Middletown transcript., 1916-07-15
With Ambulance Company Joins
Other Maryland Troops.
TROOP A SENT TO DEL RIO
Field Hospital There AIso-GeneraI
Gather Now In Charge OF
About Four Thousand
Troops
Troops.

once assumed command of Camp Orc
relieving Colonel Root, Thirtietl
United States Infantry. With Genera
Gather came the Fifth Infantry ans
Ambulance Company No. 1. Troop /
and Field Hospital No. 1 were sent t.
Del Rio, between Eagle Pass and E
Paso, by General Funston.
All the Maryland units assigned t.
Camp Ord are now under canvas anC
happy.
General Gather has approximately
1900 troops under him. They include
the Thirtieth United States Infantry
and the number may be increased as
organizations reach Eagle Pass. The
ambulance company was sent to Camp
Shafter, near Camp Ord, and is not
included in General Gathers troops.
First Maryland Largest.
The largest organization in Camp
Ord, the First Maryland, has 1880 en-
listed men and 81 officers. Colonel
Hinkley has 914 meE and SO officers
and Colonel Jones has 781 men and
81 officers. There are about 900 men
in the Thirtieth Infantry. General
Gather brought with him two horses
for his own use, one for Maj. E. A.
Robbins, Jr., adjutant Of the camp, and
one for Lieut.. ]. Clarence Lane, aide
on the Generals staff. E. Leslie Med
ford, chief clerk at brigade headquar-
ters, Baltimore, is with General
Gather. The headquarters are on a
hill Immediately to the rear of the
First Infantry and overlooking the Rio
Grande He has a beautiful view of
all the camps here, but is in the burn
ing sun, without the semblance of
shade.
First's Eyes On Mexico.
Some of those Mexicans had better
start something or the First Regi-
ment is apt to start it for them.
Colonel Little's men are beginning to
get restless under the monotony of
camp life. They are SO near to Mex
leo that it is hard for them not to skip
across the river and cry Viva Viii
son, viva Americana" and then swipe
the Mexicans a few. This is especial
ly the case since the Mexicanos seem
to be having such jubilant time of 1t
at night, while the Americans just
have to listen to them and grit their
teeth.
Everybody in the regiment is eager
to get on outpost duty. Those who
30 on such duty generally have some
thrills to tell about when they return.
Some ofsthe men hope that it will be
their luck when on duty to have the
MeXicans pull off a little disturbance.
General Gather complimented
Colonel Little on the excellent appear
ance of the men and the splendid way
his camp is being kept
Heat Knocks Out Some.
The Baltimoreans have not borne
up SO we'll under the heat. Several of
them were affected by the torridity
and had to be treated at the hospital.
None of the First has been treated,
though the day they arrived was the
hottest yet In fact the First men find
It cool here now.
That hospital tent, by the way, has
been put in fine shape. A pharmacy,
quite as nice in it's interior appearance
as any drug store at home, has been
fixed up by Sergeant Shaw and Private
Hines.
Lieutenant Colonel Adams was made
court-martial and surveyor. If things
continue as they are he will have lit
tie to do in the court-martial part
Becoming AccIimated.
The men are beginning to become
acclimated and hard duties are being
upon them. Both Companies
L and NJ had four-mile hikes. Like
the famous army of 100000 men, COM
manded by king, it was case of
up the hill and marching
down again. When they got to the
top of the hill were given a view of
Mexico Then they descended into
bhe valley, marched through the guIlies
and canyons, and then marched back
again, completing the eight miles in
less than three hours. All this after
they had long drill.
The coyotes are beginning to howl !
at night. At first they kept the men |
awake. One more bolder than the rest |
came sneaking into camp, right into |
the mess tent of Company K, and stole
some food The boys will get that
coyote yet.
Save clusters of mesquite trees
scarcely large enough to cover a burro
there is no shade in any part of the
Maryland or any other camp, for that
natter. The troops are in a great bar
-en waste with a series of cavern-like
assures five, and six feet deep and 10
'eet wide in places that make travel at
light dangerous. There are also many
leds of cactus, and a fine collection of
'attlers, horned toads, scorpions, cent?
,edes and other reptiles common to
his part of Texas. Warnings against
hem have been sent out by the sur
icons and company commanders.
Sandstorm Hits First.
The First Maryland Regiment en-
its first sandstorm. Papers
nd books were whirled around, some
# them flying for half-mile The mer
curried to their tents and closed
themselves in.
The First Regiment boys, who anti
ipated swimming in the Rio Grande,
we're disappointed by an order forbid
ing them to enter the river; so they
aust take to shower baths.
The people down here want inter