The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-07-08
VISITORS THRone CAMP.
PALMETTO REGIMENTS TAKE
DAY OFF AND HOLD AN ENOR.
NOUS "AT HOME.
Band Concerts Enjoyed as Part OF
Sunday Charleston Dragons
Served With New Regulation Army
Rihes-News Notes Of Camp.

lamp Mooie, olyx, sunday, July z.
The three thousand officers and
men of the two regiments of the
South Carolina National Guard gath
cred here took a day Off from strenu-
Gus preparation for service on the bor-
der, and held an enormous "at home"
for almost five thousand people from
all over the State. An unending stream
OF automg labeled with numbers
from evY unity in the State. and
all spill} q /er with occupants. chug-
ged inf 8 mp from early morning
until = hfter taps had sounded. The
visit9 Fonged up and down the
new : (pany streets, white dresses
fuf > 1 with the regimental and
c9 . ay flags and pennants, and few
Y encamp were not curiously in
$ ed from ridge pole to tent peg by
jebody from home. Except for re-
Ions services this morning and two
and concerts this afternoon, the
day was one of inactivity. at,
A dusty sentry. with a gun and
serviceable looking bayonet on the
business end patrolling the opening
into the camp road, was the first in
timation visitors got as they arrived
today that they were in the neighbor-
hood Of two South Carolina regiments
preparing for actual war. Sentries got
thicker with the dust as they neared
camp, and soldiers swarmed all over
the road and through the woods as
they got still nearer. Few cars got
far before they were festooned along
the running back with sons. fathers
and brothers. in uniform. and not
many stopped before tent entrances
without basket, a redolent box, or a
hamper appearing with yells from the
tonneau. Il
The appearance OF the camp site
,haa been 1EaRdes6lalas iaasIE -
the dusty blistering day alrf61t tk5
weeks ago. when the lst regiment ar
rived. 1t is spread now over a con-
siderable area and the view from the
top OF the hill near headquarters pre-.
sents q tented panorama that looks
like the rendezvous of an army fit to
subdue Mexico without hard breath
ing, in contrast with sandy clearing,
populated by few struggling soldiers,
1t was ten days ago. Stumps, grass,
underbrush and trash have disappear
ed from the streets; kitchens. of new
yellow. unpainted pine boards, rear
themselves up over the rows of tents:
barns. booths and bath houses COM
bine to make the little city look per-
manent and solid.
Coupled with the change in the ap-
pearance of the camp has been the
change in the appearance of the men.
The sun is persistent and unfailing at
StyX and most Of the men are sun
burned to the point Of disguise. The
sunburn varies from the first pinkish
blush on the white arm OF the newly
arrived rookie" to the dull brown of
an old pipe well burned on the face
and forearms of the veterans. Several
companies are all broken out with
mustache; sideburns and goatees have
few devotees. Another curiosity in
the appearance Of the men is the
number of wrist watches worn. These
dainty feminine ornaments have been
found very convenient in the rough
and tumble Of camp life and have a
growing popularity, especially among
officers.