River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1921-08-11

| second prize in a contest conducted
for the River Falls Journal among
the boys of the 10Th Ammunition.
Train, the River Falls unit of the
Wisconsin National Guard, while at
Camp Douglas last week. The first
prize story, by Kendall Wentz, was
published last Thursday.)
The trip of the 10th Ammunition
Train to Camp Douglas was very
enjoyable one for all. Many of the
boys amused themselves playing
games and throwing water at each
other We left home at 7:05 in the
morning and arrived in MERRIAM Jet.
| in time for dinner. We had splen-
did dinner of sandwiches, oranges, ice
cream and cookies, which we owe
largely to those who donated to our
mess fund.-
| We reached Camp Douglas at 2.40.
| The boys showed good deal of pep
in pitching tents and making ready
| the camp, in which we are now living.
Our camp duties began Tuesday
morning when the bugler blew rev.
ellie. Many of the boys were up the
first morning before the bugler in
order to get an early start in making
hunks and dressing. They knew that
Top Sgt. Richards would be looking
for K. P's. among those who were
late. They have since however, be-
come little careless and were put to
raking leaves after drill hours.
Our days work was not at all tire
some, due to variation of work
throughout the day. At $50 we have
our morning meal, after which we
have an hour to do our chamber work
and police up our street. The batter
les were assembled at 1880 for ply
steal exercises. 1t is from this per-
| led Of the day that the boys get their
big chest expansion and many other
physical qualities that mark sol.
der. We were then given close or
der drill until $50. Next comes pis-
| tol drill for an hour. The rest of the
forenoon was spent in listening to
/ lectures on guns, ammunition and
man making. The afternoon was
Given to truck instruction of all kinds.
| Our company have been able through
| the efforts of Capt. Dawson, to secure
| five trucks to take home to drill with.
We finish our work at 4:30s Then
we clean up for retreat which is at
$50. We are then free until 1880
! after which we must put out our can
dies and resort to pleasant dreams.
The camp this year is very for
tunate in having two splendid bands
and very good Y. M. c. A.
/ The soldiers have been well taken
care of in the way of recreation by
] the Y. M. C. A. The program is made
up of boxing matches, stunts from the
] different companies, movies given by
the "Y" and some very good talks by
our regimental Chaplin.
1t is the custom Of our company to
give each man who has not served be-
fore a little initiation which makes
them full Pledged guardsmen. They
also have some real fun turning a
few sleepy boys out of their hunks
about 10 D. m. The only thing that
the boys can not find here for recrea-
ton is girls. There are comparatively
| few girls in town of five hundred
for four thousand soldiers.
| The benefits and joys that we gel
in camp life are very largely due tc
Captain Dawson with his words OF
kindness and encouragement tingee
with shade of effective discipline
that can never be over estimated ir
the building of our battery's morale
The reason that the other officers cal
us "the best drilled battery in the
whole darned outfit" is because oui
Lieutenants, Doolittle and White
headed by Capt. Dawson make up the
best corps of officers in the regiment
The non-comnissioned officers de
more than their share in holding ur
that spirit of cheerful obedience ir
our company. Other assets to oul
company are the high class of educat
ed men that make up our rank anC
file. Many of these men have put ii
hitch or two in the army before anc
know its ways. Last but not least We
like our mess this year. We thank
the mess Sgt, cooks, our dandy mess