Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-08-10

the cavalry including the iowa trOOpA&sW@
are stationed. Thomas Tate Of Otturnr
wa, who with thirteen others from this
city make up this city's contingent
in camp, has written very interesting
letter to The Courier which tells OF
camp life. The letter follows 8.
Donna. Texas,
August 5, 1916.
Editor Courier: 4
Pausing from our erstwhile strenu'N
GUS duties because Of steady down.
pour of rain, and having been deiegatss
ed by several Ottumwa young mens
members of the first squadron. first
Iowa cavalry, will try to describesa
If possible, in vague way our camp
site, camp life, and of our experiences
some of which may prove interesting
to the folks back home
The trip down was made without ac.Ss
cident or anything particularly excit.
ing with the exception Of our cook
cars catching fire twice and the loss 4
of the Iowa City engineers, mascot
a pretty collie dog, which meandered
away from the train In some small
Texas town. must mention, also, the
treatment received at Houston, Text
from the Young Mems Business league, ss
where we were given free baths, ienl-
onade, cake, postal cards and a royal
welcome. 1t was surely appreciatedA
and Houston will receive some genusE3
inc boosts when the troops. who wereS
fortunate enough to pass through their
city, return home.
Donna, Tex. where we are encamp
ed, is situated cross country aboufS
forty miles west of Brownsville. BY
rail it is possibly fifteen miles farther
The population, according to TexAl
business directory, is placed at ~ 300
Evidently mistake has been mAdNA
for, | imagine, there are scarcely 16N
people. the greater part Of whom AfN7
Mexicans, who claim Donna as their
abode.
While there are few beautifu2
fruit farms near here, the country i9&
typically border Texas cactus, SAGE
brush, sand and plenty of heat being
very much in evidence The land tAs4
also infested with tarantulas, snakeAs
scorpions, centipedes, locusts, nosquts
toes and gnats. The snats are particu4
larry offensive, not permitting one tl
eat, battle or sit still, their activitieS%
never ceasing from the first streak e.
dawn until the pitch blackness re-
lieves us from their swarming tOrtur93
Our camp site Is as nearly level a1&
could be imagined and is OF hard sun
baked clay and sand. ImmediateI&
upon our arrival 1t commenced rain
ing, never ceasing for nearly three
days and because of the hard surfaco
the water could not sink through at(l
would not drain off. Consequentlx
we were encamped in veritable he(
of mud. Now, however. we have a
entire cavalry camp well ditched an
today, as it rains, it is draining b.
nicely. The shortness OF the days am
the corresponding length OF nights
another striking change we Iowar1s af
becoming accustomed to- ~
We, with three batteries Of Lnt
isiana artillery, one troop of Louisiana
cavalry, two troops Of Oklahoma ca
airy and the second Texas infantry, a.
gether with the necessary hospital -
sanitary corps, are encamped In ton
near the Gulf Coast Lines railway
pot about four miles from the IN
Grande. The troops are assigned
turn TO duty along the border, q CO..
pany Of Texas infantry being on d1fl
there at this time. ss|
Since the arrival OF troops in Doni
business has grown by leaps A.
bounds. In fact. the merchants Az
to use their own expression, "reaptl
the biggest harvest ever experience
in the valley" At any rate the hQ
are spending their spare time aA
money. too purchasing the many
ticles SO necessary to army life.
The beautiful new school ho,i1
about which the cavalry Is encamp0
has been converted into hospital On
is in charge Of competent medical
f1cers. There Is an unusual search
Of sickness in the entire camp,
men, none OF whom are OttumwaA
being confined to the hospitals
There are at this time fourteen
tumwans who are members Of the hY
Iowa cavalry. Previous to the rAtu
of the band to Ottumwa there VA
forty-two. Speaking OF the band
, minds me Of the many remarks h6
every day, made by the Iowa troOre
wishing for "our band, The genes
opinion around camp seems to be tH
the band will soon follow us for
now have seven troops of cayaif
commanded by Major Howell.
Since we have been receiving a
new mounts, many have dismount
,, via the aerial route Lyle Hiatt
been the only Ottumwan to disnloNl
| ii this fashion. He took beautf
-, leap, too. Often we scare up, "a
! Courier in camp and 1t is perused w
closely. one by one, until the emit
! Ottumwa delegation has read It.
{, the way, you should see some Of
! a la Chaplin mustaches some Of
gang are wearing.
Following are the Ottumwa M
bers of the first Iowa cavalry: Lii
! H. S. Merrick, staff; Lieut., G. HI.
/ rell, troop B; Rev. ]. Rudkin. tr@
! A.; Harry Price, troop A; Lyle Hi1
troop A; c. w. Holiday, troop
! Thomas Spilman, troop "A; Thomas
! Tate, troop A; John Maring, troop
! Ralph Koontz, troop b; j. Dicker
| D..