Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-08-15
B|NKS TELLS Of
Fl. BROWN REVIEW
IN LETTER TO FRIEND, THE COR.
PoRAL RELATES MUCH OF
CAMP ACTIVITIES.

! Corp. Phil Binks. erstwhile Courier
special representative in the guards
mems camp at Brownsville, whose
work in that line was curtailed by the
order forbidding correspondents in the
guard to write for newspapers, has
kept his friends and fellow employees
of The Courier informed on the daily
happenings in camp by private letter.
The last of these to be received by a
member of The Courier force, Is pub
lished as follows:
Brownsville, Tex, Aug. 8
Will continue my notes on the do
ings in the Third Iowa infantry, Vic
toria Heights, Brownsville, Texas.
On Saturday all the infantry troops
and machine gun companies stationed
near Brownsville passed in review be-
fore Gen. Parker There were two
regiments of regulars, the fourth and
thirty-seventh infantry stationed at FIT.
Brown; first, second and third Iowa
| infantry and the first and second Vir-
ginia infantry. The troops assembled
on the drill grounds of FIT. Brown
promptly at $3.50 o'clock. This event
| proved very interesting to the boys,
there being $4,000 men on the grounds.
| The Iowa boys showed up very we'll in
this maneuver.
The members of the Iowa brigade
have made very good impression on
the citizens of Brownsville and are
treated with the greatest of respect
whenever they pay the city a visit.
The newspapers of the city have only
the best of words to speak for the
boys from Iowa. They often remark
of the physical condition Of the boys
from the Hawkeye state. One old man
said, as we were marching by: What
do they feed you fellows at home, any
way?"
We have with us at present a reg
ular army sergeant, who Is aiding us
in the military drills. The boys are
progressing rapidly under the regular
army instructors and will soon be In
the best of condition Our drills are
not as lengthy as they were at Camp
Dodge; but are much better and the
discipline very good. We have an
hours hike from 655 to 1855 and then
a short rest. At 500 we go on the |
field for two hours drill and then a
short rest before privates' school, !
which lasts an hour. The privates are |
then off duty until four o'clock in the
afternoon when they drill for one hour
more. The nOn-com school Is held |
from 1 to o'clock under the super
vision Of Captain Field of the thirty
sixth U. S. l. Captain Field also has
charge of the commissioned officers
school which is held from 2 to
o'clock
There are cots, board floors and new
square tents on the way to the Iowa
briagde; which will help much to !,
make the camp more comfortable.
This will make us as we'll equipped as
the regular army.
Our bath houses are now in good
running order, WHICH of course pro-
vides one of the most important camp
sanitations. There was an inspection
Of the boys feet yesterday by the
army foot specialist All who did not
meet the requirements will have spe-
cial attention given them.
Co. H had the misfortune to lose one
Of their comrades yesterday. Private
Frank Small Of Oskaloosa. The COM
pany accompanied the remains to tho
depot. He died shortly after an oper-
alton for appendicitis
The boys are giving an old fashion
ed square dance In the company street
tonight. The sound Of "Ea glebeak"
Owens voice makes 1t resemble a
Rabbit Rum dance.
Musician Canterbury thinks our
water supply should be 'fertilized' ow-
ing to the fact that it contains much
sand from the bottom of the Rio
Irande.
The water supply at our camp has .
been tied up for few days because !
If the high water from the river, ,
which overlooked and damaged the .
water mains.
ion and appear to be more contented !
oe in good spirits and hold their even !
larp and mandolin.
The company baseball team is prac- l
icing up for some games with the die {
erent commands Of the regiment t
which have some very good teams {
ined up.
This Is what we had for supper:
mashed potatoes and gravy, beef, {
coffee and bread and butter. {
We have the promise of ham and I
Eggs for breakfast in the morning. t
We are all planning on going to bed t
Early and prepare to welcome the '
east. I
l don't believe anything could make {
/ prettier picture than our camp on {
night with the small mes I
lutte trees and the boys gathered to-
yether singing old time melodies. /
There is a cool breeze from the gulf
Ind a good nights sleep is assured at
:er our days work. 1t would be
pleasure for anyone back home to see
Ind TO know the difference in the spirit
If the boys.
MIL I'M "A OEEIEED0