Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-07-06
CAMP LIFE WAS STRENUOUS"
Boston Members of Pittsburgh
Camp Glad When ii Was Done.
Many Lost Weight During Four Weeks
Rain Put nnmper on Tent Liv-
Ing While Rockies Were on
the March.

sunday night and turned into their Pull
mans on special train for Boston.
Seventy-five arrived on the boat reach
ing here at 7:10 and the rest about three
hours later They didn't roam about
town In quest of enjoyment: those Pull
man beds. efter week of slumber on
hard, brown earth were enjoyment
enough. They bundled into them as
soon as they found the station and for
got their blisters and stiff joints and
sunburn and the weather In a jiffy.
1t was an experience which most Of
them will not forget for the rest Of
their lives; but that isn't saying that
they didn't get some good out of it, 1t
was the so-called disbursements Camp"
composed for the most part OF clerks
and professional men, men who in
everyday life slept their fill and con-
stunned fare which appealed to their
Talates as we'll as their appetites. Some
of them lost as much as thirty pounds
during the term of service from June
to June 80, while others put on a lit
tie weight, one man adding ten pounds.
They didn't 90 far toward becoming
commissioned officers. but they lost the
edge OF their ignorance at least ana
became hardened as no vacation could
have hardened them. And from first to
last they became convinced that even
with the intensive, examining process
used it takes more than month to turn
out a worthy subject OF Uncle-Sam-at-
war, even though It If only a private
that IS to he manufactured, let alone an
officer. Some OF them didn't reach the
callous stage but remained blstered
foot thigh and arm. until the last
others survived it better, and few, a
very few, We're promoted to be corporals
and serscants and played officer for
few days.
This years lot Of men from the Bos-
Ton Vicinlty-Arington, Lynn, Cam
bridge. Brook!ne, etc.--numbered quite
a few more than last years. One man
put it as high as double the number,
but that is exaggerated. It was hard.
physical work from the time when they
arrived until they left Each man wa.
put through the manual of arms from
the very beginning and. although he
didn't do much long hiking until later,
marched and paraded in squad, platoon
and company at once. In camp 1t wasn't
so bad, although the hours We're rather
strenuous" Rookie rose at $50 n.
was all lost upon him; he breakfasted
half an hour later. but before he broke
his fast had to dress (ten minutes for
thaD. make his bed, clean up his tent
and ne inspected He was lined up and
answered personally to the roll call of
corporal or sergeant. Then followed
continuous program OF marching and ex
ercises in the manual of arms until
about II so when he sat down t. din
ner The afternoon work was about the
same, winding up with supper at $50.
The last meal of the day finished. there
was lecture from $40 to 700 after
which rookie might attend movies in
town, If he felt so disposed. but most
Of them preferred their tents
They We're given the keys Of tho town.
however. and Mr. Patrolman usually
looked the other way or absented him
self if. as often happened. a crowd OF
the men treated a show as If 1t was
their private property.
on a hike the hours were different.
Rising time was $50 instead Of $50 and
fast was broken an hour later after the
usual ceremony Of bed-making inspec-
ton and cleaning up. Dinner came
when the marchers reached the end OF
the first leg Of the hike. That might
be at l. m. or it might he at 100 p. m.
Supper was a $50 as in camp.
/ The knapsack weighed at least 37ia
pounds and usually ran UP to ~ or
over, This isn't allowing for the in
crease in weight Of that nine-pound gun
which was about twice as hefty at the
end Of the hike as at the start. Be
sides the gun We're the usual toilet
| aIticles-comb hair brush and tooth
brush at least-two towels. two pairs
hose, blanket. poncho and cooking
utensils The poncho Is a raincoat on
the march and sleeping bag when
rookie is safely ensconsed under his
! puppy tent for the night. A blanket
is stuffed inside it and that is his bed
ON warm night the humidity Is great,
naturally. for rookie sleeps in his
clothes The cooking outfit is unique.
1t consists of an oval plate with a
cover so that when it isn't a plate 1t is
receptacle for the other utensils. A
cup. knife, fork and spoon are the other
articles
The outfit of clothes actually required
comprises: Two pairs trousers, pair leg
Finss. pair hiking shoes. two flannel
shirts a blouse so-called which is real
| ly a coat, and a hat. To this list must
he added two or more pairs of hose,
sneakers and an extra pair Of shoes
All this Is the minimum
The maneuvers were conducted by
means of sham battles for the most
| part, Regulars would be matched against
rockies. Some of these regulars, by
the way didn't stand the work as we'll
as the green men.
At the camp the new arrival was put
! through a more minute physical exam
/ ination than the one at the point Of en-
| listment. He was also vaccinated fo-
typhoid and inspected for any ailments
which might interfere with the long
hikes which came later. Several men
were rejected because of such defects
J Rookie was hardened to long hikes
I first Of all by constant marching, then
by short hikes. A ten-mile hike pre-
coded the fifteen-mile one which oc-
cupied the last week. But the same
custom was adhered 70. OF allowing ten
minute rests after every fifty minutes
marching so the work wasn't as hard
as II sounds.
But the rain was the bother, And II
rained more the last week when the
men were on the long hike than It had
during any of the three weeks before
that, Sleeping on the bare ground
might have been all right II the ground
had been dry, But It was we'll soaked
most of the time and even blankets
didn't suffice to keep rookie altogether
comfortable
This isn't saving thnt the POstonians