Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-05-18

/ A FINE SITE CHOSEN AT FORT WASHINGTON
THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR sToREs-RouTrNE OF
CAMP L1FE-THE WAR DEPARTMENT TO CO.
! OPERATE.
Gen. Ordway is enthusiastic over the pros
poets OF having camp for the national guard
during July, and is confident that he can carry
the scheme through to a successful issue. He
has settled upon the government reservation at
Fort Washington as the most suitable place for
a camp. 1t has plain of about sixty acres
forming an ideal drill ground, with plenty Of
| government land on all sides for camping pur-
poses. The plain is now covered in places with
scrubby growths, but it can be put in shape
without great expense. The tents will be To-
| Gated on the bluffs overlooking the river, and
| will form pleasant home for the soldier boys
| during their weeks stay. The camp will begin
! on Monday morning of one of the last two
weeks in July, and will continue seven days.
breaking up the next Monday morning, when
| with knapsacks slung and tents slowed in
| wagons, the guardsmen will march the ten
miles lying between the city and the camp.
THE ROUTINE OF CAMP.
| The day in camp would begin with guard
| mount in early morning. Then after break
fast there would be the various camp routines
instruction in battalion and brigade move
! ments, special drilling and various other man
euvers. for the purpose of which the camp is
| to be established. The men will probably have
| the time from to O'Clock to themselves. dur
| ing which they will be at liberty to certain
extent. Dress parade will take place at 6 and
| will be the event of the day. Gen. Ordway an
| tlcipates that the close proximity of the camp
| to the city will cause great many Washing
| tonians to make the pilgrimage down the river
| by steamer in the afternoon to witness the
dress parades, and he is considering plans for
| the accommodation of the visitors, both as to
| transportation and as to their reception at the
camp.
| ARRANGING FOR ARMY STORES.
| There are innumerable details to be arranged in
| order to insure the success of the undertaking,
and Gen. Ordway will have his hands full from
now on. He has just succeed ed in obtaining a
promise from the War department that the
guard will be supplied with quartermaster's
and commissarys stores for the camp, q very
large item of expense. At least $50 tents, of
| various kinds, will be required. These will
have to be sent from the nearest quartermas-
ter's depot. Besides what the government
supplies there will be many matters requiring
attention that will foot up bill of some
size that will have to be paid by the
guardsmen themselves. These expenses in
clude tent floors, hire of cooks, labor of clean
ing the ground, music and a great many little
| affairs that Will be found necessary. The gem
eral Is now at work upon calculation in an
effort to determine the exact cost of the camp
| This will be divided among the various COM
Panies. pro rata At present the general has
only made rough estimate and thinks that in
round numbers the camp will cost about 50
man. This will be very reasonable, as it repre-
sents one week of pretty good living. This is
on the basis of 1,500 men. which is the number
the general expects to take into camp.
INTEREST AMONG THE GUARDsMEN.
There is growing enthusiasm in the guard
about the coming camp and considerable Gag
erness is expressed by majority of the guards
men. All of the colonies and other high Off
GERS of the militia are heartily in favor of the
plan and are doing their best to rouse the in
terest of their men.
The Secretary of War will probably be called
upon to order one or more officers of the regu-
lar army to the encampment for the purpose
of giving aid in instructing the men, besides
the officer regularly detailed to visit National
Guard encampments to report their progress to
the department.
PROPOSED NAMES FOR THE CAMP.
Several names for the camp have already
been suggested, such as Scamp Washington"
Scamp Ordway," and Scamp Proctor" but
the christening of the camp is one of the minor
details that is now being showed aside to make
room for the more pressing ones. Gen. Ord
way thinks that the ground he has selected will
make an ideal encampment and says that if the
coming event is successful in a military point
Of view, it will surely become a permanent
feature of the District militia service and that
a camp will be established each year.
The departmental battalion, consisting of the
treasury and post-office companies, have Sc
cured the use of the 9Th street church, between
+ and 4, as an armory.