Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-22


@E Columbia militia en-
canpment and watched
T[Sz}S-- ssrst Joyce finger the
halyards which swung from the top of the
60-foot fag-pole. A bundle of red, white
and blue was at his feet, and as the clear
stirring notes Of the reveile rang out upon
the fresh morning air the sergeant gave the
halyard few steady pulls and sharp jerk;
the tricolor bundle broke, the breeze shook
out the folds and creases of the beautiful en-
blem which smiled down upon Capt. Ala ich
as he cried out. Camp Ordway." The cap ain
had received no orders to name the camp, but
he was in command and no one could prevent
him from doing just as he thought fit. Every
body agreed with him as to the fitness of
the name. No other man in the country would
have worked as Gen. Ordway has to
make the soldier boys of Washington proud Of
their position among the militia of the United
states. No other man would have annoyed
and burdened himself with the thousand and
one petty details which have been shouldered
uncomplainingly by Gen. Ordway No other
man would have fought so persistently for
favorable legislation against such opposition as
has greeted Gen. Ordway.
GREAT DAY FOR THE N. @.
To-day was a great day for the general and o
great day for the District national guard. The
landing at Fort Washington was a triumph of
the most pronounced kind. 1t was As when
the steamer Jane Mosely drew up at the wharf.
few minutes were consumed in making a
landing, and when the gang plank was
run out every man in camp was at the
waters edge to receive their comrades
acknowledgment Howe of the Light
battery was seated on his horse on a ridge over
looking the scehe, and as the plank went ashore
he fired his revolver in the air. The signal was
| rpnpated no ~ 4 he
foot of the flagstaff. In an instant the men Of
the battery were in position, and as Gen.
Ordway marched ashore, leading by the bride
his beautiful gray steed, the headquartere'
colors dipped, and in obedience to the COM
mands of Lieut.. Robbins, artillery officer of the
day, brigadier generals salute was fired. The
booming Of the guns was for time lost in the
cheers which went out from thousand throats
Gen. Ordway took off his helmet and smilingiy
acknowledged the hearty and spontaneous COM
pllment. He was proud man and he had
right to be. His eyes were suspiciously moist
and his responses to personal greetings were
brief. The emotion was natural. He had or
ganlzed the National Guard of the District Of
Columbia; he had made a homogeneous whole
OF a number of factions; he had given the city
OF Washington militia force inferior to none
and to-day he led them into their first encamp-
ment.
The camp baggage came down on the steamer
John w. Thompson about IL o'clock this morn
ing, and with it came Col. W. G. Moore Lieut..
Col. Walton, Capt. Barksdale, Capt A. w. Kel-
ley, quartermaster; Quartermaster w. H,
Myers OF first company, third battalion, and
Quartermaster II. c. Surguy of the second bat
talon. Men and teams were numerous, and it
was not long ere the huge poles of company
chests and the ct cetera of camp were trans
ported to their proper places.
SUNDAY NIGHT IN CAMP.
1t was very quiet in camp last night Up in
the cavalry quarters the silence was so COM
plete that 1t might easily have been indicative
of death. The artillerymen were tired, and
they admitted it, but they were in fighting con-
dition when compared with their be-sabered
and yellow-striped brethren. Lieut.. Barbour
moved around in a sprightly manner and gave
everybody who didn't know any better the i'm
preston that a little ride like that was matter
OF no consequence whatever. The only other
cavalryman who was in high spirits was the
sergeant who came down on the boat.
81 ae d nughsS heartily tad at the stories
and entered so thoroughly into the
spirit of the thing that unless he is very
careful he will find himself telling his friends
all about that awful time we had whom we
marched down to Fort Washington. The ex-
periences OF the troop while on the road were
very interesting and occasionally amusing.
Once they came very near to being tragical-
when Private Minors horse fell down l5-foot
embankment with him and then went off on an
independent roll of his own for another 80 feet.
Neither the man nor the animal were seriously
injured, but both of them are deliberate of
motion to-day. When Mr.. Minor pulled him
self together he is said to have remarked
Good deal OF down-grade, wasn't it?" 1t
was straight drop and he had q very fortunate
escape.
SIS NUTHAH WAR BRUx oUT?"
The country folks who saw the troop on the
road did not, with a few exceptions know
what was going on. One old darkey held up
his hands in establishment as the cavalry
trotted by. He stopped Quartermaster Ser
geant Fosberg, and in tones that betokened
alarm said: "Foh God, cunnel, is 'nuthah wah
bruk out9 amt seed no callavery fob thutty
yeah"
Three times did the troop halt to rest horses
and riders, and each time was the interval
filed in with eloquent longings for the pres
ence OF few others to share the discomforts
OF the trip. There was generally distributed
sentiment OF regret because Gen. Ordway and
his staff were not of the cavalcade. Lieut..
his command. Thirty-two men were in camp
and thirty-one Of them came down astride OF
their charges.
TIRED ARTILLERY MEN.
There were lots Of tired men in the light bat
terry when they reached camp yesterday after
noon at 4, but they were all proud of their
achievement, and Capt. Yates declared that no
Detter drivers could be found than those who
had directed the footsteps of the battery
horses. Some of the amateur Jehus were green
in the business when they started, but they
accumulated experience very raidily. and before
the wearisome journey came to an end they were
experts in all that goes to make up the duties of
driver. The roads were vile and the battery's
descriptive and emphatic vocabulary was ex-
hausted quite early in the evening. Water was
nearly three feet deep in several places and
the marks on the wheels bear silent testimony
to the veracity of some Of the soldiers. In one
situation there were but inches to spare on
each side Of the caison hubs, but the drivers
got through without hitch. Once only did q
team stick, and then couple of additional
horses and little picturesque landscape of
word-painting hoisted the gun and gunncrs
out OF the mud. The heat was as great
as any one cared to have it, and was little too
pronounced for one man, but Post Surgeon
Cole attended him AZ soon as he got into camp
and he was in frst-class condition, ready for
duty when reveille blew this morning. The
distance traversed by the battery, which did
not follow the same road a. that used by the
cavalry, was about "a miles, miles more than
artillery is expected to travel in one day. Capt.
Yates said last night TO STAR reporter that
1t was particularly gratifying to him to have
such large proportion of the battery come
into camp. The entire membership was n.
Out of THESE two men were on leave abroad and
lieutenant was kept at home by sick wife.
OF the remainder all but six had reported at
fha afar