Page:The history and achievements of the Fort Sheridan officers' training camps.djvu/361

 cracked ribs. Husky six-footers from first squads, unfamiliar with boxing, taking their medicine from light little fellows from the last squad. All in a good spirit, developing faster footwork, quickness of eye and the habit of personal encounter.

For three weeks this continued, each man in the Camp having fifteen minutes a day practice in the field and additional time as they were able in the barracks. At the close of the course the improvement was marked, and many of the men handled themselves like veterans.

Fort Sheridan men of the Second Camp w^ill not forget Martin Delaney w^ith his w^holesome smile, his winning style and his w^alloping punch, and the army as a w^hole w^as the gainer by the successful course w^hich was early introduced in the training system.

Numerous speakers came to Fort Sheridan, each bringing a message of interest. Samuel Insull spoke of the qualities necessary for leadership. Ser- geant William Dugan, formerly of the Foreign Legion, and at the time a member of the La Fayette Escadrille, told of his experiences as an American boy in the famous French flying unit. T. P. O'Connor and others spoke from time to time.

The daily routine of work, taking in every hour of the day, increased in intensity as the man became hardened to it. Physical and bayonet drills, pistol and rifle practice, conference and studies, follow^ed each other with ceaseless regularity.

The companies w^ere becoming more proficient in drill. They w^ere developing that pride and esprit de corps w^hich makes competition between the groups helpful and progressive. The men w^ere becoming better neigh- bors. Real friendships and interesting acquaintances which w^ould outlast the w^ar w^ere being formed.

A report from one of the companies when the Camp w^as a month old w^as typical of the Camp as a w^hole. It is reproduced exactly as it appeared in "The Reveille, " because it shows how^ many different kinds of men went to make up a company: occupations stringing out in either column or line formation. Men w^ho never performed harder labor than w^inding a Victrola are in the same squad with instructors of athletics. One civilian is attached to the com- pany, William J. Ryan, clerk, and his ambition is to take on enough w^eight to fill an O. D. blouse.

Charles E. Davanon is top sergeant and is the real goods. He doesn't give a continental care w^hether Cleopatra was a real nice lady or not; he is interested only in the strict discipline of his company.

George O. Beebe is the only Regular Army man on our roster. Five in the company are enlisted men in the National Guard. They are: Leslie F. Eggert, Homer A. Goddard, Raymond O. Staten, Noble W. White and Stephen C. Williams.

Thomas E. Hefferan, until a few^ w^eeks before the opening of this Camp, w^as a member of the American Ambulance Service in France.

Alfred D. Allen is the manager of the Leland Hotel of Springfield, 111., the rendezvous of politicians.

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