The Washington herald., 1916-10-21
Wild BORDER HORSES
THROW Dc. GUARDSMEN
Members of Troop A Having Perilous
Experience, Joe Amin Writes.
Camp Wilson

Camp Wilson
Fort Sam Houston, Tex Oct. lo'
Dear NJ. E.:
Here we are-and where are we7 We
7 are somewhere in a big city OF tents,
part of a khaki-clad citiZenry OF 2,Oo
men from all parts OF the Union ana
all we see from here are tents, horses,
wagons, motor trucks. and big guns on
three sides, and on the fourth just dust
colored prairie and an occasional tent.
Troop A pulled in late Friday after
noon, loading men and equipment on
motor trucks at San Antonia and parad-
ing through the town and out here,
where we pitched camp and had supper
by o'clock We have been finishing
the lob ever since and today have put
in the finishing ncks.
About 8 o'clock this morning the first
section of the Third Infantry pulled in
about half mile away and at daybreak
commenced pitching camp on the site va
Gated last week by the Eighth Illinois
Regiment
Believe me or not, It is a man-sized job
making camp here. The gumbo mud wet
or dry is about the same consistency as
chewing gum. The red clay We encounter
ed at Camp Ordway Is what Jimmy No
Ian would call light lunch" by COM
parison. And when our bunch started
out with pick and shovels to dig drain
age bitches, outline streets, put in wa
ter tanks and picket lines and do the
hundred and one other digging jobs nec-
essary to a semi-permanent camp. they
found that their education had been sad
ly neglected.
The Third isn't having so hard a time
Of it. having moved into a site recently
vacated, and we, having finished the Job,
are again beginning to appreciate life
and to realize that we have far bet
. ak,nxxT
the effects of three months experience
in better arrangement of tent interiors
and the knowledge which enable them to
grasp quickly everything which will add
to their comfort. So boxes have been
quickly converted into clothes presses
and dressing tables, waste lumber used
for half-floors and clothes racks. in short
there is a place for everything and ev-
erything is in its place.
Never In Trouble.
Also, having a skipper" who knows
more about soldering than has even been
put in the books, our bunch never seems
to get into serious trouble with the ee-
ments, railroad timetables or other wires
stretched for the feet Of unwary militia.
We left Rosslyn on time and we made
camp in almost record time simply be-
cause we had a human dynamo bossing
the Job in Capt. Washburn.
After a recent wind and rainstorm here
more than 80 per cent OF the tents in
camp went down. One OF the first pre-
cautionary measures ordered by Capt.
Washburn was the rigging OF all the
tents with wires running from the top
of the centerpoles to heavy pegs driven
in the ground at each corner OF each
tent. So you see We are ready for the
elements.
Members of Troop A are finding most
congenial atmosphere in San Antonio.
four miles from camp Five members of
the troop-First. Sergt. Sam Ray and
Troopers Baker, Harnsburger, Hooper
and Roberts, are Texas born, and Ray is
San Antonio man, while Ed. Pou has
unearthed a long-forgotten uncle who is
making It pleasant for him and his par
ticular "buddies," Corp. Winfield Scott
and Curtis CBuck) Keegan.
"Pansy' Sauter, who used to fondle
other peoples money at the Columbia
National Bank in Washington before he
heard the call OF the wild and Joined
noncombatant army, has the distinction
of having corralled the first tarantula.
Sauter flushed" him at breakfast the
other morning-a big. hairy, unpleasant
looking old pirate with a choleric temper
and allowed he was going to keep him
IS pet. Sergt. Ray came along about
that time, and when he got through with
dIlSy 3 pet, lIe wasn't even
for an undertaken.
Climate Gives Trouble.
Corp. Lowell Squier is the first man to
go on the sick list, though others are
having trouble getting acclimated. Squier
went to the hospital this afternoon.
Monday, October 16, 1916.
Base Hospital.
Got just that far when I was ordered
to the hospital myself, and this is the
first opportunity I have had to finish this
chapter. Came in such a hurry-one hur-
ries in the army at times-that didn't
bring my writing kit with me, and this
letter remained unfinished until Jimmy
Nolan came today
"Bilr' Squier left yesterday and I will
be returned to duty tomorrow.
Just received first reports about our
new mounts" which were picked out
seventy-five from a herd of 2,OOo-the day
came down here. Well, sir, 1t was some
circus. Most of the horses never had
anything on them but their hair, and
from their first actions few of them
wanted anything else. And they didn't
look like the well-groomed, sensible
mounts we left at Fort Myer And /
know one of them that won't be as we'll
groomed around his legs unless have
some assistance. Sergt. Ken" Cugle