The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-09-25
keokuk Boy With Forty-first Infantry
at Fort Smelling, Has In
teresting Story to
Tell.
OUTLINES DAILY LIFE
Men Are Given Best of Care and
Training and Are in Finest
Shape From all of
This Drilling.

Charles F. Buss, Jr., who is with
the Forty-first infantry at Fort Smell
ing has written letter to The Gate
City in which he outlines a regulars
busy day at Fort Smelling. Here IS
his letter:
Dear friends in Keokuk: AS keo-
kuk gave sons to every branch OF
Uncle Sans service and Gate CITY
readers have heard from nearly all
the training camps in the country, the
writer will say little regarding Uncle
Sans right hand. the United States
regular army Although over two
thirds OF the Forty-tlrst infantry nave
had less than three months service, IL
is the leading regiment of the brigade.
AS was said before in The Gate City
the Forty-first infantry won the prize
as the best drilled regiment In the
big parade at the Minnesota state
fair, receiving as a prize two bear
cubs. There seems to have been some
unsettled opinion as to which com
pany OF the twelve in the regiment IS
best, Of course the writer is proud to
assert that his company I'D" is, as 1t
is envied by all other companies in
the outfit and when the draftmen pa
rade committee decide to have COM
pany of soldiers escort them to the
train, D company Of the Forty-nrst
was picked out from all of the First
Minnesota national guard, the 36th,
10th and 41st U. S. infantries; if that
isn't credit in the first degree. the
United States isn't at war. SO | Will
give here the daily program of the
ranking company of the brigade
There is no having to be called a
dozen times and get UP about time to
be late for work At $50 a. m. out
comes First CALI clear and distinct
on this Minnesota air, and the COOKS
or anyone up will yell, roll over" and
oh, to get up and dress in these cold
foggy September Morns" in Mime
sofa and outside for revei1le and roll
call Then every one is busy making
I'D their beds and washing up. At
a. m. goes mess call, at which the
cooks yell come and get 1T" and they
all act as though that was their first
meal No one can kick on the CHOW
as it is Of the very best and plenty or
lit. Then between breakfast and
o'clock we clean up around the can.
torment and company street. At a.
m. goes first drill and from 7 till 7:50
Is the calisthenics, double time around
the parade grounds and the jumping
trenches and hurdles. A rest Of ten
minutes, during which there Is inspec-
ton of quarters At s a. m. we fall out
under arms for close order drill or
school squad and manual of arms.
ten minute rest and from till 9:50
is close order drill Of school Of the
company and platoon drill. Rest ten
more minutes and have. fifty minutes
of the instructions, care of, and firing
OF the rifle, practice aiming drills and
aiming and swapping. We never wor-
nv about wearing out the gun, the
more swapping the trigger the better
rifleman. This drill is the physical
side of firing and aiming. Our captain
puts special emphasis on teaching the
men to shoot straight as the late Cen
erals Kitchener and Roberts, the
greatest warriors of their times, said
that shooting straight counts far
above drilling. We then have chow at
1870 and rest till 2 p. M, in which
rest time any special fatigue Is done
and the camp policed up again. From
. till 2: so is extended order drill,
skirmish formation and rushing, fir
ing, battle-sight and covering. From
3 till $50 Is again rifle instruction.
This drill is mainly the theo-
retical side and the 10 a. M, the physi
cal side. At both of these drills differ
ent platoons change on and off, doing
bayonet exercise which is not really
bayonet exercise, but bayonet combat,
also practice bomb and hand grenade
throwing. At p. m. is supper and at
5: 80 is retreat. 9 p. m. is tattoo,
lights out and II p. m. Is taps -
another dollar earned" OF course
we don't follow this program rigidly,
next week we go on the rifle range:
last week we dug trenches for r. O.
Il. c. sham battle.
Of course it is chilly up here, but
nevertheless all soldiers like FIT.
Smelling There were five regiments
there, the First Minnesota field artil-
lery: the seth. 10th and 41st U. S. in
fantries. and the Second reserve Off
GERS training camp.
The brigade Is in the cantonment
city of about 500 buildings of frame.
Each company has five buildings,
There are graded streets, street lights
and patrolmen just like a civilian city.
Soldiers like Fl Smelling, as they re-
ceive very good treatment by the
Twin Cities. On Saturday night and
after pay day the main streets are
! full of KID Some of the old heads
at soldering say that regulations at
FIT. Smelling are easier and better
| than at any other post. A word here
| to persons corresponding with SOL
diers: persons back home can't write
too often to soldiers, as nothing pleas
es him more than to get letter from
home, and the government takes the
best of care to see that each soldier
gets all his mail The war depart
ment is very precise on the physical
training, and it is made SO that the
smallest man, or the lightest can
/ handle his rifle and bayonet with
louickness or keenness to combat
with the $50 pound Dutchman. My
| T., Uo0lr,,l~ will nroh hIy 10