Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 78, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 December 1917 — CHRISTMAS AT CAMP TAYLOR [ARTICLE]

CHRISTMAS AT CAMP TAYLOR

Staff Correspondent of Indianapolis News Writes From Cantonment. Trains and street cars carried thousands of soldiers away 'from this camp today on Christmas leaves and passes. Ten per cent of the division received four-day leaves and every offiecr and man except those needed for special duty had

a pass good for the day. Friends and relatives of the soldiers not fortunate enough to obtain leaves for Christmas filled all the hotels in Louisville to overflowing. Tables for Christmas dinners had been engaged far in advance and late comers were forced to wait their turns.

Only a few lonesome guards were to be seen about the cantonment and their apparent hard luck will be compensated for later, as they will get furloughs before January 5. The big celebration at the camp took place Monday night, when Christmas trees were lighted in each company’s quarters and gifts were presented to each man by Louisville’s patriotic citizens. Many officers received remembrances from men and nearly every captain distributed cigars or cigarbts in his command. Several unit commanders followed the example set by Colonel Lincoln F. Kilbourne, commander of the 334th infantry, the Indianapolis organization, and gave liberty to guardhouse prisoners who had been imprisoned for minor offenses. The twenty-six Christmas trees in

quarters oif the 159th depot brigade bore the greatest number of gifts of any organization. There were presents for 1,9 76 men. Special attention was given the 45 th and 46th regular infantry regiments, as most of the regulars are far from their homes and others were expecting no packages from The Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois men in the national army were well cared for in the matter of Christmas boxes from home, the branch postoffice workers avered. A number of Louisville men aided in .the distribution of packages given by the Christmas Cheer club to soldiers. Women were not permitted to assist.

’Some features of the training schedule here will not be resumed until January 5, the date when the last of the Christmas furloughs will end and the strength of the division will be normal. It is expected by officers’ that the final increment of the drafted men Ifor the 84th division will be called to the camp about the middle of January. By that time the men in camp wil» be well trained and capable of aiding in the Instruction of recruits. New-ly-made officers are being broken into their new duties rapidly and will be ready for assignments to commands by the time the 14,000 outstanding draft men arrive.