The Washington times., 1903-07-19

do" When you're in camp. do as sol
diers do. The guardsmen do not regard
that very seriously until they have
reached the site OF the camp and are or
dered about and made to work just as
though they were receiving salary for
it. When they find themselves tired,
WORKOUT and almost exhausted about .
o'clock in the evening, and would give
an arm for a soft down mattress and a
feathery pillow, they are "steered up
against" bunk made of large bag
stuffed with straw, the kind that would
stick a person II It were packed in a
leather bag instead OF some sort of thin
stuff, and 1t is there the boy in blue is
forced to lay himself down and fall into
the embrace of Morpheus and forget
that he ever slept on anything else but
a bunk, or even ate anything except
army rations.
The Plebe's Experiences.
The first day of camp is by far the
hardest, and one which the rookie" or
raw recruit. never forgets. 1t is one
continuous "go" from early morning till
late at night, but then the boys, al
though they get dead tired" working
like mules. think of the fun they are
having and are going 20 have before the
last day. For this reason the first day
does not come quite so hard TO them.
The orders calling out the Guard for
the encampment require the entire bril-
gade to be at the railroad intersection
at Ninth Street and Maryland Avenue
southwest, promptly at S o'clock on next
Thursday morning. 1t will be a case
of "Good-by Dollie Gray" until about 7
o'clock on the evening of Saturday, Au-
gust /, after the boys in army blue or
khaki uniforms once embark upon the
train. After a two-hours' ride over a
dusty, but nevertheless picturesque
road, they are dumped off" at Lees
burg. The companies are formed. and
with General Harries at the head OF
the procession, the men are marched
up the main street of the little city.
while the townspeople, with open mouths
and staring eyes, view them from the
curb. 1t means money TO those ruralists.
and THEY have a right to stare They
are interested spectators.
Up to Main Street pike the soldiers,
wishing every minute Georges Farm
would loom up in sight. But the farm
does no looming until the footsore, tired
and hungry boys have trudged past tho
courthouse, past the Jail. up hill ard
down dale, forded one or two brooks and
thoroughly exhausted themselves. Sur
veyors say It is only three miles from
the depot TO the site OF the camp, but
the Guardsmen say the surveyors are
trying to bluff" themselves because #
is twice that distance. easy.
Scenes at the Camp.
Arrived at the site of the camp. the
men, with their haversacks, packed with
clothing enough to last them for ten
days, thick one-quart tin cup. a CAN
teen, which viii hold quart of water,
an army rife. and a suit of army clothes,
promptly unload themselves and flop
down on the ground TO take a rest. There
is nothing doing in the rest line just
at that moment. After giving the men
a drink of water each. the company COM
manders have the Sibley tents. tent pegs.
sledge hammers and other paraphernalia
hauled out and the men take their cues.
They know what they are expected to
do. and straightway set 10 work TO put
up the tents and get under them. out Of
reach of the broiling. stewing. sweltering
sun as soon as possible. In an hour or
possibly little more all Of the tents are
up and the Guardsmen are ready to get
busy in the mess tent AS soon as the
tents are up. however. the bugler from
headquarters mounts the top OF hill in
front of the generals tent and with a
few blasts formally opens the encamp-
ment while the American flag is run up
TO the top OF huge stan in front Of
headquarters. sAfter the strains of the
bugle have died away, Georges Farm
will be a Government reservation for
ten days, and the soldiers on 1t will be