The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1916-07-06
MIKE WRITES AGAIN
Another Newsy and Interesting Letter
From Camp Bobleter, Fl. Smelling
Many Sunday Visitors.
Each Member of Company G Takes the
Federal Oath-Third Regiment Or .,
dered to Move Saturday.

The Union has wide-awake CORES
pondent with Co. G and he will keep
our readers informed of the doings OF
the Rum river valley company. Since
the following interesting letter was
written, orders have been received to
the effect that the Third regiment must
prepare to move next Saturday morn
ing:
Camp Bobleter, Fort Smelling, July
Observation-Disclosures being Sunday
was a big day in camp for the Co. G
boys. About forty people, most OF
whom were from Princeton, visited
the camp and took dinner with the
boys. They were supplied with the
regular army utensils and took their
places in the line to the cook shanty,
where they got their regular army
rations and ate them at the company
table. After dinner each visitor
washed up his own dishes and helped
put the camp in ship shape so the
medical inspector, who makes daily
tour of each street, had no fault to
find with the Princeton company. Fol-
lowing is the menu Of the Sunday din
ner as served by Cook Jones and his
staff: Chicken, mashed potatoes with
chicken gravy, bread and butter, coffee
or milk, dill pickles, ice cream, ba-
nanas, assorted cookies.
However, gentle reader, don't get
the erroneous idea that this is what
we get to eat every day, for it is not.
This Sunday dinner was in the nature
of a spread for the visitors from
home, and the extras were bought and
paid for out of the company fund or
were contributed by generous spirited
citizens of Princeton.
Practically each member of the
company has now completed the red
tape process that either leaves him
a member Of the federalized militia
of the United States or disqualifes
him for service. On the morning of
June 30th each and every member of
G company took his place in line and
with head uncovered and right hand
raised took the federal oath. The
night before the oath was administered
there was considerable argument in
camp about whether the boys would
take the oath or not. However, as
most of the difference of opinion arose
through a misunderstanding as to
what the new oath covered, the situa-
ton rapidly cleared when the terms
of the new contract were understood
by the men. About the only real
difference between the new contract
and the original one, is that the fed
eralized militia can be used across
the border whereas the national
guardsmen could not be taken any
farther than the boundary lines Of the
United States. The original term of
enlistment is not extended under the
new oath.
On the following day the boys got
their medical and physical examina-
ton, and it is a thorough and complete
going over of each man by trained
medical experts. Report has not been
returned SO the official fighting face
of G company is yet not ready for
publication. Unofficially it is learned
that about ten or twelve of the COM
pany will be disqualified and the Off
cial report will in all proba bility in
clude several others. Most of the COM
! panies in the 3rd regiment lost un-
officially from ten to fifteen percent of
their fighting strength.
Sunday afternoon the boys were all
vaccinated for small pox and now
they are all wondering how sore their
punctured arms are going to be with
in the three day period that the medi-
cal sharps give the dope time to work
in.
The camp is continually full Of
rumors as to when the 3rd regiment
will leave for the front, but the actual
facts are known only by very few
of the "higher-ups," as it appears to
be the policy of the war department
to keep all troop movements secret.
However, there is no doubt but what
the 3rd will be the first of the Mime
sofa infantry that will be taken to the
border. This will be for the reason
that today, taking all things into
consideration, the 3rd is the best fight
ing unit of infantry that Minnesota
can produce.
Following is the list of Sunday Wis
itors who called on Co. G.:
Frank Umbehocker, Robert Berg,
Fred Newton, Laura Newton, Mildred
Newton, Glen Newton, Martha Balch,
Edith Farley, o. B. Newton, Mrs. 0.