Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-09-18
A DAY AT CAMP DOUGLAS

81 tLC OtdtlO1l dl Z Al
the morning and it still being dark,
inquired which way to go to get to
the camping grounds. Was informed
that 1t was only little ways to go
by one OF the guardsmen but that !
had to wait until 5:45 a. M, until /
could get into the grounds; so | looked
around for restaurant to get an early
breakfast but every place around town
was still closed. So l went directly to
the entrance OF the grounds where the
guard told me / had to wait about
twenty minutes before I could get in ;
he had fire near the entrance with
one OF the guards sleeping on cot,
covered with blankets. After waiting
while we heard the bugle, and the
guard told me to go in. After walking
ways | came to another line of
guards and l inquired where to find
the Third Regiment; he pointed it
out TO me which looked to me like a
city OF tents only in square about
eighty rods away. l walked towards
IL; coming near was another line of
guards. l inquired where to find
Company G, and was informed to walk
straight ahead until came to the 9Th
row of tents from the first line. After
getting to the sixth line of tents
walked down the line of tents: the
boys were all busy just then rolling
up their blankets and preparing for
breakfast. All seemed to be busy as
bees and just as many of them going
TO tents and coming out, busy with
something. | met Captain Lucas half
way down the line of tents and asked
him where | could find my boys. He
said: We'll, don't you know your boys
any more? you walked just by them"
By that time they caught sight of me
and came toward me. They told me to
wait a little while that they would
soon have breakfast which they were
getting ready; rolling up their blank
cts, emptying their straw ticks, etc.
Soon orders were given to fall in for
breakfast, taking their full equipment
with them in line; ordered to stack
armies and lay down their packs, ETC.,
they then fell in single file for break
fast; each man had his plate, knife
and fork and cup of coffee, the bows
both came with their breakfast and
we sat down where l staid and ate.
Each man had two big slices of bread
with butter, plate of fried potatoes,
nash and two slices of bacon and a
big cup OF coffee; the bread was very
good, well baked, good butter and good
coffee. A number of the boys could
not eat all of the bread and took it
back as they are not allowed to throw
1T away; all waste is either burned or
burrowed. After breakfast the bows
cleaned thnir rnla foc
packed them up; then came the orders
10 take down their tents. 1 watched
the boys with the tent in front of me
not paying much attention to any
thing outside of that for about two
or three minutes; by that time the
tent was down and the boys were roll
ing it'up into a bundle and tightening
1t up, l thought l would look around
back OF me to see the other boys take
down their tents and to my SUNRISE
every tent was down; bundle of
canvas and a bundle of tent stakes
was all that could be seen in front
or each place where a tent had stood
before; all this happened in less time
than man could tell how it was done.
Eaeh company's tent outfit was carried
along side the road or drive way. the
ground was sleyeled where the tents
had stood, that is the trenches around
the tents, all the waste was picked
up and buried and by o'clock every
thlng was cleaned up, not even a match
or cigar stub could be. seen on the
ground. Then came the trucks or
drays taking the tents and equipment
to the first train, being the first divi-
sion OF the first train that pulled out.
Being pay day, commencing with
Company A, they lined up by twos
and went to get their pay; about every
twenty minutes company would line
up and go and others would come back
SO they were going and coming for
hours. In between time the first three
companies being the first to entrain
ate their luneh-the other three di-
visions doing the same in their order.
AT fifteen minutes before IL NJ. the
hrst division lined up four abreast
with band at the head, marched to
the train which had just backed in.
consisting OF II coaches, the center
coach being the commissary depart-
ment. Every coach appeared to be
new or just as good as new and all
ASO-NNN oAihO, tllio was True OI every
train of the four divisions: one seat
for every soldier so that two can ar
range to lie down. The trains left
about an hour apart so there was
something doing all the time as far
as the Third regiment was concerned.
During the forenoon / stood to one
side OF the company grounds of the
Third regiment and watched the bows
go through their various duties neces-
sary for entraining. l noticed that
Company G and F. seemed to go
through with the various movements
with the least efforts or most natural
way. | suppose this is due to the fact
that they have had more training or
being in service longer. When | saw
division after division march by where
stood, all young men in the prime of
life, l felt sad and yet proud and glad
that l. am an American citizen and
without boasting or Dragging, in anoth-
er year the United States will have
an army OF a million or two of the best
fed, best paid, best cared for. best
equipped and the best soldiers that the
sun ever shone upon. May God grant
that peace may soon be restored for
the sacrifice, il the war has to be
fought to finish, will be too great
W. j. KREGEL.