Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-07-27
STUDENTS ON OUTPOST DUTY
Boys in Company c Relieve Reg.
ulars on the Border.
Would Like Some Cold Water and
Fresh Bread. hut Are Not Kick
ing about Things Tint Can
not he Helped.

The Free Press is in receipt Of the fol-
lowing letter from James A. keech of
Company c, list Vermont Infantry, written
July 10 at Camp Windmill. about IS miles
out of Eagle Pass, toward the gulf. and
Ave miles from the Rio Grande river:
I'VE of Company have been detailed
to do outpost duty along the border. The
first battalion of the regiment was picked
to relieve the regulars at various points.
d company left last Saturday and we left
Eagle Pass Sunday at loo n. m, They
used auto trucks to transport us and our
equipment. There were six of these Pack
ard three-ton trucks. They are powerful
machines and have been regularly adopt
ed by the United States government. We
reached Indio ranch at son y. NJ, where
the company was divided Captain Cootey
with Lieutenant Burraee and First Ser
geant Handy remained there, relieving
an equal number of regular soldiers, u
Company of the 3rd L. s. Infantry. I be-
lieve. The other half Of the company had
to remain there two nights waiting for
the roads to dry out so the trucks could
get through Tuesday morning at seven
o'clock we pulled out for Windmill ranch
1t is hard for one to realize the power
and ability Of these great grey trucks I'M
I'll one sees them in a tight place and
We met many Of those places. The nature
| of the soil In this country is such that
when mixed with water it forms very
| slippery mass and the numerous gullies
and small ravines which crossed the road
arter leaving lndio ranch were p'entifully
| fun Of this mud and the boys had to pile
| out each time to cut mesn,Iite and Law in
| me nuo so the wheels could nave some
tnins 10 TAKE hoin or we had NOT PAR
'Nle Oh motor 'rouoie IN the whole ~ odd
l''es VI oen Ioaos' AS we leit mao
rahcn II was IKE gong ou' of sisht or
lano III small noat' nothing 10 ne seen
'out mesquite nushes ana cactus piants'
no" ana lheh Jack-raoolt ana an occa-
Slonal rat Big nuzzards Occasionally
c'rcied around over the ROAD. we saw one
ueer' lne regulars say tha' oeer are
premium IN this par' or the country ana
nave never neen without fresn meat
| are no "h'te natives IN the sec
.""' only MeAican' ana very fe" OF 'hem.
Inc! cause no trouo'e ana are emPioFed
oh the ranch lhls ranch' ny the way
mas iroh'aee on 'h> Rio brande OF anout
80 mics no" lar iniand II reaches !
oon kho" out me "ho'e thing Is about
H'''"o acres. rack at lnolo they grow
Sors hui' ana kaIIlr corn ana MI enormous
cement siios Win tne stuf' inns sorghum
II sweet ike sugar cane ana is eaten by
inc MeN'cans great deal there are IL
oi these siios III slsht from lndlo ranch
eacn sao having capacity OF anout oN
'ons'
Inc po's received the goggles Satur-
oay ana Just In time Tor the trip. They
JUST HI the Dill Inc boys are we'll pleased
anu very srate1nl 70 the senders. The
greatest hardshlps that the boys have &c
eno"re are tne drlnKing OF warm water
ne'ng "ithout Ice and the lack OF bread
that Is not mouldy, But we are all vel
ana s'Hnd'hs up well unoer the intense
nea' OF the trop'cal sun.
nave just read the extract reprinted
N me free fres or July H. from the Eagle
ass II Is ABOUT as correct state
men. Oh 'hinss as can he maze, or COURSE
ever ''uF mas oiHereht OPINION anou
I,e h''usnip Oh camping IN 'he country
ne o'ie .n'ls we "ouin IKE most or al
".e."e' UT NOV 'h's IL the thlil'
'os' ,'eeueu Is inherent question We
''','''i'' u''oer LIEUT. - n ray
Gnu ''.'"e ""' oerseaht "unuer
800 a., "V' N'.A'Hs' we 'he infantry
az ."o h''eii'' guard ou'S ana IN
"eh u" ''e Pdtroiihg nj ais
"''u' ON '''''eH Twice oas' '"
' ".'e'e''"'"'" "' e''her sue OF 'h
amp INV ""''h we are 10 scralhpie "he'
"'' nus pace mas neVe
,,,r, '.u anu we 40 ro' expect 10 ne
"''e themselves paying
-. " lie" oach h"'noer
anu any o'her Pape
r,.,. ' '"ey napeph 10 nav
49," '',,,s "'''ie ~ 'ne ioiks ana sweet
'"1 io'u ana 'ne ZOO
az, 10y 'na' "'ahes us move nut no
VI MS loo' a niue rea
.I. 20 SOU
,b. ,ot. .h ~ 'ne rico fees
l ~. statement aoou
ar.,,,,,,.,,, mo oo pounds
= ,u 49,. ~ S'ns ~ aiouh
( =, ma" var res l oayohe''
y e'a''aru. 10 on
$ sao,, ""'.'' d u.s. naNe'
co.,, 49,. a,,o''' anu Nv
80 ''Iies' Ids one mrs
| a, ,.a ' "o,' io'' o"e sur
n ~" 'a"'o''erS OF eN.Ia am
= ~. e., s U.s. a =
n -, VI ',''ui''''o''' ~ rum"
S an" s"S
e 10 o'e 'n',,o' ia
y anu pms '''' vi
v .a, 10, anu oie eh'' e''.'''.
u '" '"'s 'o'"'" w