The Dickinson press., 1916-08-12
COMPANY *" GETTING
ALONG FINE ON BORDER
Mercedes, Texas, August 5, 191

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The Press:
We have now been III camp a little
over a week, and have become some
what accustomed to the routine OF
new camp. The program for the
first four days of the week, Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday,
are the same. We get up each morn
ing at $50, have mess at 600 a. m.
| Those who are sick go to the hospital
in answer to sick call at $50 a. m.
| First call for drill comes at 6:35 a.
m. This is a practice march of ar
hours duration with the intention Of
hardening the men so that they will
be able to make the march with full
| equipment in heavy marching order.
ment to start with and both in
toned and efficient.
At 800 a. m the quarters are in
spectcd by the officers of the COM
pany. A two hour drill follows at
8:15 a. m. A school for the private
soldiers follows this drill at 1890 a.
M, and is of an hours duration.
The non-commission officers meet for
instruction under the company offic-
ers at 1, soon after dinner. The
school for the officers is held from
200 to 800 under the new inspector
and instructor assigned to this regi-
ment, Lieutenant King.
Shortly after 400 in the afternoon
we again assemble for an hour of
company drill. This is on the parade
grounds near the city, which was
cleared by the three battalions dur
ing one morning last week. Directly
upon our return we find mess await
ing us. After mess we stand retreat
and inspection unless we have battal-
ion or regimental parade. The
parade takes place on the first four
days of the week. The list Battalion
has it's parade on Monday, the End
Battalion on Tuesday and the 3rd
Battalion on Wednesday, while on
Thursday the entire regiment as
semble for parade. Guard mount
follows these parades. This COM
pletes the days schedule and unless
rain interiors, as it has several
times this week, we do not have much
time to waste-it's just n thing
right after another.
On Friday we have u big hike OF
the week, leaving camp at $40 a. m.
Ten miles is considered the average
march while later on we will push
the mark farther, making twelve and
fourteen. We return from these
hikes in time for dinner. The after
noon is spent by the company in
cleaning up. Everything receives it's
touching up for the big Saturday in
spection. The men wash and scrub
their clothes and leggings; clean their
guns and get their equipment in tip
top shape; police their tents and the
street Immediately in front of their
tents. 1t would have been a treat for
the home people to see what in
dustrious groups we have. The boys
have our street graded up in great
style, under the leadership of Sergt.
J. L. Monsoon. It has a fine rounding
crown in the center, gently sloping to
sloping bitches on either side. There
is a we'll packed walk along in front
of the squad tents. All officers have
given us the credit of having n Of
the best appearing streets. The boys
are planning on setting out shrub
berry in front of the tents, such as
banana trees, palm plants and various
other semi-tropical plants which are
growing e by. .
The boys r becoming proficient
in all lines. Today while the washing
stunt was in full swing several conf
cal incidents happened. George
Butler was certain that one could not
do a good job unless he had blueing
so he put in a pair of purple socks
to take the place Of the missing arti-
Gle. AS a result his clothes are of
various hues. James Soules was GER
tain that everything should be boiled.
So he placed everything in the boiler
and put it over the hot fire and would
have had the dirt we'll boiled in had mt
not been for some of the more ex-
perienced men happened along. 1t is
nearly dark and the boys are still
busy, having put in the entire after
noon. The house cleaning stunt is
now engaging their attention. The
street is filled with beds and other
household furniture (too numerous to
mention). They wish to have all the
dirty work finished tonight, so that
they can dust in the morning. Cap
tain Barker gives a reward to each
man in the squad having the cleanest
and best tent and pass the best all
round inspections. This is decided by
the major and was very close last
week. The squad with Stanley Grub
as corporal, won first place last week.
It will be a much closer contest this
week and will force the major to con-
slider the fine points. .
Our Texas friends, a battalion Of
the 3rd regiment, left the middle of
the week for Harrington, Texas,
where their regiment is assembled.
They were camped just across the
road north of us and were fine neigh
bors. Our boys mixed with them
freely and made many friends.
On account of the many showers
of the past week we have had no bat
talon parades. But on Thursday it
had cleared up sufficiently for the
weekly regimental parade. 1t was a
fine parade and showed that we could
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