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Personal News Items of Camp Hancock Units
ONE HUNDRED AND NINTH
FIELD ARTILLERY.
The One Hundred and Ninth Field
Artillery (formerly Third Pennsylvania
Field Artillery), is row becoming ac
customed to its new home in Augusta,
and although conditions are vastly dif
ferent from what they were on the
border, the men are rapidly acclimat
ing themselves. When the regiment
arrived on August 11 they faced the
discouraging situation of finding their
camp site covered with scrub oak,
small trees and bushes, but as soon as
the men got the spirit of things all
discomforts seemed to vanish. By hard
work they soon had the camp in fine
shape and now it cannot be equalled at
any place in the United States. They
found the people of Augusta hospitable
as a whole and many a fine meas has
been spread tot he soldiers by the
kind people of the town.
With the intensive drill schedule now
being followed the boys have very lit
tle time for recreation, but in the early
evening, after mess, they can be seen
playing football, baseball and other
games which help to relieve the mo
notony of camp life. The afternoon
calisthenics also help to vary the pro
gram and work is greatly enjoyed by
the men, as it takes their mind off the
grim business of war, with its conse
quent drill, drill and drill.
The reorganization of Headquarters
and Supply Company has been the
subject of much talk throughout the
camp and it will not be Very long be
fore quite a few recruits will come
into the camp. Any men who have
friends who are thinking of joining the
army, and who wish to join where they
may have companions whom they
know, can have them enlist at a regu
lar army recruiting rendezvous for a
short time and then will be sent direct
to this regiment. The matter of plac
ing them in batteries with their friends
can probably be arranged through Col
onel Miner at the time the men come
into camp. If at the end of a short
time the vacancies cannot be filled by
men enlisting voluntarily from Lu
zerne County they probably will be
filled by voluntary enlistments from all
parts of the country and perhaps some
of the men from the National Army
may be assigned.
OH YOU STETSON!
Hundreds of men at Camp Hancock
who were not quite satisfied with the
regulation hat, invested in the fashion
able and somewhat expensive Stetson
hats, and felt a sense of smartness as
they paraded up and down Broad
street. Some of them cost $7 and now
that the “spruce-up” orders is in force,
the aforesaid Stetsons are not worth
ten cents. In fact, some of the soldiers
Jiave disposed of their nobby tops for
the ridiculous sum of 25 cents. An
other item of personal attire that has
given the men great anguish of mind
is the abolition of leather puttee. Some
of the enlisted men, in Stetson hats
and fancy leather puttees, presented a
smart appearance, but the regulation
hat and canvas leggings will bring
them back to earth.
FIELDINGS FROM THE FIELD
HOSPITALS.
The sanitary troops of the Field Hos
pitals wish to express their apprecia
tion of the open house hospitality
shown them by the people of Augusta.
The Y. M. C. A., too, comes in so.- i s
share of thanks, supplying the lumber
for n open-air stage in the midst of
the Field Hospital camp. The com
panies tried out their home talent for
the first show Monday night. Majot;
Brady of Company 110 had charge of
the first performance. The new Field
Hospital Orchestra will be held strictly
responsible if wierd and terrible sounds
com j from the direction of the rustic
orchestral pit. The Arti’.le . sent us
its band last Monday evening and we
danced in the sand. The snake dancer
in costume was great.
The officers of Field Hospital No. 110
were a very much married quartet last
week; the rest of us looked on with
envy. Sergeant Hoke, the snake char
mer of No. 111, has learned a few
facts about snakes. Private Ewing of
the same company, is washing pots and
pans this week. Quite a come down
for the popular tenor singer from Phil
adelphia.
There is a rumor going the rounds
to the effect that compulsory mus
tache removing will start on Monday
of next week in F. 11. 112. The ton
sorial artists expect no trouble, but it
is understood that as some of the men
have been wearing their additions for
several years, razors will prove inade
quate.
BUSY~BAKERY, ‘
Pennsylvania’s First Field Bakery
has been a great success under the di
rection of Captain Frank L. Mueller, of
Philadelphia. The men have become
experts in the pastry' art and while in
the Quaker City, encamped in City
Hall Plaza, made and sold enough pies
to hungry Philadelphians so that $1,500
was added to the mess fund befpre
the men left for Camp Hancock. A
carload of flour is mixed every' day,
making 23,000 pounds of bread. Two
and a half carloads of cordwood are
required every two days to keep the
fires burning. Next in command to
Capt. Mueller is First Sergeant Rug
gaber, and the ninety-nine enlisted
men are busy' day and night keeping
the division supplied-
TRENCH AND CAMP
103RD FIELD SIGNAL BATTALION.
