Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-24

Of July 4 The old barracks buildings had been
prepared for them, and from the time they
formed Mt the armory to their return they were
under the strict military discipline for which
the old corps vas famoua
At THE FORT.
Arriving at the fort guards were posted and
the orders for the routine of duties gave the
men foretaste Of what would be expected of
them in actual service. There were during
the day battalion. company and squad
parades and other duties. little time
was left for idleness. As stated above the
third company was in process Of organization.
The uniformed members were invited 20 spend
the day at the fort, and, with some twenty or
more of companies A and b, left on the
morning of the 4th, bent on spending pleas
ant day as guests. In this they were, however,
disappointed, for, once within the walls OF the
fort, the rule was enforced-'a soldier in uni
form was one for duty"-and the first they
knew some were doing guard duty, Others en-
gagged IN drill and performing other military
duty. The fort was evacuated on the evening
OF the 4th, and the command returned, as they
went. BY the steamer Phoenix. IL is unneces-
sary TO say that this experience was valuable TO
the command, for when. ten months later. the
battalion was called on for a camp, there were
number who had taste of q soldiers duty
and were not entirely green.
capt Towers, after three months service,
was, for time, on Gen. Patterson's staff, and
afterward colonel of the first District regi.
ment Lieut.. Lem. Williams, Sergeant Major
Perse Fisher, and Sergeant Jos. Coleman were
afterward captains in the same regiment, and
Private Stellings was detailed in April, 81, to
run the steamer Mt. Vernon, and from thence
to the navy.
wELL-EoUIPrED COMPANY.
The old company was probably the best
equipped OF any of the old-time organizations
having, as early as 1913. provided complement
OF TENTS marquee for the officers and twelve
smaller ones for the men, each with a capacity
Tor six. These were Of the Sibley pattern
picturesque round tent, with gun rack and tabl,
attached to the pole.
EARLY CAMPS.
In the summer of that year the compan,
went into camp on the spot now occupied b,
the Smithsonian and remained three days
Capt Richard France was in command then
with Lieuts James p. Mexican. John F. Tucker
and Joseph Phillips In this camp were Jane,
Kelley and w. ii. Nalley. each of whom was
captain Of District troops during the last war
+. 3. Lamb, Hiram Richey, John /. Given anC
James Powers, all of whom are living. The ole
command held q number Of other encamp
ments In olden times-about 1876 in Berry'i
woods, near Glenwood, and some years after
two-days' Fourth-of-July camp on New Jersey
avenue near the Carroll mansion, but the
greatest seasons were the camps at Richmond
and fredericksburg in the '40s.
An encampment OF the National Blues, com
manded by Captain Asbury Tucker early in the
Sos, was probably one of the most lively camp,
ever held in this section. Refreshments were
extensively furnished and it was said that the
men got the liquor, lemons, sugar, &C., on the
morning of July 4, converted the spring into
punch bowl, and for some distance the stream
was lined with bold soldier boys sucking the
connection therefrom through straws
1t is interesting to note the fact that in the
old-time organizations were the fathers and
grandfsthers of number now in camp and tina,
Major Dalton's father was for many years
member Of the original Light Infantry.