Evening journal., 1904-09-10
HIKING MADE
MANY BLISTERS
Footsore Delaware National
Guardsmen Almost Cried
on the March
THE WORST is NOW OVER

Stan Correspondent The Evening Journal
Vancouver Camp No. 2, Thoroughfare.
va. Sept. 9.--Victorlous. but IN worse
shape than they have been since their ar
rival here, after campaign that caus,d
the stoutest hearted to wavor from the
unrelcnting heat and, sitting dust, the
Delaware battalion staggered into camp
shortly before o'clock today.
1t vas tired and hungry lot of men
too. They had been marching and lighting
with the exception OF five hours bvouacI
at Little Bull Run creek; twelve miles
from here since yesterday morning and
during all this time they had but one
meal which was composed OF two sand
wiches and coffee served at the bivouae
camp last evening.
1he battalion was marching almost all
day yesterday. Il was q o'clock when they
made the stop for the rest. Throughout
the day the men had been cropping their
way through clouds of dust that filled
their eyes and throats on the march
which consumed well upwards OF twenty
miles.
! When the stop was made the men threw
! themselves upon their blankets and before
! the coffee was cooked many of them were
asleep. After this came. the Issuing of
ammunition. BY the time this was done
! it was almost 9 o'clock. The troops were
then allowed 10 steep until midnight.
when they were awakened and az half
I past twe.ve were on the march again.
From then until day-break. about g
O'Clock, they kept II up. This brought
/ them into position along an old railroad
about two miles below Gainesville. in the
very heart Of the enemy's country. The
4 battalion was deployed as sisrmishers
! and swept across the big field, but the
/ lighting was ON the left of line and not a
Delaware soldier was given an opportun-
ity 90 hre upon the enemy this morning
Browns Won Battle.
a short while after DO O'Clock they were
put 10 flight and the battle was won by
the browns. Immediately the recall was
sounded and the start made for camp.
The distance was about eight miles and
was covered by most of the men in three
hours. although the footsore o j. anl
, those VINO had TO drop by the waysld,
did not arrive In some instances until
, o'clock. As soon as the men reache,
camp a dinner Of bean soup. stewed bee
and white potatoes awaited them. Thel
fell upon 1t almost like savages. as 4
was The only meal with one exception m,
men had eaten for 3G hours. AS soon al
they had had their mn they washed thi
mire from themselves and tumhlcd ovei
i'm slcop. 10 looked like the camp was
deserted down the company streets Not
a man could be seen stirring any pace.
Blisters on Feet.
IL is safe to say that almost every man
In camp has blisters on his feet from the
mikes. The treating Of swoo.en or bhs-
tered feet has been the prime pal work Of
the hospital corps yesterday and last
night was the first time the men did any
complaining of any consequence. Almost
crying from the agony they we're suffer
ing the men grumbled and plead 10 be al
lowed to sleep. but when they were ap-
poaled TO by the officers who pointed oul
to them that the reputation of the De.a
ware guard as the best mixers in all the
National Guard outfits was at stake they
would brace up for time. but the pain
of their swoolen ana bhstered feet made
them irritable mad II was a vastly different
tempered crowd that returned here TIN.
afternoon from the one that left yester-
day.
Throughout the manoeuvers the Della.
ware troops have he'd their own besid,
the Eighth Infantry. which Is the cracl
b organization Of the United States army
the one that gave the exhibitions IN Mad
, ison Square Garden. New York last win.
B ter They say the Delaware troops are
the "Whitest outfit in the whole bunch.
1t will be a different looking outfit that
, marches up Market street on Monday af-
] ternoon from the one that left Whining.
% ton last Saturday. Instead Of the nicely
p pressed natty khaki uniforms. the mor
. will look like old campMgners. One would
D never recognize the clothes as the sam,
{ that had looked so spck and span on,
; week ago IN the travel-stained, perspira.
e tion-soakod garments, which they now
wear.
IL. B. Jacobs.