The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1917-10-26
Friday. October 40. 1877.
A Letssr From Camp F.os.oo.

Camp Funston by Clifford /. Harter 70
his sister. Mrs. Ray Sommers.
Camp Funston, hans. Oct. 8. 1917
Dear Sister ana brolner:- -
viii try this evening to describe
army life TO you, beginning with the
arrival In camp OF The recruit.
Near the railroad station 10 q review
office with large sign In front: "in-
coming recruits report here. Eaen
county quota had y leader appointed BY
the local board who nAd charge OF the
entire body Ut men from ms county.
ne reports Mt this office and the men
are checked or counted AZ they pass
through an aisle just wide enough Tor
one man to pass.
Iney are lnen consigned to some reg
ImenL when IL not complete, and
divided up among the batteries of the
regiments, II 1t ID artillery, Or COM
paihes, IL 1t is infantry. (AsA am in the
artillery l can only Lell you OF Things
pertaining to aruiiery). The battery
officers tnen take charge OF the men
and they are issued underwear, hats,
shoes ana SUIT vi fatigue clothes,
which, commonly speaking, Ii q SUIT OF
Oversiis. They are then ordered 70
disroDe and take good cold shower
oath, after when they don their new
clothing and are not permitted 70 take
any Oh their civilian clothes inside the
barracks, but they can SEM them home
II they choose.
linen comes the physical examination,
when IL not as rigid az the local one.
Inc finger prints, color OF eyes and
mar, stature, puiid, complexion, ETC.,
are taken. Everyone passes. II they
are unilt tor soiaiers tney are used n
Table walters, pOrters, Oroerlies, etc.
Next the ryphus-Iypnoid enocula-
ton, which 10 hypo gwen Mt the point
VI the right shoulder blade. Three OF
these are given At intervals OF seven
or eight days. The smallpox VAGINA.
tion ID given ut the same time on the
left arm. This h given twice if the
rlrst does not take. II the second fails
TO take the treatment is not repeated.
have had the second and neither had
any effect, but both the smallpox and
the aforementioned treatment makes
some OF them very sick. Most of them
get their nrst ''shot in the shoulder"
and the smallpox treatment the first
day, and then the process of learning
70 Ne . soldier begins. fG
3 The first thing taught 10 called the
school OF the soldier" They are de-
tailed in squads and sections in, charge
Of an officer or nom commissioned otficer
who. instructs them lin the position of
attention, right and lett face, about
face, hand salute, right and lett step
backward and forward march, and
other movements too numerous to
mention and explain in q letter. When
they have learned this fairly well, they
are then instructed in .'the school OF
the squad, which, when fairly mast
cred will enable them to drill by squads,
sections. platoons. or in battery lorna
ton.
A squad consists of eight men, form-
ed usually in double rank, or four
abreast, the man on the extreme right
in the front rank is corporal, who is
in measure the officer in charge of
the squad. Two squads form a section,
which Is commanded by a section chief
-sergeant-whlch position l have the |
nonor OF holding. Have been acting as1
such for some two weeks or SO, out !
just got my appointment few days
ago. 10 ).
The sergeant stands or marches three
feet in advance OF the center of his |
section. Two sections form platoon
by q lieutenant. Four
platoons form battery commanded by |
the captain. Six batteries a regiment |
commanded by colonel. A brigade
consists of three regiments of light
artillery, one battery Of heavy artillery,
six companies of infantry, q head
quarters company, one hospital corps, |
one supply company and sanitary |
company, commanded by a brigadier
general.
can't tell you much about artillery
drill mounted, as we haven't had any
tning but dismounted drill as yet. We
haven't got our horses and guns,
Neither can describe the many move
ments executed by q dismounted bat
terry at drill, 1t would take several
tablets of paper to do SO. But will |
try to explain one of the most simple
ones. Imagine, if you can, a battery
of twos. The command squads
right" may be given, which is a pre-
paretory command. At the command
"march" each squad turns to the right |
at angle of ninety degrees, the corpo-
raj OF each squad acting as a fixed
pivot until the lett flank of the SQUAD
mas arrived abreast of him when thew
all step off together. You can see that
this movement would throw the bat
terry into an entirely different forma-
ton. into a column of squads, in fact.
with q marching front of only four
men, while in the other formation they
present front of sixty-four. This, as
as said, is just one Of the the most
simple movements. There are many
such movements, more or less compli-
Gated, and it is fine sight to watch
q battery Of kahki clad men execute
them.
The recruits are issued uniforms a.
soon as possible, and it keeps the sup
ply companies going some to equip
them with uniforms, blankets, cots,
etc. st s4
We are quartered in two-story frame
barracks, one battery to building.
The entire upper floor. which is all one !
big room. - used for hunks. The lower
floor has one squad room, kitchen. dim
We each have an individual mess kit |
which in 40 cOntrived that IL cay, ~ |