Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-11-07
TEST SKILL AS HORSEMEN
OUR SOLDIER BOYS IN THE TEX
AS TOWN
Interesting Letter from Otto Griffin
Our Rockford Soldiers
Buy Bonds

quarters Company, 128 Inf. ~ G.. :,
Waco, Texas. October 80
Editor Censor: Il seems that vi
qua people have not had much, if any.
information from the county volun-
teers in the south, especially the
Mounted Orderly section, which is
composed entirely of your own boys.
The Censor is a weekly enjoyment of
the Viroqua boys and is generally
pretty well worn out by the time It
has passed through every mans hands
The Orderlies were issued horses
about two weeks ago, the event the
new men have been looking forward
to since arriving at Camp Douglas in
May. Cur horses were brought di-
rectly from an army remount station
to us and each man received his pick
according to length of service. OF
tesOn, who does not claim to be much
of broncho buster, looked along the
line until he came upon docile, steady
looking animal and asked that the BOYS
please leave this horse for him. The
mount proved to suit Ernest's taste
after taking one hour and fifteen min
utes to ride him around the picket
line. GulbranGson had his horse spot
ed and done very we'll saddling, but
attempted to mount from the wrong
side. This being a new experience
for the animal, we soon found Martin
sprawled out in a cloud of dust. He
was then given tip to try the left
side in mounting and everything has
worked well since. Costing, who is
an old man at the business, drew
wild one, andafter being thrown sew
eral times, has given the steed up as
an outlaw, but still insists he is a
good horse if he could only be ridden.
Older, our comedian, Immediately af-
ter riding his mount, named him Dy-
Mantle, exclaiming that he was little,
but oh my. Abbey, who is one of
tho large men, picked large horse,
and with the animals size came bites,
strikes, kicks and all vicousness
which the horse family possess A
report was soon passed through the
regiment that horse was at the pick
ct line which could not be ridden. Very
soon we were overloaded with men to
ride this horse, but after two or three
of the bravest had made an attempt
to get somewhere near the animal the
rest left saying they would be back
after dinner, if they were not busy,
but all have been busy so far. Abbey
has been the only man to mount the
steed at all and fingered there ouly
few seconds. The result of all this
is that the horse has had everything
his own way as yet and will perhaps
continue so. Stable Sergeant WEIGH
is in charge of feeding and grooming
at the stables, which were built the
last week, and carries out his duties
TO perfection seeing that each man
feeds the right amount at the right
time, waters at the proper hour, and
when the mounts are brought from
drill, which we have every forenoon,
he is there to see that each animal is
groomed thirty minutes, going by
schedule which calls for so many min
utes on each part of the body. Fifty
per cent of our horses were infected
with distemper, but are getting better
with the extra care given them. Ser
geant Major Tuhus had the misfor-
tune to lose his animal from this dis
ease. and after the death Ole said he
didn't think it would seem very long
time if Uncle Sam never issued him
another. The sergeant says he has
enough to worry him without having
sick horse on his hands.
Leaving the horses it may be inter
esting to know that every man in the
Orderly section is able to use the sig
nal flags, both semaphore and wig
wag. This signal work is one of the
most difficult and important tasks of
all army training and the Orderlies
can we'll be praised of their efficiency
in this line Ir the near future we
are to take up zap drawing and pa
Nrol1sr1rr trhfah NO nfhoV dtrfTac of thIc
section. The HEADQUARTERS company
will consist of 294 men when fully or
ganized, and will be composed of the
platoon, Engineer platoon, Sappers
and Bombers platoon and the one
FOUNDER cannon platoon. Although
will have entirely different duties to
perform.
AS near as / can find out, Camp
Macarthur covers 10000 acres and has
10000 soldiers. The camp has a rifle
range, swimming pool, hospitals, Y.
NJ. c. A., heated bath houses and all
accommodations that any camp so
quickly built up as this one has Eeen.
can afford. We have sidewalks, floors,
stoves and electric lights los or
tents, WHICH all serve 70 iudhe sur
roundings homelike.
There has been some opinion that
the National Guard, or volunteers,
are not getting the best of the deal
so far. Perhaps this is true, but |
am positive that no soldier who has
seen border service or soldier who has
volunteered since the call of the pres
ident, March 26, would like to be get
ting the cream and have our com
rades, the drafted, getting skim milk.
Do not think, friends, and when l am
writing this l am writing the thoughts
of men | am in touch with, that we
want to wear overcoats and they go
without; that we want to be housed
and they live in tents, for it is our
opinion that the drafted men are not
able to endure the few hardships that
they have not experienced so far. We
have been in the war game long
enough to understand and appreciate
what we are getting. A year ago
there was a great deal of kicking,
wanting to go home. ETC. This year
it is different, and every man knows
that he has an important part to play
and that he must do it well. Let the
drafted men take the easy end now,
for they are going to be put in the
collar in the near future with older
men, and when that happens they will
be taking the short end.
Hoping the latter part of my letter
is taken by the right meaning and
that all of Virooua'S boys may come
home again with honors.