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Co. G, 31 Mich. Vol.

Co. G, 31 Mich. Vol. image Co. G, 31 Mich. Vol. image
Parent Issue
Day
3
Month
June
Year
1898
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

;kamauga Park, Camp Tho Ga., May 24.- (Special).- The first Sunday in camp has, closed and dar!; las settled down over the tented city. Jarly this morning inspection occurred. p before their quarters and were inspected by tho colonel. As he passed along the lines ie spoke a word of the men. i he pasesd down Company G's ine he stopped in fron,t of Serg ''s tent and said: "Now that is he model tent of the regiment " and to impress the rest of Company G with :he way it was arranged he ordered :he men to pass the tent. Tho other who occupy the tent are Coi-poral Tuttle, Privates Tuttle, Le Duc, hetterly and Preeman. During the rest of the day the boys L.pent the time as a general thing writng to their mothers, sweethearts and sisters. Today over 670 pieces of mail left our regiment's postoffice. For several days we have not been able to get any mail on account of a rush occasioned by so many troops coming into the camp at once. But now the and received on time. ANN ARBOR QUARTET SINGS. Under a giant oak just in front of the colonel's tent gathered a vast niraiber of the regiment tonight for a short song service. The boys in blue sat iid the tree like Indians around tlie camp-fire. Near the tree stooc Chaplain White, who has become so 10 the boys. The service was very ssive. These services are held i Sunday and are well attended. pany A furnlshed a quartet led bj Andrew Johnson, of the Ann i School of Music. When the chaplain announced the hymn, "America,'' tin vast congregation with' one accord sang the national anthem with a spirit that showed the sentiment of the assembled mul ti tude. The Thirty-first regiment is to hay a mail wagon. It will be fltted up in this marnier: The wagon will be covered and arranged along its sides and on the inside will be sacks, one for each company. The mail wagon will be run by a detail of two and the mail will be sorted on the way from the station, so that when the mail arrivés at camp it will be ready for distrióution. It is thought this inethod will be satlsfactory. The Times man will have charge of the mail wagon. Captain McKeand, of Company G, received by mail a very handsome pair of woolen slippers from Mrs. E. B. Pease, of Detroit, and she said she . I gladly make a pair for any one of the boys if they woull notify her of the fact. THEY FEAR A WATER FAMINE. Sotne apprehension is feit about the water supply. Unless it rainá soon a imine will qccur. There is some thonght of piping water from Chick&mauga creek, but. there is reason tu beiieve the water is not pare. Ií che camp is changed on account of an inadequate supply of water it will lably be changed to Tenressee. y an officer said to The Times: i tío question but that we shall .spend the winter in Cuba and cit our Christmas dinxier in Havana." It is the general opinión among those in authority to know that the Thirtyflrst regiment will be kept at Camp Thomas until fall and then sent to Cuba. The boys are very impatient, being anxious to move on the enemy. It will be welcome news to Michigan people to know that, since the Thirtyfirst has been in camp, not a boy has been drunk, not one has been engaged in any disorderly row and not one has been run into the guard house. The boys are acquitting themselves as men and soldiers and are a credit to their friends and the great state from whence they come. Little pamphlets have been prepared and distributed to the soldiers to teach them to ask questions in Spanish, so that when the boys go to Cuba they will be able to ask for water, bread etc., in Spanish. For instance, in asking for bread, you should says, "pahn;" for water, "ah-qua." The pamphlet is very practical and tlmely. THROAT TROUBLE IS PREVALENT. The question of the water supply is yet unsolved and is causing mucli, uneasiness in official circles here. The board of health has condemned the water from the Chickamauga river, and has declared that the bulk of the water consumed in camp is surface water. The doctors in our regiment have ordered all water consumed for drinking purposes to be boiled. The slight throat trouble whic-h is prevalent throughout camp is declared to be due to bad water, by Major Biddle, head surgeon. But Dr. Owen contradicts this opinión and lays the throat trouble to the sudden change from soft bread to "havd tack." Whatever the cause of the trouble, from now on every precaution will be taken to keep the boys in a healthy and active condition. Yesterday. Privates Campbell, Hudson, Ohurchill, Brooks, Gaffany, Garner, Bishop and Botsford went to Chattanooga and went up on Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. The boys report a good time. Those who are on guard can get a leave of absence on the following day to go where they please. This rule urges the boys to perform the routine work of the camp in a satisfactory marnier. It is amusing in the morning when "reveille" is sor.nded to see the boys fall into their clothes, and sometimes when the cali "fall in" is sounded the boys appear in line some completely dressed others just putting on their blouses, while some appear with one shoe off, hair tumbled, eyes not open and leggings not on. As a general thing-, however, quick response is given to the various routine call-s during the day. It is hard, says Winford Campbell, when I am writing a letter to my best girl to have that awful cali come, "Go to sleep; lights out." But Campbell always obeys. Today Capt. McKeand is offlcer of the day. Hew ill be on duty 33 hours, 24 riours for guard duty and 