On Wednesday last the baseball team
representing “C” and “B” companies
locked horns in their initial coirtest of
the Camp Hancock season. The con
test was freely' advertised through the
battalion as being one with strenuous
possibilities, and there were some who
even formed the idea that “B,” better
known as the old-timers, were in for
a terrible beating.
The real test on the field was some
what of a disappointment as “B” com
pany, with quite a reversa 1 of their
border form, came through with a
brand of play that brought home the
bacon to the tune of 10 to 3 in eight
innings. McGibbeny started on the
mound for the Outposts and managed
to endure tire bombardment for four
innings, retiring in favor of Law, who
was relieved by Brickley in the eighth.
Alderson went the entire route for the
wire-pullers and was som what stingy,
three hits being the extreme limit of
his generosity.
The semi-weekly bareback circus
goes on apace, in fact, several i»aces at
a time, having passed into the critical,
or photograph stage. Some really hair
raising pictures of equestrian acro
batic have been taken, and if they
should happen to be published in the
future, it is a safe bet that Whitey
will not recognize himself under the
enormous pyramid of soldier-acrobats
festooned on and about him. The
boys have attained such a degree of
perfection in this interesting branch of
gymnastics that they are now able to
go through an entire performance with
scarcely a word being said; a decided
improvement being noticed since last
Wednesday. All that is now required
to complete the enterprise is a Barnum
to make the name sound familiar.
PARLEZ-VOUS FRANCAIS? OUI OU
NON?
The burning question of the hour:
When are we going over? The answer
seems to vary according to one’s frame
of mind or access to supposedly relia
ble information. Another question of
equal importance, although perhaps
overlooked, should be: “Can I speak
French?” The possibility of an attrac
tive French maid for a teacher may
offer bewitching allurements to the
susceptible, but results may be hardly
commensurate with risks. Others may
hope to have recourse to the Indian
sign language to meet their needs. It
is a true but homely' saying that “all
signs fail in dry' weather.”
For this reason it is suggested that
officers and men take advantage or
the French classes being formed by
the Y. M. C. A. In these classes the
fundamentals of the language will be
explained in order that the student
may continue by himself if he desires.
It is hoped in this way to bring a man
in touch with his environment “some
where in France,” and prepare him for
a better understanding with his French
brother-soldier immediately upon his
arrival. Have you joined a class yet?
If not, why not? See the Y. M. C. A.
Educational Secretary nearest you and
“join the procession.”
FIELD BAKERY.
Here we are! The Field Bakery,
28th Division, commanded by Captain
Frank L. Mueller and which has en
rolled 101 able men who will endeavor
to divert the minds of the soldiers of
the 28th Division from hard tack.
Still while this great uplift movement
is in progress we cannot forget our
second best accomplishment—the sew
ing circle—which was called into an
extra session Friday afternoon to as
certain whether our president, Mrs.
McAninch, should or should not be
ejected on the charge of neglect of
duty. The vote was 27 to 3 in favor
of the epection so our roster is now
only 49, but we hope to increase our
membership shortly.
Personal Mention.
There is a weekly entertainment
every Friday evening in the Recreation
Tent of the Field Bakery. Every
body Welcome. Admission free.
“Penn.” Gibbons with the Bakery
stands ready to meet any 133-pound
glove mixer in Augusta or nearby
town.
Sidney Smith, better known as “Al”
Sidney, is constantly starring in our
weekly entertainments.
This is the only company that has
a black hand. Our dangerous "Wops”
are Branca, Fermato, Two Spurios,
Zarelli, Fanelli ai d Moffo. Trump
that. Irish next week.
HOW LONGW ILL THE WAR LAST?
Direct evidence have I none.
But my aunt’s charwoman’s sister’s
son
Heard a policeman on his beat
Tell a housemaid in Downing Street,
That his daughter’s husband has a
friend
Who actually knows when the war will
end.
PITT MEN TO MEET.
There will be a gathering of all Uni
versity of Pittsburg men at the Part
ridge Inn at 8:45 this (Wednesday)
evening. Dinner will be served at
$1.25 per plate. Those wishing to at
tend should notify Lieut. Jenkins of
the Sanitary datchment of the Tenth
Regiment.
109TH INFANTRY.
Under the careful supervision of Cap
tain C. P. Futcher, chaplain, the sea
- tures of the open-air theater have been
quite successful, especially the band
concerts, motion pictures and minstrel
Shows held during the past week.
The American Eagle presented to the
regiment by its friends in Philadel
phia has been mounetd in Colonel
Brown’s tent and is a very appropriate
decoration and mascot of the “old
First.”
