Camp Panama Park

    Jacksonville, Fla., Aug. 13, 1898.
    The Union:  The 4th Reg. has been transferred from the second brigade to the third and our camp has beenmoved to Panama Park, which is located five miles northeast of the city.  We moved last Wednesday and the boys are all busy putting up tents etc.  This is a much nicer place to camp it being higher ground and more shade.  We are also near the St. Johns river and the boys enjoy bathing, boating and fishing.  There are two excursions daily on the river to the city for benefit of the soldiers.  The boys are all pleased and it will be a great benefit to our health.
     Lat Tuesday morning while all was quiet in camp there suddenly rang out a pistol shot insquad five.  On examination it was found that while Alma Smith was cleaning his gun it was discharged, the ball, a 32 calibre, took effect in his left leg below the knee passing through his leg embedded itself in teh floor.  An ambulance was called and he was taken to the hospital.  The last report was that he was doing well.
     Those recommended for physical examination are John McKnight, Geo. Bingaman, Chas. Dingey, Joseph Shucka and Jmaes O. Guinn, and no doubt will all be sent home.
     Co. I now has a mess tent 60X30 feet.
     Wanted:  A lady correspondent in Vandalia.  Adress Chas. Toothaker, Co. I, 4th Ill. Vol., Jacksonville, Fla.
     Private Carlos Green, Co. H., 4th Ill., whose home is in Tuscola, died in his tent Tuesday of typhoid fever.  He was 33 years of age and a member of the Odd Fellows.  A military funeral was held here and all the flags were lowered to half mast.  His comrades sorrowfully paid their last tribute to their brother and his body was sent home for burial.  This is the first death in the 4th regiment since it was called into service on April 26th, it being the only regiment that had not lost a man up to this time.
     Last Monday night a prisoner made hiis escape from the guard house.  Si Bullington, Tim Courtney, Tom Curry, Ralph Handle and others volunteered as brave and daaring men to go and arrest him.  Their willingness to go was not considered unusual for they belong to the Rough Rider's Squad and are all brave men.  But no sooner had they got permissiom to go than Tom headed directly for a place where "they" enjoy themselves in tripping the light fantastic.  He certainly had been there before for the ight was very dark but he led the party directly to the "Ball" by this time they had forgotten about the prisoner and were thinking only of a merry time.  On arriving Si proceeded to find the floor manager and had his squad introduced to the ---ladies.  After a waltz had been concluded in which Tim and Ralph took part, all the boys were seated with their dusky, newly made friends, talking war, and Tim telling his romantic experiences in old Ramsey, when suddenly the ball opened with a change of program in which bottles, razors and guns were brought into play.  Tom and Ralph took their lady friends and fled with them for safety, while Tim pearched on a chair could not escape with his partner and had to stand the fight.  In the meantime Si had been vainly trying to rally his squad, but it was all in vain.  When the excitement had died away it was found that only Si and Tim stood their grounds, and the only injuries received were those ot Tim whose fingers were cut with glass while he ws extracting the broken fragments of a bottle from teh limbs of his friend.  They returned to camp at a late hour and reported the prisoner was not found.
     Wm. German, who is on a ten days furlough aat his home near Vandalia, has asked for a continuation of ten days.
     Geo. Bingaman, who was reported sick last week, is much better at this time.
     The question is often asked:"When will we be discharged?"  We do not know.  The oficers here think we are bound for Cuba, and that we will start for Havana about the first of October as an army of occupation.
                                                    H.P. MANION