Jackson County, Ohio

A Wellston Boy In The Regular Army Writes The Sentinel

Army Life of New Recruit -- A Soldier's Duty --
Wilmington Boys Jealous of the "Blue Coats" -- Pie and Cake.

The following interesting letter from John W. Keck, a well known Wellston boy, who is serving in the regular army, will be read with interest by his many friends and aquaintances here. Mr. Keck is a son of F.H. Keck, one of our well known citizens.

Wilmington, Del., May 4, 1898.

To Sentinel:

After our navy having achived such a signal and complete victory over the haughty and headstrong Spaniards, and being a former resident in your town, I take the liberty of informing the readers of your paper to some extent as to camp life of a soldier in service.

After passing examination physically, and if then accepted, a volunteer is sworn in, and after that he goes on as steady as clock work day after day. The first duty of a recruit is to thoroughly learn all drills perfectly and perform them quick and promptly.

He gets up at 6 o'clock promptly every morning; at 6:15 a.m. must answer at revellie; 6:30 breakfast; 8:30 to 9 a.m. drill; recess until 10:00 a.m.; drill until 11:00; dinner 12 noon. These are the rules for recruits. After they become familiar with camp life they are then put on guard or duty.

We have three shifts of guards or sentinels. Each squad or relief walks past or stands guard two hours and are relieved four hours, thereby each man does eight hours duty in 24 hours. Each squad does duty about two days a week, and the rest of the time we are at liberty to pass the time wherever we wish. Retreat sounds at 6:45 p.m., and all must be present unless away on pass.

My company (4th Heavy Artillery, Battery M) has, since the powder mill explosion, been removed from Washington D.C. to Wilmington, Delaware, to guard the powder mills and United States magazines. We are located on Montchanin, about 4 miles east of Wilmington.

Orders arrived about midnight Sunday for the 4th to move, and we were hustled out of bed, packed our knapsacks and by 3 o'clock a.m. were on our way. Arrived about daylight, and, as the prodigal said, were received by the people in open arms.

They seem to think nothing too good for a soldier, judging from the number of baskets of pies, cakes and other knick knacks the young ladies bring us. The young men that reside here are kind of downcast because their girls have all forsaken them for the "blue coats", but we hope they will get over that in time to come.

Most all of us are anxious to be called into actual service, but I think the Spaniards will vamoose at the first smell of gunpowder. My battery is assigned in fort service, but as the guarding of the powder mills is one of the most important things, a battery of heavy artillerymen were assigned to that duty.

If we do have to invade Cuba, I hope that my native state will furnish her full quota of soldiers, and I think she will furnish them and ten times more than what will be needed.

Respectfully,
John W. Keck
Wilmington, Del.
4th Heavy Artillery, Battery M.

Source: Wellston Sentinel, Wellston OH; May 7, 1898