12 hours as olïcer of fatigue duty. His fatigue ■ is composed of the guard oC the p ous day, and its duty is to clean up and put in apple pie order the regimenfs juarters in general. In camp it is ixly known as "pólice duty." So far we have no regularly constituted hospital equipped by the government. However, let it be said to the the medical staff of the regirioni". tiint thrnnsrh their nprínna! ertions we of a well regulated and efficiënt hospital. The physicians r Biddle, Lieut. Owen and Colby, besMes men detailed from pany to tend the(sick and aid the hospital officials. Those members of the regiment who feel unwell anken by the Irst sergeant of their company to the lospital, whcre they are given mediTding to their siekne tt'ACK ir MENT. It is a r Tact throughout the entire camp that the Thirty-first is the , regiment here. The one anm atld e on the part of ol1 ' Hgiments is to reach the r. ihysicaJ and military standard of the nish, battalion. reg ;md roraany drilla one would almost im i battle were in progress. Firiu order, that is the troops 3ix feet apart, is l iced much. Drill occurs from 1 in the morning and from 4 to 5 il joon, thus the boys are not out in he heat of the san. The happiest man in camp i. Civk. He never geis ang a kind wi helping hand for any one of the b Today it. is over 100 in the shade and not a cloud to dim the brilliancy of the :,'ia sim. But the rii vre cool and it Is easler to sleep n Georgia than in Michigan. The postmaster at this place showed The Times reporter a fair specimen of the mail matter he has to decipher eaoh day. It was addressed to "Mr. Manager of War. Camp Thomas, of Chickamauga Park near Georgia," the postal read: "I have heard you hired mule drivers, I want a place, wrifp tii ttia at nnno " T"Viíí nii. .li.i not come from Michigan. However, friends of Corapany A and G will stil) insist on addressing letters to the boys without giving company or regimental Such utter carelessness causes the postoffice authorities untold trouble and often results in the mail going to the dead letter office. Tomorrow shoes, undershirts, rifles and a change of shirts will be issued the regiment. The shoes are heavy, but not clumsy. Today the colonel gave out the order thát every man shall have his hair cut in the regulation style to make the regiment unform, also that suspenderá must be discarded. Some of the boys object, but there is no use for Únele Sam sú orders and we must bey. .v notice is posted at Ly.tle that, if the troops stay here for three weeks more, excursions will be run Erom every state in the Union. This seems almost impossible as there are nu f.ieilities here for handling a cVowd. The boys, however, hope it ia true. At present Company i is enj the best of health and will be i when the cali comes to follow the colors into Cuba or any other land. Company A' -.vill nave a stunjiier house in the shape of a hexagon around a center pdle 18 f'eet h'gh. The structure will be made of cedar uil i a bamboo thatched roof. Inside with be three rustic chairs and around the center pole will be a table three feet wide, on which will be kept writing material, books, magazines and papers. Company A should be proud of the little structure. "BufE" Kirk has charge of the officers' quarters for Company (1 and nowhere on the streets can be fo-und tjuarters better taken care of. "Buff" also has charge of Major Kirk's tent. The major has an orderly every day. Captain MeKeand, Lieutenants Green and Warner pay the closest attention to the interests of their command. Major Kirk is a f a vori te with all the boys, especially with the Third battalion. When the regiment passed through Chattanooga on its way to Chickamauga David Brooks had his hair cut with the exception of a large lock just over the forehead. Yesterday he ha-ppened to pass the colonel's ten with his hat off. Col. Gardener called Davie up and asked him if he thought he looked better with his hair so cut. David said he didn't know. "Well," said the colonel in his decided manner, "if you get your hair cut again without an order from me you will get 36 hours in the guard house." The ooys now say its one on David. Clyde Dewitt and Joe Vokock representa Company G in the regime"tal band. They are in the lead. And Wajter Pierce is company bugler. The talent of Company G is always in demand. Dvvig-ht Watson as company clerk chronicles the doings and misdoings of Company G. "Fatty" Horseman has been appointed one of the assistant cooks by Captain McKeand. The Times reporter happened to remark to Chaplain White that it was too bad that the Thirty-second regiment should go to Cuba. before the Thirty-flrst. The chaplain, who is always loyal to his regiment, replied "TVelI, I don't know that I care. They will have to "wait until we come anywny." Samuel Stewart, of the U.-oï M., has been detailed' hospital cook. Clyde Pierce is working hard for a position as bugler. And there is a good chance for him. Winford Campbell, it is said, went for a walk last Sunday in company with Ike Kenney and in their wanderings chanced to meet a, wealthy gentleman driving through the ;;rk with his handsome young daugh,; eighteen summers. The result of thi 'i tal meeting was that the two 'boys In blue were invited to take a drive in the park, which they readily agreed to do. As Kenny was a blasón he entertained the old man, while Campbell eould do nothing alk to the girl. Well, to make a long story short, the outcome of the meeting is that Campbell visits regularly at the Southern mansion, ana he does not now care any more for Ann Arbor girls. Campbell does not eat hard tack and beans on Sundays either. Winford Campbell and The Times ■ter have been appoir ipectal corresponden ts of the