Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1916-08-04
EAGLE PASS Tevns

The LIST Vermont is the luckiest reg
iment on the border, for several reasons.
One is that we have two of Vermont s
best men with us in the persons of Col.
Reeves and Chaplain Thomas, our COM
mander of the regiment and president
of Norwich university, the other chap
lain of the regiment and president of
Middlebury college. War or even the
conditions we are under here is man s
game, and in this sort of men no state
can do better. The colonel is very
capable military man, very quiet and
reserved, to outward appearances, but
has excellent control and every day the
men are backing him fully. Chaplain
Thomas is one of the old yankee type,
who has given up life in the Green
mountains and come down here to cheer
up the men. He is fine entertainer
and mixes with the boys. One of his
best friends is the missionary organ that
we received from Brattleboro. He has
access to it any time.
We have most sanitary camp. Ev-
eryone seems to realize just what it
means if he is not careful Disease is
our worst enemy, in fact So far as
can see and hear it is worse than the
helps terminate and spread disease, so
the best way is not to let it start. All
sickness thus far, except two or three
cases, has been caused by heat and is
nothing serious. After man gets back
from hard drill sometimes he "goes
under,' but with a day or two of rest
he is all right again. | think our regi-
ment has the lowest sick list.
High officials have commended this
regiment on its personnel. One would
think now that we were natives to see
us work around all through the day. We
have had typhoid and small pox in
incubation and are immune from "kick
ers,'' so we get along finely. Many a
Vermont house wife would look at our
kitchen and mess tent with jealous
eye. g.
Welcome Breeze from Gulf.
Our camp is situated in what was a
mesquite brush field near the railroad
and just at the outskirts of Eagle Pass.
The ground slopes gently to the east.
Just west is the Rio Grande, about half
a mile. North of us-well it s Texas,
that S all There is quite a steady
breeze from the southeast, evidently
from the Gulf, and that is a welcome
feature.
Our food is excellent. Cooks Gonyer
Lee and Heap deserve all credit for the
way they are preparing the mess for 9C
men-we have 10 men detailed from
Company d to feed. The commissary
department has not been 20 efficient as
now for years. The mess sergeants car
draw all they want and more. We have
steak, potatoes, tomatoes, beans, hash
prunes, oranges, coffee, tea, lemonade
ice water, besides fancy dishes of maca
roni, stews, ices and bread pudding, etc
The tentage was condemned many
years ago, but we had to put up will
it. We drew one of the new type pyra
midal wall tents, and more are on thu
way here to equip us complete. Thi
new tent is more roomy-and more near
ly water proof than the old ones. Their
are so many poisonous insects and ami
mails on the ground that our cots ar
very welcome. A soldier has all tn
clothes he needs, a good outdoor place
to sleep, plenty to eat and, if takel
sick, doctor $ care. He has work enough
for exercise, but is not driven to death
We have had many comforts from tn
good people of Brattleboro. The pay o
a soldier is small, though plenty TO
himself. Uncle Sam hires his soldiers
but cannot hire his family, so wit
all consideration and thanks on m,
part and many others in the company,
think the people at home would do wei
to consider what we have and look t.
the families at home dependent on tn
boys here who don 7 get actual cas-
enough to pay the board bills of thei
wives, to say nothing of a family o
youngsters; | am sure such actiO
would be appreciated by the maiorit
of the men here.
Yesterday | rode out to gather som