Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 87, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 July 1906 — CAMP PITCHES DESERTED. [ARTICLE]

CAMP PITCHES DESERTED.

About four o’clock last Tuesday morning the soldiers in the camp across .the river, which has been named Gamp Pitcher, in honor of the valiant and geuial commander of the army, began to crawl ont of their big tents, if they were officers, and their little ones if they were privates, and to begin preparations for the day’s march. The soldiers -complained greatly, because ol the ■cold, the night being so cool that they-could not keep warm with their light blankets. Breakfast was soon cooked in their company stoves, the tents were pulled down, wagons loaded np, packs formed, •and at 10 minutes to six they took ■up their ma-rob, on the Remington Toad. They expected to reach Wolcott or -near there for the camp that night, aod Wednesday night to -camp at Monti cello. Their -route as previously laid down wak-to go through and camp at Menon, but the route was changed awl Monon cat clear out, in order to sget better roads.

Before Obey left every hole was filled up, and every hillock smoothed down, so that scarcely a noticeable evidence was leit -of their having camped in that place. The last job was to carefully repair the gap made in the fence to-drive ‘in, which was doEe under the supervision of Quartermaster Darroch, who then came over to the post office, and was thus the last man to leave, as he had been the first to arrive.

Officers and men were all well pleased with their treatment here as well as fully-satisfied with their camping place, and all hoped to come this way, aqd if possible to camp here over Sunday, on their way back next October. One of the acts done by our citizens, to show their friendly rfeeliug, was to chip in and buy cigaFS enough so t hat every soldier in the camp was .given one. In the evening some 25 or 30 -of our citizens gave a reception and dinner to all the commissioned officers, in the armory. It was a -very pleasant affair, and Col. Pitcher, Major SEmory and others made speechcsin response to toasts. The Col. is a bluff and hearty western man and friends to everybody-on sight. M^jor Emory also a very dine gentleman, was the only native Indianian among the commissioned officers. It is he, by the way, and uot-Col. Pitcher, who has two sons -who are soldiers, and one of them is a private in this command. The other is a lieutenant in another jqgiment. Among the officers here was Lieutenant Hobson, who is .a brother of Capt. Richmond P. Hobson, of Mecrimac fame, and now a member of congress from Alabama. The regimental band, and a very; fine one it is too, gave a concert in; ithe public square from six to eight, : after which the hand attended the j-eoeption in the Armory. The private soldiers had almost' .complete liberty while here and most of them were over town some time during the day, and especially in the evening. The conduct of practically all of them was all that could be desired, and they acted and talked like geutlemen, and were very genial and sociable. Quite a number, however, though very few as compared with the entire number, drank a good deal at the saloons, and a few were taken hack to camp by their comrades considerably intoxicated. Bo far as heard from, only one soldier was accused of actually rude and insuiting conduct towards citizens. This was supposed to have been the same late in the evening, was attacked and terribly beaten by one or more other soldiers at a point near the Washington street bridge. He was so badly hart that he was sent back to the hospital at*Fort Sheridan, on the train next morning, in charge of smother soldier. It ras difficult to learn the actua

facts regarding this affair, but ac cor ling to statements made by some of the other soldiers, the man who was beat up is a new man who had lately been in the English army, and that he was a very ngly customer who was making trouble • right along. The immediate cause of titrhlnrlast mgfrfe=wa& said to have been an insulting re mark he made to a young woman whom he passed on the walk. It is also said that he had previously made insulting demonstrations towards other women here. The man who beat him was said to have been a big sergeant of his own com pany. Unless his'eonduet then and before had been very flagrant, he was altogether too severely treated. His face was a mass of bruises, and one of his shoulders was broken.

Early a* the soldiers pulled out, there was quite a large crowd of townspeople on band to witness the interesting process of breaking camp and marching away. Everybody here is glad the soldiers came, and most everybody, was very much surprised to find what nice, intelligent men they are, from the colonel dear down the 1 line to the privates. The latter especially, were a surprise, as practically all of them are fine intelligent and self respecting young fellows, and evidently thorough bred Americans.