Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-21

There was large crowd of people at the
wharf to bid goodbye to the soldier boys. The
colored troops probably attracted more to the
Steamer than any other element and any num-
Der CT fond good-byes were said az the seventh
and eighth battalions waited for their fate to
be decided. The troops formed on the east
side OF 7th street, extending down for two Or
three squares, the men sitting on the curb
stones or driving bargains with vendors Of food
| and liquids while waiting for orders.
QUARTERS on THE BOAT.
The boat was allotted to the various COM
mands as follows: First regiment and 9th bat.
! tallion on the saloon deck; the I'd regiment
on the stern hurricane deck aud the after saloon
deck; the 7th and 9Th battalions on the main
deck; the band and drum corps on the forward
hurricane deck: the brigGde staff in the forward
cabin. The horses were slowed away on the
main deck.
IN PRIME CONDITION.
The men were In their best condition, with
one or two exceptions. They were clean
shaven and eager for tho camp, and every
! strap and buckle about their equipments sione
! with careful polishing. Their blankets were
| neatly rolled and strapped TO their knapsgcss.
wniie their tin cups ju..gied marrliy froIn their
waist belts. Most or these cups had weary.
| 1889 air. and sounded tribe Hat and dull
when struck. as if they had been banged to the
r.
DC, just once too often. Perhaps, however,
this WAS simply emblematic OF their owners
Those who had been there bCSore were not
| quite as jaunty and anxious some of the
others. new recruits. who asked innumerable
! questions Of the veterans to what it Was ali
Ike at Fort Washington.
CONSIDERABLE HILARIrY.
There was not tue best of order preserved
during the embar&ation. There was rather
too much hiiarity. too much vocal music, too
much childish stamping and Intoxicating and
| too little discipline Ioc soldiers 1t had rather
moro the air o! hinge picnic than one Who OBJ
served the affair dlsintere,tedly might have
! wished Butyet beneath al! the noise and rough
! ness OF some OF the behavior there was q good
| spirit evident. an indication OF earnest soldiery
that would snow itself at the proper moment
! SONGS CT THE SOLDIERS.
| There was one favorite song. TO the tune Of
which several companies marched aboard, the
burden OF which was, Ohio. Flanagan.
there's goin' to be a row" followed by suudry
bits OF advice as what to do when the calamity
! should eliminate. That unfortunate historic
parsonage. McGinty, also received some at
tentiou and was soon promoted to be u major.
! He was called upon for speech, but did not
respond. As the troops OF one battalion
mounted the forward stairway to the hurricane
deck frequent demands were made for the
elevate to be started, but there was no
| visible effect.
PILES OF BAGGAGE.
The lower deck was a mass of baggage, camp
chairs, trunks, valises, boxes, baskets, hamp-
ers. All sorts Of impediments were piled high
up throughout the entire length except in front
OF the center gangway, which was used in get
ting the troops aboard.
| ''Doar'
When everybody was on board and IL was
thought that the boat WAS readv IN sfart a
couple OF market wag ons arrived On the wharf
laden with several huge boxes to 10 taken to
| the eommissary AT the tort. Gen. Ordwsy,
from his post far up on top OF the steamer,
yelled down to ask what the boxes contained
was responding echo from the steamers decks
! OK dog. The meat. OF which there was
several thousand pounds, was slowed away ON
the lower deck and at 1880 the moornys were
! slipped and the great steamer glided out into