Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-28
BACK FROM CAMP.
The War Department Guards Return
After a Profitable Ten Days Absence.

After a Profitable Ten Days Absence.
The War Department Guards, company
ID, sixth battalion, District of Columbia
National Guard, after long and tedious
Journey returned home yesterday after
noon from O. ten days camp at Sea Isle
City. n. ].
Corporal Smyth had charge of the guard.
with Privates Jones, Clark, Streater and
Mattingly as entries. The officers retired
early, leaving affairs in charge of Acting
First Sergt. Fe&ster, who found his task
an easy one, as the men under him alb
stained from any display contrary to good
order ard military discipline.
AS camp had to be broken and a thou
sand little things to be done, revetlle was
sounded at o'clock instead of half an
hour later The company had early break
fast, and then began the packing of in
0ividual property and knapsacks. At 1:30
O'Clock Capt. Wilson gave the word, and
simultaneously every tent in the War De-
partment Guards camp went down to-
Sether. The camp equipage was quickly
folded, put into an express wagon and
started FOR the depot.
After camp had been broken and all
things gotten In readiness for the start
homeward, the men were given half an
hour in which to say goodbye to their
many Sea Isle City friends. Nearly every
member of the company took advantage of
this privilege, and started off at double
time to have a short talk with some pretty
girl They did not have to go far, as half
a hundred young ladies had by this time
surrounded the camp and were bombarding
ii with their smiles.
Promptly at S:45 O'Clock Acting First
Sergt Feaster shouted fall in" and the
command was quickly formed in heavy
marching order. A few minutes later Capt
Wilson commanded "fouIs, right" and the
visitors stepped off in a column of tours
in the direction of the depot At the sta
ton a wait of few minutes was found
necessary. and during the interval the
boys old friend Kelly happened along with
a treat for the crowd.
At 9:l3 there was a toot-toot, and the
train moved slowly out to the music of
cheers and counter cheers. 1t is doubtful
If any military organization ever received
such ii hearty display of friendship as did
the War Department Guards on their de-
parture from the little ocean resort.
The company attracted good deal of
attention as 1t proceeded through the city
of brotherly love-" and a great deal more
while it waited nearly an hour at the de-
pot in that city.
The run from Philadelphia TO Washing
ton was made on train occupied almost
exclusively by Knights of Pythias, and the
members of the two organize tions were
soon on friendly terms.
About 800 o'clock the train pulled into
the Baltimore and Potomac depot and
Capt Wilson marched them straight to
their armory. Here the doors were found
locked, but finally an entrance was effected
and the thoroughly tired out militiamen
were glad of the opportunity to discard
their heavy equipments AS soon as or
ders had been issued for the command to
assemble at the armory at 10 o'clock this
morning the boys were permitted to go
home.
All hands report a ffrst-ciass time but
they are glad to be back in Washington
The ercampment was a great success, not
only from social but also from a mill
tary standpoint. and il is doubtful if more
practical experience could well have been
gotten out of ten days sojourn under
canvas than was obtained by this COM
pany.