The idea of the eagle was taken from
an example by a regiment of volun
teers from Pennsylvania during the
Civil War. That regiment never saw
defeat and the friends of the First
thought this regiment should have
such a mascot.
The soldiers’ leisure hour fund of
about SB,OOO, which was raised in Phil
adelphia, has provided the regiment
with baseball outfits, soccer balls,
boxing gloves, quoits and other sport
ing goods. They are being put to good
use by the men of the regiment. The
work of the Soldiers’ Leisure Hour
fund committee is very mueh appre
ciated.
Through Mr. Greenwald of the Stan
ley Corps, a trung of fifty reels of mo
toin picture films has been received,
which enables Chaplain Futcher to
conduct shows on Wednesday and Sat
urday evenings. Films have also been
obtained through the courtesy of the
Y. M. C. A.
FIRST HIKE GREAT SUCCESS.
On Saturday morning, the first prac-.
tice hike in Camp Hancock was under
taken most successfully by the 56th Brig
ade, Brigadier-General Logan, command
ing. The Sixteenth, Eighteenth and
Tenth Infantry Regiments furnished a
total of more than 6,000 men and the long
column swung out of the camp and down
to Highland avenue, Augusta, thence up
Walton Way for a considerable distance,
where a by-road was taken through the
woods and fields and the return trip
made over the Wrightsboro road to camp.
General Logan and all the officers and
men were dismounted and with two ex
ceptions every man finished in excellent
condition. This is highly commendable
when it is considered that fully 75 per
cent of the men were green. Only 25
per cent had been to the border and the
troops swung along the line of march with
the ease and steadiness of seasoned vet
erans. It proved the thoroughness of the
men’s physical training, for much of the
march was over rough and untravel X
roads.
Upon the return to camp, the brigade
was reviewed by General Logan near
division headquarters. The troops left
camp at 9:45 and made the eight miles
in good time, returning at 11:45. The
men sang popular songs along the line
of march and the officers realize the need
of thorough coaching of the men in sing
ing the late songs. It inspires them and
makes the marching easy.
General Logan was delighted with the
splendid showing made by the troops in
the diyision’s first practice march.
fTtst cavalry?
General orders, from headquarters
of the First Pennsj Ivania Cavalry, an
nounce the following promotions to
take effect October Ist:
Trjop A (Phila ) —Private William
S. Duncan, to corporal.
Troop B (Tyrone)—Corporal Harry
D. Peary, to sergeant; Private Chester
D. Moore, to corporal; Private Walter
L. Schoop, to corporal.
Troop H (Pgh.)—Private Albert J.
Fagan, to corporal.
Troop K (Lock Haven) —Private
William F. Kennely, to corporal; Pri
vate Joseph C. Hanna, to corporal;
Private Percy S. Lutz, to corporal.
Troop L (Bellefonte) —Private Ge.
W. Stewart, to sergeant; Private David
Winehouse, to sergeant.
Athletics reign supreme in the regi
ment, after drill and o nhalf holidays.
At every spare chance the soldiers have
they are tossing the baseball or kick
ing football. Track teams are making
their debut.
Have you heard the First Pennsyl
vania band? If you haven’t you had
better come up for a visit some even
ing and hear this popular hand render
their evening program. “Eddie” Cal
houn is the leader and he has a won
derful organization.
IRISHMEN IN EIGHTH.
There is also a lively bunch of pros
pective Frenchmen in the Eighth regi
ment. Were it pot for some of the
Irish names in evidence there is no
doubt but what many of the officers
would soon be able to pass themselves
off for “Gaston" or “Alphonse.” There
is no more faithful school boy in the
class than its popular and efficient
colonel. Colonel Finney. The “Fight
ing Eighth” is going to make its mark
through its ability to handle French
phrases as well as meet attacks of the
“Bodies,” or take a trench in '“No
Man’s Land."
KEEPING UP APPEARANCES.
Company commanders are kept busy
since the order concerning the appear
ance and conduct of the men of the di
vision. Every soldier must have not
ed on his pass to the city, the items
lacking in his equipment, and since
many items of clothing have not been
supplied, the officers are developing
“writeitis.”
SECRETARY BAKER COMING.
It is announced that Secretary of
War Baker will visit the southern
training camps soon. No definite date
has been fived, but when he arrives at
Camp Hancock, he will find the Penn
sylvania troops well up in the front
line of efficiency.
Oct. 10, 1917.
