The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1916-11-15
BOYS On Border
Take Long Hike
First Days March Ends in Furi-
Gus Storm but Hikers Hike
Just The Same
REAL SOLDIERS NOW
Absolutely Temperate Bunch
"See Snakes'-And Don't
Much Like The Sight
Somewhere Near
Ebenezer, Texas.
Wednesday night.


Wednesday night.
Dear Friend:
About 16 miles from home
tucked down here in field over
grown with rank grass on the
first lap of four days hike,
such as E would make in actual
campaign service, | am writing
you tonight by the dimmed Light
of the regulation lantern, slant
ed down here on my elbow IN
front of the regulation pup tent.
| have overloaded sentence to
tell you of our days work and
now I'll uncondense.
We left camp at 1870 this
morning, the entire brigade OF
Minnesota infantry in regular
column of squads formation, the
first. second and third regiments
in order, followed by the COM
bined trains of supply and bag
gage wagons-an impressive
length covering a mile and one
half A breeze patted us on the
back most of the way and to
our discomfort kept the dust
swirling through our ranks. we
rested after each SO minutes
marching and by regulations we
were shunted to the right side
of the road always when we
halted. in splendid position to
get the dust clouds in broad
sides in. our faces. The fellows
attempting to eat their lunches
Of ham sandwiches, carried from
home in haversacks, had the
good fortune at each mouthtul
to get a delicious spread of gran
Mated road. Maybe we needed
the added grit in our systems.
We arrived at a large open
stretch about one o'clock, with
orr spirits rather unsweetened
because an expected mile from
q certain corner to our place OF
encampment for tonight, bulged
into a painful two miles. "A little
de1av in lining up the camp
streets and we had pitched our
pup tents and by four O'CLOCK
had chucked away our noon DAY
mess. ,.,,
There was very little confu-
sion for the first day out about
unloading baggage and obtain
ing water and providing proven
der. For water details made re-
ouisition on nearby irrigation
canals and our water boys, with
accompanying tubes of chlori-
matted lime soon made the green
ish fluid serviceably pure and
useable. Some fellows, over
hungry, swarmed to a nearby
ranch house where coffee AND
ginger snaps were obtainabie at
20 cents per ''hand out" one
of our baggage wagons brought
along canteen supplies and dld
thriving business in apples
cookies, sardines and candies.
This is our first real campaign
hike. We have virtually the
same equipment with which
Pershing's Infantry entered &C
tive service in Mexico. A sig
nal corps detachment is with us
and by means Of a field wireless
outfit is giving us occasional re-
norts of election results.
Our pup tents are mighty
handy though crampy shelters
for two fellows each. Their size
combined with their particular
brown color, makes them easily
concealable, at least in such 3
field as we are now in, in whlcf
the rank grass and weeds are
about waist high. l stood OF
the bank of an irrigation cana
about 300 yards from the enc
of the streets of tents and was
surprised to find that tents ant
vegetation blended so closely il
color, as to make the shelter
tents invisible.
All signs do not indicate
good nights sleep for many 0.
these soldiers. It is wonder
full night, full-mooned, as sup
pose It is up in Minnesota-th'
kind Of q night that makes ev
erybody forget sore feet ant
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