SOME SUPERFICIAL GLANCES
A surprising feature of the camp was the ignorance of the regi
ments as regards each other's location. One of the Pennsylvania
brigades was situated at quite a distance from the main camp and
it seemed as though for a week no one could find it. If you
asked the guard at the canal bridge where the Bth, 13th or 14th
Penn'a were, he pointed with his bayonet over the hill and said
" Follow this road." After following the road for what seemed
an hour you gave up in disgust to turn into some regimental
camp for guidance. "Do you see that clump of tents away over
there by the woods?" your new mentor would say and then as
you dimly made them out against the green background, " Well
that's them Pennsylvania boys. I know because I was over there
last night." Then when you had fallen into a dozen ditches,
climbed all sorts of fences and hills you at last stumbled into your
Mecca to be met with " Naw, this is the First Rhode Island."
Then if you were wise and " knew your onion " you gave up in
disgust and waited for chance to let you stumble on what you
wanted.
The camp was at its best one day late in September. The
stranger within the gate that day wondered at the neatness of the
company streets and the spruce white-collaredness of the staff
officers. Away off yonder some band was thundering Sousa's
" Bride Elect," then there was a prolonged cheer. Soon in
another quarter a band started up " Hail to the Chief " and as
you stood wondering " what the dickens was going on over
there " there was a rattle of swords at the hill top, a mounted
soldier dashed / up with the clover leafed corps badge in his hand,
you saw with amazement the brilliantly uniformed staffs of the
corps and division commanders grouped around an open carriage
in which sat a sweetly smiling little lady in gray beside a black
coated, white vested gentleman who nodded pleasantly to you as
you stood huddled . against the fence to make room for the escort.
Then you comprehended the situation and, if you were a good
Republican, you went home happy in the thought that you had
looked into the eyes of the greatest American of his day—Williani
McKinley, President of the United States.