Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 86, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 July 1906 — The Soldiers Were Here. [ARTICLE]

The Soldiers Were Here.

Arrived At Noon Monday, For An All Night’s Stay. The eight companies of the 27th U. S. infantry from Fort Sheridan, 111., and two companies of the 4th regiment from Fort Brady, Mich., now on a 237 mile march to their summers practice camp at Fort Benjamin Harrison, went into camp Saturday afternoon just a mile north of Fair Oaks, on the Otis ranch, and where they remained until Monday morning, when they took up their line of March for Rensselaer, their next camping place. The plaee they camped in north of Fair Oaks did not seem to be a ver£ favorable place for so long a’Stay, especially over so hot a day as Sunday. It was a level pastuie field of considerable size, and pretty well surrounded and shut in by-sand ridges which cut off what little breeze there was. There was no shade in the level field but the neighboring sand ridges were sufficiently well wooded to give them fair resting places. For their water supply they depended on the big stock wells at the ranch, and as the wind seemed to be taking a day off, a traction enfiine was commandered to do the - ■ .■..-ttt——,

Their regular order of marching is to get up about 3:30 and start about five o’clock, and complete their enthe day’s march by noon, when they go into camp until the next morning. 'After every hour of march they stop for 15 minutes to rest. Saturday they varied the regular order by a march of about seven miles to the Kankakee river, where they stopped about four or five hours, and had a big time swimming In the river, and then made another march of about nine

miles to their camping place. It was the first t'me so large a body of armed men ever camped or marched in Jasper county.

Sunday was spent mostly in resting and attending to the necessary camp duties. They also had religiious services, by a minister from Fair Oaks. In the afternoon and evening the regimental band gave the usual band concert.. A great many people from Fair Oaks and Rose Lawn visited the Sunday camp, and mslny also from the surrounding country, whole families driving in from miles around. Regular guard and picket duty is maintained, but no restrictions are placed in the way of the public visjting the camps. This is necessary, not only to keep the soldiers in practice but also to maintain erner and discipline. The troops are commanded by Col. J. M. Pilcher, a grizzled veteran of the Cuban and Philippine wars, the spn and grandson of soldiers and also the father of two soldiers, and the possible grandfather of still more soldiers. He is the most popular commander Fort Sheridan ever had, and his popularity includes both soldiers and civilians. He does not go in for frillsor red tape and is approachable and companionable with everyone and though a strict disciplinarian, where strictness is needed is very friendly with the common soldiers and always ready to listen to their complaints, and to remedy their grievances if he finds their com plaints just.

The first man of the army to arrive here was Capt. Darroch, the regimental quartermaster, who rode in ahead of the troops, to selecj a camping place, reaching here about ten o’clock. He was taken in charge by Dr. Washburn, who took him around to look at different possible .sites, in his automobile. As scon as he arrived, and a little before there was a general getting out of flags and bunting so that by the time the main body arrived, the t<swu was decorated like a B ourth of July celebration. The place selected for a camp is the Misses Monnetts’ pastuie, just beyond the west end of Washington

street, wnicn struck Uapt. Danoch as about the best plaee they had found yet. It is also the best poesiblesite to accommodate our citizens, who of course wanted to see and hear" all they conld of the soldiers. The band concert thie evening will beat the court house. The city furnishes free water to the troops, by means of a few hundred feet of fire hose, connect. with ’a hydrant near the E. L. Hollingsworth residence.

There is of course no shade in the immediate camp ground, but Milroy park is close by and besides, the day being cool, not much shade was cared for except what the tents furnished. About 11:30 they reached Renselaer, and marched thronghr the center of town to their beautiful camping place, moving with the quick, swinging step which get* them over the ground at about fopr miles an hoar. The Colonel and his aids rode first and a little behind them came the soldiers in ranks of fonr. Behind tne soldiers came the ambulance wagons and then after a short interval, the wagon train, consisting of 14 large heavily loaded wagons, each drawn by four larget tat army mules. - •• '

•v . t Arriving at the camp each company was assigned to its place for its company street, and in a very short time, the little tents, of the men, one tent for two men, and each man carrying half of a tent, were set, the cooking outfits unloaded from the big wagons, and preparations for dinner under full headway.

A. constant stream of men carrying big buckets, walked to and from the place near the gate, where a big stieam |of our splendid city water .poured from the open end of a long fire hose. Also a constant stream of delivery wagons from town carried groceries, bread and meat, and vegtables for the soldiers dinners.

Large number of citizens, on foot and in vehicles, followed to the camp and were interested, and evidently welcome spectators to the camp-pitching and dinner cooking operations. There are right around 650 men in the force, counting the officers but not counting the teamsters and other pon fighting men. The soldiers are fine -manly looking chaps, and evidently are enjoying this peaceful hike through a friendly and hospitable region. iuard mount, always an interesting feature, is held at five P. M. and about six o’clock the band played. At eight o’clock, as a special recognition of Rensselaer’s hospitable reception, the regim cntal band gave a concert at the public square