The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-11-16
ARMY LIFE AT FORT pREBLE.
Lieut.. Leary Talks with Press
Man About the Garrison.
Eight Inch Rifles Capable of Destroy
Ing British Iron clads.
Portland an Important military Port
In the Event of War.


Life with every task ordered, with all ac-
tions governed and preordained, each move
ment fixed to occur invariably at a given
hour; to pass life that knows in the morn
ing every task to be performed during the
day, and at precisely what time it will be
executed; to know that tomorrow.
next week and next month will usher in no
new labor, no variation of the daily routine
seems to the ordinary busy cosmopolite a
strange existance indeed Such however is
the life of a regular United States army
soldier. To some it has q kind of fascina-
ton. while to others it is anything but
pleasing. Yesterday the writer visited Fort
Preble, where at present is stationed Bat
terry NJ, OF 4th U. 5. Artillery. and passed a
pleasant hour in looking about the post in
company with the accomplished army officer,
Lieutenant Leary.s Passing down by the
guard house in which a sentinel was on duty,
the PRESS man entered the commissary's
office, aud after being comfortably seated
within the glow of the red hot Goals in the
handsome stove in the center of the room.
he asked the Lieutenant to tell him all about
army life at the fort and how many men and
officers are stationed there.
Fort Preble," said Lieutenant Leary, sis
what is known as one company post, that
Is but one company is stationed here. There
are at the fort 80 enlisted soldiers and four
officers. namely Major ]. B. Rawles, Captain
Frederick Fuger, Second Lieutenant J. C.
w. Brooks and myself" Mr.. Leary is first
lieutenant. 'Our battery" continued the
Lieutenant" has been stationed here since
November 1881. and we have received official
information that we will be transferred to
the South next summer. The First Battery
OF the Second Artillery which is now
stationed at the South, will relieve Battery
M. at this port"
In these late fall days one would find il
necessary to be about long before sunrise il
order to hear the first bugle call which
sounds for the trumpeters to assemble ant
sound the reveille at the fort. Precisely ant
invariably at 5.45 o'clock each morning tn,
bugler of the guards sounds the assembl,
of the trumpeters. Ten minutes later tn
trumpeter ssound the reveille. At 6 am, tn,
bugler sounds the assembly which is sigma
for all the men at the fort to fall into tn
ranks and answer to their names. Fifteel
minutes later the mess call is sounded fo
breakfast, the company's cook having ariser
at O'Clock. and prepared the morning
meal. "0ur bill of fare is very varied,
said Lieutenant Leary, with a twinkle in hi
eye. Sunday we have hash, bread an,
coffee. Monday we feast upon bread, COTE
and hash, and Tuesdays sun ushers in tn
| do ne hoe
At o'clock the signal is sounded TO
fatigue. Then the clearing up takes place
AT a. M" said the Lieutenant, .stht
bugler sounds the sick call and ali the mer
who feel under the weather report at tn,
hospital for treatment. At 9 a. M, tn,
guard for the next twenty-four hours i
mounted by the post adjutant. This cere
mony Is attended by the old and new officer:
OF the day. In the meantime the mes
room, squad room and so forth have beer
put IN order, beds made, rooms cleaned
and prepared for inspection by one of the
offlcers. At $50 the men under instruction
In military signalling and telegraphing turn
out for instruction in waving flags by whi,l
the military signals are given. Then at i
noon the bugle sounds for dinner, and at
D. m. for drill of 40 minutes. After this
unless assigned to some special duty, tn
men have nothing to do until sunset. wher
the retreat parade occurs, then the men an
sWer TO their names. ranks are. broken anc
all 60 IN TO supper. When the hour of 9 D.
NJ arrives the tattoo, generally known a.
taps" Is sounded for the extinguishment
OF lights, and then every soldiers supposed
to be In his quarters for the night. Thus the
day is passed. During the leisure hours Of
the AFTERNOON the men are allowed to go any
where within mile # the fort, and only b,
securing pass from the officer in command
can they go farther. All day and night sen
tlnels, who are relieved every two hours
are on duty, in pleasant weather on the par
apet in stormy weather in the guard house
Ihey are required to report whatever thinl
unusual occurs, il suspicious per
son Is seen lurking about the post and S,
froth.'
In the guard house, one story woode,
structure with iron bars at the windows. /.
oneiight and plumber of dark prison cells
In which soldiers are imprisoned for miscon
Duct. we have had occasion to use these
cells but once" said Lieutenant Leary
since the battery has been stationed at THU
post and then a man was kept in one O
them three days and fed only on bread ant
water. All but the two eight-inch riff
guns az the fort are obsolete, but these tw,
guns have penetration of eight inches solit
iron at distance of 1000 yards. The Bel
lerophon, the flagship of the British Nortl
Atlantic squadron which moves between tn,
Island OF Bermuda and Halifax, is broad
eide, armored ship, and very handsome t,
LOOK at. But she has only six inches armo
| va hSt oiuces ou JUu Scc OuI tlSuL-lDcn gun
would prove destruction to her II she cam
within range of them All the other vessels
OF the British North Atlantic squadron ar
inferior to the Bellerophon."
I'm the event of war with Great Britain
would Portland be exposed to the attack O
the enemy?' asked the PRESS man.
Yes. Portland would be the very first por
the British would strike at. they woul,
want TO get possession Of it so as to contro
the Grand Trunk and the Portland & Og
densburg railroads that run into the Provn
ces. Then, too, Portland would afford {
splendid harbor for the British fleet, bein,
alwaysfree from ice and one from which theI
could sally out and attack other ports"
LII Portland Is so important point why
is 1t not better defended?"
Because the war department has M
money and Congress will not appropriate
any for strengthening the coast offences
think the war department Is fully aware Of
the Importance OF having Portland strongl,
defended, and the day will come when L
VIII be one of the strongest military post.
on the coast. If the Republicans have
majority in the next Congress l think the,
Will appropriate good deal of money TO
the strengthening and Improvement of tn
harbor Notifications. 1t is projected b
make the Notifications of Portland at COY
Island and at Portland Head. two command
J ing points,"