camp
Lacey and 1t is estimated that thou
sands Of visitors from outside of this
city were added to the crowds of Os-
kaloosans that visited the fair grounds
The camp has been highly successful
and the officers of the regiment uni
versally express themselves as more
than satisfied with the work that has
been accomplished during the week.
Rain at Camp Lacey.
Sunday morning heavy rain fell at
Camp Lacey and it was feared for
time that the days program would be
considerably interfered with by the
downpour. Few people visited camp
during the morning and at the time
the members of the regiment We're lin
ed up for church it was still raining.
The services were held in the amphi-
theatre and aside from the soldier boys
the audience was quite meager. Rev.
W. H. Frost, rector of the ST. James
Episcopal church of Oskaloosa, the
newly appointed chaplain of the regi-
ment. conducted the services.
The Day Briehtens.
About noon the clouds began to
break and under the genial rays of the
warm sunlight Camp Lacey began to
take on new life. A special train ar
I rived over the Burlington & Western
bringing about 600 excursionists from
Burlington, who came for the purpose
OF visiting the camp Excursions over
the Iowa Central swelled the number
of visitors several hundred, including
many people from Ottumwa, Musca-
tine, Davenport and other places.
Afternoon in Camp.
The early part of the afternoon was
passed by the members of the regi-
mems entertaining the many guests
who came to visit them on this occa-
| sion. The freedom of the camp was al
/ lowed to the guests and the many
thousands of people satisfied their cur
| iosity by walking about the camp and
endeavoring to familiarize themselves
! with the manner of the soldiers life
i in camp.
Thousands View Parade.
At the hour for the evening parade
| the large ampitheatre was clGwded tc
| it's utmost capacity and every point OF
/ vantage was sought by the people from
which to view the ceremony So dense
was the crush of people that extra
| guards were placed to keep the parade
] ground clear. Adjutant General Byers
acted as reviewing officer and after
the preliminary exercises headed by
the Fiftieth Regiment band, the regi
ment under the command of Colonel
4 H. H. Caughlan, marched in review
i The companies were then marched tt
quarters and were dismissed.
inspection and Muster.
i Immediately after breakfast thi.
morning everything about camp was
1 hurry and hustle on the part of the
members of the regiment in making
preparation for the closing ceremony
of camp, that of inspection and muster
i Major John Il. Hume assistant inSpec
Il tor general of the Iowa Nationa
; Guard, took charge of this ceremon.
and the muster roll was called and tn,
different companies subjected to tn,
n1ocinn jncrpctjpn of the cDyOD
Strike Tents.
Upon the close of the muster and il
accordance with the orders from head
quarters preparations were begun b,
the members of the different compan
les for breaking camp. The blanket!
: and personal effects of the soldier,
were placed with the equipments ant
!. details appointed for the purpose 0
emptying the straw ticks which hat
! been used by the men during tn,
: camp. The lumber from the floors o
, the tents was next taken up and pile
, near the end of the company streets
Shortly after 10 o'clock all the prelim
+ mary preparations were completed. A
i. 1920 a'clock the regimental buglers
! who had been assembled at headqual
n terS Dl6W ne IeueTdl anu as IN
last note echoed over the camp ever
tent fell as one. This is one of tn
most striking and impressive ceremor
les of the entire camp and was wit
S nesses by large number of people
Details were then made from the con
n panies for the purpose of striking tn
s tents at the headquarters.
) Companies Leave.
. At 1:15 o'clock the first company t
J, leave the city was the one from New
= ton, which, together with the member
:, of the signal corps went to their home
;. over the Rock Island. Companies
q and the regimental band of Ottumws
!. NJ of Fairfield and H of Charlton, lei
at 2:15 over the Rock Island. The A
> bia and Centerville companies &C
q away on the Iowa Central train at
h o'clock and the Grinnell company 8
q $40 o'clock over the Iowa Contra
: The Washington, Muscatine and DAY
= export companies will leave this ever
: ing over the Rock Island at 6 o'cloc
a and Company f of Burlington wi
4 start for home at the same hour
: way Of the Burlington a. Western