Chattam nd they will be required to furnish dail ds of "special" ■ ning the Thirty-first Michigan. have been nlso asked to represent New York Journal for the entire f HILLÍMAN. ■;. Fred Creen is In sorrow. He has a pet rabbit, which he was much attached to. Some villains stole it last night. Pred vows vengeanee on the scaundrel who stole his pet. t'f" Kirk received word from Charles Chureh, at Ypsilanti, saying he had passed the army examination y to enlist. He asked "Buff" to use every effort to get him into the Thirty-iirst and, if possible, as a member of G Company. Chureh said he will pay his expenses to Chickamauga if he is lucky enough to be accepted. It is understood some one will be mustered into Company I to the place of the late Henry McGinnis. On his way to the station this mom ingThe Times reporter counted 123 : doublé teams drawing rations and supplies to camp. F mr wagons are nece-3sary to haul the shoes for the Thirtyfirst. Late yesterday afternoon Winford Campbell received several large pies. a basket of cherries and two dozen small cakes from seme one at Chattanooga. Today Campbell sent his laundry to the wash with the stipulation that he should have it for Sunday. This afternoon he obtained jeave of absence to go to Chattanooga'on Sunday. The boys ask him what the attraction is. Winford won't teil, but a little blrd whispers: "Jt is the southern heiress." ïke Kenny received by mail yesteri beautiful Cuban flag. Ike says he will carry it to Cuba with him. "Shorty" Freeman found a small cannon ball yesterday while wandering ugh the park. He will send it in v days to some "Miss" in Ypsilanti. Captain McKeand expresses his hearty thanks to Tho Times for the papers sent him. He hopes the kindness will be repeated. The boys all y reading The Times. First Sergeant Stoll has fitted up his tent with table, writing material, paper in fact, every thing to make a irtable office. "Andy," as the boys cali him. is a "hustler." Yesterday The Times was presented with a small bottle of "Sampson'a nade," and another bottle of "Dewey's drops." The stuff was warm and quite charaeteristic of its namesa! Hot soda biscuits were served as rations by our cooks, who cannot be excelled in the regiment, today for dineer. We have pork, beans, h co ff e e and tomatoes. The rations are plain but just the stuff for the men in this climate. HILLJH:;._ Chickamauga Park, Camp Thomas, May 27.- (Special).- All is hurry and ment in camp today. This morning the first división -passed in review ■ Inspector-General Breckenridge his afternoon the same officer will iet the regiment. The tents and streets throughout the regiment are in apple-pie order, everything is ready for inspection. This morning the gen■ ''M as the Michigan boys pássed him: "There goes a stalwart lot of They wöuld have made a far better showing had they been fully equipped. The rations issuetj from this time on be slightly chahged. Col. Gardner has been fortúnate in trading some of the bacon for fresh meat and the boys wil] now have fresh meat three or föur times a week. The change is acceptable to all. During the review this morning several men were overeóme with the heat but soon reeovered There are only inmates in the hospital at the :nt time and none of these cases in the least serious. Since i member of Company G in the hospital and npelled to tak? medicine. The climate seems to wiih the boys, they are rilling and are sun-burned to a finish. THE BOYS HAVE PETS. The fad to have some pet is spreading ihroughout the regiment. Stewart, hospital cook. has a pet chicken. rs have pet cats. owls, eagles, dogs even g-o so far as to tami ■ pet a snake. Anythiñg ivert the attention for a moment from the grind of army life. The boys are always anxious abaut oen Chaplain White givi the mail in the evening a vast crowd ■ongregate around him, each anxious to know if his father, mother or sweethèart has wr-itten to hii ■I to see the dejected look of disapument on the boys' faces, wiien they do not receive a letter. It shows the longing to hear from their homes loved ones so far away. Since arrival at camp Chaplain White has sent out 6,656 pieces of mail matter and the . outgoing mail is steadily increasing. who ncver ■ Vrote a letter before in their lives write now. Captain McKeand, being anxious to ire the besi cooks in the company has done good de 'íimenting, he feels satisfied. The 'any cooks are Evie Austin, liead cook, and Frank Shetterly, assistant The company baker is Al Bennett. These men are able to dish up anytliing desired. Yesterday the provost marshal or'.-nt teams not to be drivenftaster than a walk. Those men found driving their teams faster than alk will be arrested and punished. This order is to protect the government teams from abuses by green drivers. It would shock the good people of Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor to see how the mules are maltreated. Chaplain White received a beautiful box of carnations yesterday from Milikee. The flowers were as fresh hough just cut in a green-house. ANXIOUS FOR ACTION. As time draws slowly along, the boys become more and more anxious for a hand in the war. They fear they are taking a back seat in the great struggle. Late the other night a rumor passed through camp that the West Virginia regiments were ordered to the front at once. The report caused the wildest excitement in our regiment, and several of the boys declared they would get transferred if there was any truth in the report. Such incidents tend to show the intense desire on the part of our regiment to become an active factor in the humane war. HILLMAN.

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Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Democrat