Milford chronicle., 1888-07-27
Camp dupont.

Camp DUPONT.
Our boys returned on Tuesday from
the annual encampment with brOnzed
faces and somewhat wearied, bat all in
excellent spirits and full of enthusias-
tic recounlments Of the pleasures and
duties of the campaign, and the beau
ties of the place selected for the camp.
The rank and file which went into
camp ON Avenue "B" numbered forty
six, with three commissioned officers
Every regulation Of camp duty was
strictly adhered to by the captain, ,and
the men soon recognized the fact that
tie calls for duty must be obeyed, and
that pronptness in the answering 10
orders insured more liberty and pro-
moted respect While the forenoon
was pretty fully occupied, the after
noon from 230 to 6 GO o'clock. was
allotted IN perfect liberty to all but
those on guard duty, and when the
recall was sounded at 2.3O, the exodus
from camp was almost n stampede, as
the men gave themselves up To pleas
Lre or rest, seeking The cool shade of
the parks, or a bath in the turbulent
waters of the creek at the foot of the
ravine, or strolling or dancing with
syren of the grove (Of which there was
great profusiOn and Variety, or Wis
iting the Spring Hill Brewery or other
places of interest. From the large
number Of raw recruits which had
but recently enlisted,it was feared that
B Company would be found quite in
ferior in drill, but the confidence of
the men was established and strength
ened by their success in the dress
parade of the first day, and from that
the proficiency of their drill was con-
stant.
1t may be said without fatlery, or
the shadow of chance of contradiction, !
that the department Of b Company
while in company quarters. was by odds
the best to be recorded in camp, while
the order in which the avenue was
AEDbl anu AAAC iGeAAtANNo vi AAiE AtAiAH ktiS /
a rule. was the remark of many visi-
tors. In the general camp inspection |
made by Captain Anderson, he re-
that "B" street looked more
like real camp life than the others
Our boys seemed Il little dispirited at
the fact that "B" had so few guests
and friends, but the reason why Will /
mington companies had more guests
was obvious and the boys took it phil
and made the balance of
sociability 10y flirting with the girls
who visited the camp or grove. The
site of Camp dupont is most extrava-
gantly romantic, the plain on which
tents were pitched and which COM
prised the pqrade ground, was of about
sixty acres extent, verging on the
westward into rolling sea of corn and
pasture fields, divided here and there
by sunken rivulet; while on the
eastern side the plain suddenly ended
in Il precipitOus cliff varying in height
from fifty to one hundred feet, and in
places so smooth and steep as to he
almost impossible of ascent; along the
loot of the precipice wound the road
leading from the railroad to Brandy
wine Springs Hotel; while beside the
roadway tumbled the noisy waters of
.he stream.
Here it was that the boys were wont
o spend their leisure hours, for pleas
Ire reigned supreme. The brook was
most refreshing lavatory, while many
hooks among the rocks were furnished
With benches and rustic seats where
luiet perusal Of the papers could be
most comfortably enjoyed The dane
ng pavilion with its orchestra, the /
'merry-g y-go-rounds," and numerous |
booths and shooting galleries furnished
for all tastes or tendencies
On Sunday the excursionists who
'isited the place We're estimated To
lave numbered 10000 Camp du Pont
vas truly a success, and there are few
indeed who give preference to Reho-
10Th after having spent a week at
Springs The special
rain which brought home the troops
.rrived in MiIfofd about 01 O'Clock,
md line was formed and parade made
through town by b Company in heavy
order, Col. Marshall made
little address Oe thanks aud congroi-
Ilalion TO the boys and shoit drill
n the manual ended the program
Much was learned by the boys. and
heir general demeanOr has reflected
Fedit upon the town they represented
cheerful obedience ana thOroughness
marked their labor. Not man was
,ut under arrest, or even under deten-
ion; and the cWmpany's report shows
nly one man sick one day during EN-
During dress parade. insI
with the recommendation
f Captain Wiswell, the following pro-
notions We're announced: 3rd sen geant
". e. Lank to 2nd Sergeant; Corporal
" g. Sammons. to 3rd Sergeant;
corporal S. w. Ennis. TO 4th Ser
.eau,; Private II. J Mears to 9th Cor
,oral; Private J. b. HolstOn, 10 Sth
vice r G. Salmons, reduced.
Col. Wood will take immediate steps
0 Investigate the merits ot excuses
resented by absentees, and those not |
reported will be sub
eeted to court martial.