The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1916-07-20
BOYS ON THE BORDER
Third Regiment Encamped at Llano
Grande, Only Six Miles From
the Mexican Border.
The Boys Were Five Days On the
ROad-HandsOmely Treated at
San Antonio, Texas.

Llano Grande, Texas, July TO-
Well, we're here! Horse, foot, bag
gage, Company G and everything else
dumped in conglomerated heap on
part of Old Mexico-that is, Texas
now, but used to be Old Mexico. We
are located at Llano Grande, which
translated from the Mexican means "a
grand land and lots Of it," This is
taken from Quartermaster Hoffland-
er's official translation-we vouch for
it not.) Anyhow, there are lots Of
men in khaki here scattered around
like ants. This Llano Grande place is
on the Gulf Coast railroad, about IS
miles northwest of Brownsville and
about six miles from the border.
Maybe the censor won't let this by,
but We'll put it in anyhow so the
Princeton folks can find US if they
want to next Sunday.)
Leaving Fort Smelling at 1870 Mon
day afternoon, July 10, we reached
our final destination at 10 a. m. Satur-
day, July Is. It was long ride but
as far as we observed it was trip
that was thoroughly enjoyed by every
man in the company. The Chicago &
Great Western hauled our battalion to
Kansas City, which we reached about
z p. m. Tuesday. At p. m. we pulled
out over the Kansas City & Southern
and reached Texarcana Wednesday
about midnight. Up to this time Com
pany G's home had been in two N. P.
day coaches, but as these were modern
service cars, clean, we'll ventilated and
well equipped, and by little shifting
of the backs of seats and cushions
could be converted into a frst-class
| sleeping car, the boys Jared and slept
well.
At Texarcana, Texas, the company
was transferred to sleepers and fin
ished their journey in these cars, which
were very convenient and comfortable.
Company G Jared well. on this trip
compared with. what was handed to
some of the troops of other states
Told obsolete day coaches, dug up from
the railroad boneyard to help knock
off slice of Uncle Sans transporta-
ton mileage book
At Longview, Texas, the troop train
was held up for about eight hours
owing to a wreck along the line, and
this brought a small sized army to-
gether in the railroad yards at that
place. There were Wisconsin, New
York, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and
Minnesota troops all hung up together,
and they wasted no time in getting
acquainted and comparing notes.
The next stop was made at San An
tonic, Texas. Here the troops were
taken care Of by the Red Cross society
Of San Antonio aided by the boy
scouts. Each man was given a gen
erous slice of brick ice cream, figs and
peaches, and postal card to write
home on. This was the only city we
passed through where anything of this
nature was pulled off. In the other
places there were fruits, drinks etc.,
to be had-for consideration.
Saturday was taken up in making
camp, pitching tents and getting
things as comfortable as possible. A
continuation of this process is going
on this Sunday morning. 1t will take
considerable work to get the camp in
ship-shape as parts Of it are pretty
rough.
Saturday evening most of the COM
pany hiked to little lake about 21k
miles from camp and washed the dust
and dirt of a long five days trip from
their persons and clothing. It was a
pretty lake with good bathing facili-
ties and the boys enjoyed their plunge
as they had never done before. A
somewhat serious aspect was given to
this little trip when orders came along
that one squad would have to 90
armed and the men would have to
keep together. This hike brought us
21s miles closer to the border and
this is as near as we have been to
that much talked of "border". although
we have already seen all kinds and
descriptions of Mexicans in Texas. We
even have quite few of them work
ing around camp as teamsters and
laborers. g.E --f
All we'll and happy with Company
G so far
At San Antonio part of the com
pany paid visit to the historic old
Alamo and saw the place where David
Crockett, James, Bowie and the other
brave Americans with them gave up
their lives for the freedom of Texas,
and thereby made themselves inn
mortal MIKE.