The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1918-06-05
REDWOOD FALLS MINNESOTA WEDNESDAY,
Story Of the Big Hike &
Camp Cody, N. M.

| VnCulO1idl udy"lG Is Ill GIl0 ARMY,
too, and all work except necessary
fatigue is suspended. Flgas are at
half mast. In accordance with the
presidents proclamation this divi-
sion is today by various ways giving
have already died in the service,
whether cover there" or in this
country.
Last Friday we returned from our
100-mile hike, and Camp Cody was
''Home Sweet Home" as it had never
been before. There was nothing IN
usual either except that we had ar
rived, for as we got into camp our
familiar dust storms arose to sweep
over US. That hike was the finest
and most interesting piece Of work
we've done yet. We were supposed
to make the round trip in nine days
with one day stopover, but on the
next to the last hitch, the field wire
less was set up while on the march
and our brigade commander obtained
permission from division headquar-
tiers to make up the extra day. ana
we plodded through to about twenty
miles by 4:30 in the afternoon be-
fore we pitched camp.
Our column with it's two regiments
of infantry, machine gun battalion
field hospital, signal corps and sup
ply trains stretched over several
miles and seemed particularly for
mldable as we snaked and crawled
over winding mountain roads where
from certain points we could see its
entire length. We left a camp in
the morning close to seven o'clock
and by noon or an hour afterward we
had usually arrived at the next stop.
The rate of mount had been deter
mined upon previously as about 10S
steps minute or 21a miles per hour.
The first hitch each morning was As
minutes with 15-minute rest and
thereafter we hiked SO minutes with
10-minute rest-always moving on
the even hour The 1850 rest Stopped
US until loo for lunch, carried along
on company ration carts.
Our hike, like other hikes, was
conducted strictly according to
Hoyle, Hoyle,> in this instance re-
ferring to field service regulations
and rules laid down by the COM
handing officer. One of the very first
rules forbids tagging or struggling.
Men must be kept closed to 40 inches
between ranks and cover in files with
the men ahead. Ambulances follow
each regiment to pick up the sick
and weary who fall by the wayside;
when a man drops out he must give
his pack and rifle to his squad, re-
port to the captain and obtain writ
ten pass to be admitted to the wag-
ons. At the first halt the medical
men may take up the pack and carry
it on the wagons, but it very obvious
that no squad will encourage any of
| its men to drop out. Sometimes, on
the other hand, rather severe and
compelling means will be taken by
the balance of the squad to keep the
men Flooding along. In few cases
a short ride in the ambulance may
sufficiently rest man to walk the
balance of the hike.
On rests troops clear the road and
always crowd to the right. No eat
ing is allowed en- route; one canteen
OF water is supposed to last the day
through and officers urge their men
not to drink on the first halt. The
man who controls his thirst and does
not drink swallow of water on the
hike usually comes through in better
fettle than the man who drains his
canteen. 1t is a ll-disciplined SOL
der who can go hike through in
THIS arid. dusty country and never
touch water. AS the man prefers
either a plug of "Star" or "Battle
OX," or like brands. or stick Of
"Yucatan" or "Beechnut" helps ire
mendously along the way.
AT every rest the ground must be
thoroughly policed before the march
IS resumed. Cigarette stubs. pack
ages, gum Wrappers everything,
must be buried, with particular at
tentlon to the refuse, from a road
side dinner. This matter of policing
is an art in itself, rigidly supervised
| by sanitary officers, and it is the
pride of any organization whether on
the march or in camp to leave with
the hating place cleaned to a fault
of all bits of rubbish.
Among other regulations were
those requiring shirt collars to be
buttoned and men to be shaved. For
three days of the hike we were al
lowed canteen service with milk, |
candies, fruit on sale, but this was
tabooed the balance of the time to |
give US a test of real campaign |
on army rations only
Arriving at the place designated |
for the camp, each company marches
to its line marked by a flag set by
a regimental staff officer. Dressing
on that line men move out at four
pace intervals and when the entire
line is halted each man fixes his bay
onet by his heel. throws his equip
ment in front and when the bayonet
line is Strengthened pitches his shell
ter tent with his "bunkie" with the
front center pole on the spot located
by the bayonet. Tents pitched, hunks
must be made, equipment packed
away inside the tent-and excepting
special details men are free. Even
before the tents are pitched three
details are necessary to look after
water, dig fire pits and sink holes.
A few days out and this problem of
making camp works out without con-
fusion.
Foot inspections are made as soon
as men can get enough water to clean
up. Men with blistered or scalded
feet are sent to the infirnoarv for