Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1916-12-20
FROM THE BORDER.
Interesting Letter From El Paso
by Capt. Gaines, an Edge
field Son Who Made
Good.
Editor Edgefeld Advertiser:

Editor Edgefeld Advertiser:
Probably some of your readers
might>be interested in hearing how
the boys from South Carolina are
faring on the Border.
We haye been in this land of
horned toads, rattlesnakes, and
Mexicans since Aug. -, and we are
beginning to feel almost "climatiz.
ed" to it by now. 1t is really a
very fine country to live in. The
air is so dry that, though it does
turn hot and cold pretty suddenly,
one does not feel it like we at home
where the air is generally full of
moisture. The average gain in
weight in my company since we
have. been in Texas is about Is
pounds. have gained 10 pounds,
since came into the Federal Ser
vice at Styx in July. / suppose
part of it is due to the regular rou-
tine aud exercise that we are all
forced to take, for. whereas some
of Us used to get up at 8 or 9
O'Clock in time for breakfast, we
now get up at $50 for Reveille
followed by Is minutes Butts
Manual.
When we arrived in camp last
August, we were assigned to a camp
ing ground right opposite the Penn
sylvania Division north of Fort
Bliss and about Z miles north of
El Paso. We have been there ever
since with the exception of the two
weeks we spent on the hike. to
Las Cruces, N. M, a few days on
the target range at Dona Ana, N.
M, and the Border Patrol duty we
are on at present.
We spent so much time drilling
and everyone got so tired of it that
we were oveJoyed when we learned
thatwe wes to take our turn at
7:seiels Bof Patrol, The other
| day the Rio Grande rose SO much
that it completely surrounded one
Of our outguards, and it looked as
if the men were going to have to
wade out through the ice cold wa
ter. One Of the boys made the re-
mark, though, that he did not mind
that at all just so there wasn't any
Squads Right connected with it.
On December our regiment was
ordered to Border Patrol. My
company was ordered to Ceilings
| worth, little place about 5 miles
southeast of El Paso. We relieved
company c., 3rd. Ohio Infantry.
We found one of the prettiest little
camping places in Texas-a little
grove of cotton-w0pds about Is
miles from the Rio Grande. My
company has about miles cf river
front to guard. There are five fords
which Gan be crossed, and, since
our orders say that no one must
crossi in either direction, it takes a
squad of men constantly on duty at
each ford. Only a few people have
attempted to cross, and they prompt
ly turned back, for they were fired
upon in each instance by the men
on guard They do not fire TO hit
the first time, but they would do so
in case the party crossing continued
to advance.
The officers catch it just as hard
as one else. There are three in the
company and we take it turn about
as officer of the guard. The guard
is inspected three times a day, and
it amounts to q ride Of 80 or 35
miles. One inspection must be
made between midnight and day
break, 50 it does not feel so good to
get up at 3 a. M, to take ten mile
ride down the Rio Grande.
The Mexicans even on this side of
the river are certainly of low type.
A family of them will live in lit
tie mud thatch ed Pen" not over
10 feet square. They make their
houses by plating switches not over
3-4 of an inch in diameter together,
and then plasteriug mud over the
outside. The floors are of dirt, and
every thing in sight is In very un
sanitary condition. One generally
has to pass by on the windward side.
We don't know how long we are
to be mere, as Uncle Sam is as ST.
lent as the Sphinx" about anything
that even bears on the subject. We
are all willing to stay as long as
we are required, and there is not
much of the Il wantta go home'
talk in the South Carolina camp,
bnt o,,or1 NOW on1 thon ua- thh