FOURTH INFANTRY
Two battalions and the special unifl
of the Fourth Regiment arrived SB
Camp Hancock, September 12. TlJfl
Third Battalion of the regiment ha®
previously been selected as the
sylvania kuota of troops to form part®
of the Rainbow Division, which wit®
be the first troops in Pennnsylvania to®
see active service.
The Fourth Regiment Band gave the|
first of a series of concerts in Augusta®
Considerable damage was done ini
the Fourth Regiment by the heavy I
rain of October 2. Some of the tents 1
are in a hollow and the flood reached 1
a depth of three feet. Shoes, cots, 1
coats, sweaters, hats and other equip- I
ment were reported missing the next I
morning. fl
The order of the reorganization of ||
the division brought sad news to the k
Fourth Regiment. After October 10th, i
the date set for the transfer, there will ft
be little left of the old historic reg- H
intent. Officers, who are loved by their/?
men, will be separated from their com- H
mands. Companies wiill be divided |
and sent to various units. Cities and >
towns which took pride in their com- I
panics will no longer be represented
by an organization in active service.
Such, however, are the fortunes of war.
We must keep our heads up and our
shoulders back and meet the inevitable
with a smile.
A genuine Pennsylvania Dutch
lunch marked the festivities at the
mess shack cf Supply Company,'
Fourth Infantry, on Saturday night.
The affair was given by Captain T. C.
Fegley to the men of the company as
a preliminary farewell, on account of
the disbandment of the Fourth, sched
uled for today. Colonel E. C. Shannon,
Major S. H. Heller, Major O. C. Miller,
Captain W. A. Rehm, Capt. H. R.
Doane, Lieut. H. E. Fredley and Lieut.
C. C. Curtis, all of the Fourth, with
Captain Mehan and Lieut. Lawson of
the One Hundred and Ninth Supply
Company, were invited guests. During
the speech-making, Col. Shannon ex
pressed his keen regret at the sever
ance of his relations with the men ,5
of the Fourth and urged all to give z
the same loyal support to the com
manded and officers of the One Hun
dred and Ninth. Major Heller told of J
the pleasant relationships between I
himself and the men of the sanitary w
and hospital corps. Major Miller gave®
an interesting talk. Capt. Fegleyffl
praised the men of his command foraH
their loyalty and obedience and Capt®|
Mehan welcomed the men to the On<®|
Hundred and Ninth. Songs, jokes
stories combined to make the evening®
a memorable one.
PHYSICAL WORK
POLICY OF Y. M C. A.®
The Army Young Men’s Christian®
Association presents the following gen-SB
eral policy to govern the work of its®
physical department: fig
(1) —To interest as many men as pos-fl
in some form of physical recrea-®
tion. ®
(2) To promote athletics and recrea-®
tional activities at times which |
will not interfere with the mill-®
tary program, and on company®!
streets, grounds alread prepared®
and in such buildings as are 9
available in the camp.
(3) —T° interest every man in develop-®
ing physical efficiency.
(4) —To promote baseball, basket ballfl
foot ball, volley ball, play ground®
base ball quoits, track and field®
athletics, boxing, wrestling, and®
other activities that would seem®
advisable.
(5) —To co-operate in every way pos-fl
sible with the other agencies pro-®
moting athletics, i. e.—
instructors, ray croft represen ta-M
fives and Knights of Columbus.
With a view of furthering the above®
policy the Army Young Men’s Chris®
tian Association has already provided®
six trained physical and recreation di-HH
vectors; five 24x24 feet "boxing rings,
five 60x60 basket ball courts, five play-®
ground baseball diamonds, five 25x50®
feet volley ball courts, one base I
base ball diamond, surfaced with clay,®
ahd others staged out; $1,500 worth of®
athletic equipment already in use, and II
that amount ordered.
Respectfully submitted fl
GEORGE R. FLEMING, ®
Supervisor of Recreation. ®
HARTFORD MEN ARRIVE.
On Friday 100 men arived in Campfl
Hancock from Fort Etham Allan and®
are stationed near the Base
All the men are from Hartford, Conn.®
and will serve in the Hospital Corps.®
Among the number are two Y. M. C. A.®
- secretaries from the Hartford associa-®
toin
SOLDIERS JOIhT LOCALCHURCH.|g
Eighty-nine spldiers joined the First®
Presbyterian Church of Augusta on|
Sunday, as war members. When they®
leave for France, their membership®
will revert to their home churches in|
Pennsylvania. ®
"fTne RECORD?' ®
One of the finest records in Camp®
Hancock has been made by the 16th ®
Infantry, now the 112th. Since being ■
here, but one man has Teen placed in ®
the guard house. This commendable ®
showing is very gratifying- tp the of- fi
ficers and is one that other commamUj®
might well emulate.