The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-06-24
WRITES OF ARMY LIFE

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LIEUTENANT POOsER'5 NlPREs.
sIoNs OF MILITARY LIFE.
Camp at San Antonio Covers Ten
Square AIiIes-No Fever or Dis.
order Allowed.
Co. D., 18th Infantry, San Anton
10, Tex.-There is stationed at this
point-or Army Post-about Twelve
Thousand Regular Soldiers, probably
the flower of Uncle Sans Army.
The camp sight is, located, possibly
two or three miles from the city
of San Antonio. The sights are mag
nifcent. Standing on an elevation,
one can take birds eye view Of the
entire camp. Nothing to obstruct
the view. Nothing but tents, bar
racks, corrals, etc. The area cover
ed by the camp includes, would
think, estimating roughly, about five
to 10 square miles. Drill grounds
are the finest I have ever seen. No
stumps, trees, depression or any
thing to- Interfere; simply long,
broad stretches of level land. A reg
iment drilling here has more room
and moves easier than a single COM
pany at any manouvering ground I
have ever attended.
But my, it is hot, dry and dusty;
no dews or moisture Of any sort. 1t
has not rained for a long while, I
understand, and rain is not expected
at an early date.
One thing about conditions here,
is worth while noting, and that is
the health of the men in camp. No
city contains population, ss much
as the number of soldiers here, can
possibly boast of anything like it..
No sickness scarcely at all. The
Surgeon reports, I think, one single
case Of typhoid fever in one of the
regiments out of the twelve. This
Is remarkable to say the least.
Strict discipline and adherence to
sanitary rules and regulations, to-
gether with a dry climate Is respon-
sible for this. Upon the whole area
covering the canp-miles of ground
"a mud hole or dirt pile Of any
sort is unknown. The result Is. we
have here a robust, strapping, hearty
set Of soldiers that are "a pride Of
our great country. have been
through every kitchen in this, the
9Th regiment No housewife at
home in old Orangeburg, could pos
5ibly have things neater or tidier.
All slops, refuse, ETC., ds burned in
The company incinlerators and every
kitchen is entirely and completely
The same way up at the
Division bakery. Ten thousand
mouths are fed each day, three times,
as regular as clock work, on the
finest, brownest, well-cooked bread,
made at this bakery. Twelve regu-
lar steel ovens are used, besides there
are a number of Dutch ovens.
: find that the cooking and the
general ration d.; far superior to
what the volunteer army had during
the Spanish-American War. There
ire so much more Of it, and it is cook
ed so much better and kept sweeter.
Of course, conditions are different
and warrants the improvement over
the Volunteer service.
The impression exists throughout
the country to the effect that the en-
listed man in the regular service,
Is abused, misused and mistreate I,
does not prove itself out here. I am
thrown with men and officers every
day and the treatment is excellent.
What officers I have seen, are re-
spectacle, kind and gentlemanly. +
have heard more abuse, cursing and
fighting and disorder In oSe night
at some of our National Guard en-
where we. have only
about 500 men, than I have heard
here. Every now and then we find
slouchy, mean fellow that does not
hold himself up, who Is kept in the
guard tent, mostly and whose pres
ence among the more respectable ele-
ment would be unpleasant. The rank
and file of the army here is COM
posed of neat, we'll clad and we'll fed
young men. They hold up their
heads and step along like there is a
future ahead of them.
What Mexicans I have seen, and
there are great number around
have not impressed me favcrably. ]
there is much better
class that we do not see very much
Of. These I have seen are princi-
pally the laboring class and are COM
posed of a poorer quality.
One thing l want to say before l
forget it, and that is in reference to
the women folks Of San Antonio.
They are fine looking, most of them,
to say the least. Even our Colonel
from Charleston, who is middle aged.
comes to a dead halt at times and
turns around to look at some pass
ing Venus. All the people here,
generally speaking, are a healthy