The Washington times., 1895-06-14
As If by, Magic a White-tented
City Springs Up.
ALL ARB DRENCHED BY RAIN
Mud and Wet Grass the Chief Attrac-
tions of Fort Observation-Disclosures
of the Trip Down the Potomac.
Delay In Some of the Messes-The
Guard Mount.

| morning at II: 10 O'Clock. Two hours later
as if by magic, a canvas city had risen
on the heights and the brigade was ready
for its first meal in Camp Washington
There was hustle and hustle early in
the morning. The troops began to gather at
the armory before s O'Clock and the regi-
ments were formed shortly after. The
| Second Regiment was the first to reach
the Leary at the o street wharf 1t was
quickly followed by the First, under com
mand of Col Moore, and the First Separate
Battalion, under command of Major Re-
wells Then the band marched aboard,
the general and his staff followed, and
at 10 O'Clock the steamer was pulling
out from the wharf, while the bands on
the excursion steamers played Aud
Lang Syne."
The trip down was without incident
| AS soon as Gen. Ordway came aboard he
ordered the bar closed and guard was
placed around it. The MacalIester, which
left the wharf shortly after the Leary,
raced along and passed the troop steamer
just before she reached the landing at the
| fort.
PITCHING THE TENTS.
No attempt was made TO enforce strict
discipline when the troops landed They
| formed in regiments and as such We're
marched up the hill to their camp There
the battalons Were assigned to their various
| sites and the men proceeded to pitch their
tents All these, as stated in The Times yes
terday, were tied to the wooden floor built
for each tent 1t was wonderful the way
| the men went about it, and the success they
had. 1t is no easy job for persons unac-
| Quainted with the work to pitch tents but
the company streets could not be any
straighter, were the tents along them pitched
| by regulars
Then the comical failure of the first day
| came, when the companies forming in line
were served with bed ticks aud marched
| TO the straw pile to fill them. 1t was
| busy scene indeed. hundreds OF men on
their knees stufiiDg the ticks, while scores
were pitching the straw TO their comrades.
| The manner in which q tick was filled
| showed whether a mau was a veteran or
not. An old-timer stuffed his, but that
OF q new man looked like pair OF old
! fashioned saddle bags as lie carried it
on his shoulders to his tent.
WELCOME DINNER CALL.
Dinner call was welcome 20 all when
ii sounded, though to some Of the battalions
welcome was all il brought. The Fourth,
and Sixth and the FIRST separate battalions,
Jared badly. The former got nothing to
eat until 2 80 O'Clock ana the Colored troops
sat down to their first meal at $50.
This was not the fault OF brigade head
! quarters, but the trOublelay in the battalions
| themselves. The Fifth served its meal
! five minutes ahead OF time and everything
| was in excellent shape The First and
| Second Battalions had 10 eat with no other
| covering than the heavens, and had the
! rain continued these commands would have
been forced to mess in the fort. Major
Neumeyer, the post GuaTtermaStcr, was
| up nearly all the night preparing for
the first day, aud issued the following to
| each battalion:
Efghty-sreven and one-half pounds OF
| fresh beef, Sc pounds Coned beef, 10
| pounds salt pork, Z 3-4 pounds butter, 100
| pounds potatoes, two dozen carrots, two
dozen parsley, oMc dozen thyme, 60 pounds
beans, IL 2 pounds OF rice, 10 pounds
| herring, so pounds of coffee, SO "a pounds
| sugar, gallons vinegar, 8 pounds candles,
2 pounds of soap, % pounds OF salt, two
| pounds pepper, one bushel corn meal,
| 10 gallons canned tomatoes, IL loaves
of bread, 3 gallons of milk, and 20 pounds
of rice. TIE dry groceries are supposed to
last five days but the remainder make
one days ration. One of the bother
ations or the Quartermaster's Generals
life was the non-arrival of the milk on
the early boat and he thought it was
rough for the first day. To-day he
changes the bill of fare for the boys and
issues 500 pounds of halibut, 400 pounds
of fresh steak, 800 pounds of sugar cured
shoulders, besides vegetables.
Il give ii out this way" said Major
| Neumeycr, for several reasons. Now
to-day the bones of the meat served Will
make elegant soup for tomorrow to go
with the fish. The beans issued this morn
ing can be put to soak and will be
ready for supper this evening and the corned
beef Will make elegant hash for break
fast in the morning. I am holding neet-
ing OF mess officers each day and to-
gether we lay out the bill of fare, l
also give directions how to cook certain
articles to any who desired it. The new
ovens are working like a charm, and the
boys are not going to starve."
That there is no danger of starving car
easily be proved if one is fortunate enough
to get an invitation to dine a some mess.
For instance, the Third battalion found
awaiting them a dinner of soup, roast
beef, baked beans, potatoes, bread, coffee
and ice water. Lieut.. Gibson, who is
acting as quarterma ster, bad an even bet
ter supper. He is doing his work too well
because the battalion will insist on his
remaining as quartermaster instead OF
going back TO his position as inspector OF
rifle practice.
The attendance at the camp is a little
disappointing. The First regiment showed
arate battalion, 1874; Engineer corps, 60
and Veterans corps, Is. With the staff
and band added the total was little
over 500. The surprises in attendance
were in the First battalion, where only 10O
men are present. Maj. Ross expects a
goodly number in during the week, but il
Will be impossible for all of bis command
to attend. The Fencibles are represented
in camp by seventeen men, under command
of Acting Second Lieut. Dunn. The Nor
tons have only small company, buta large
reinforcement goes down tomorrow. Maj
Wilson leads with his battalion among the
white troops, and this will increase his
tent is too small, and be has been required
to divide his men into two divisions
which eat atdifferent times.
A RAIN STORM.
The first drops of rain fell just as the
ceremony Of guard mount was begun at 4
o'clock. The clouds had been lowering
for hours, but everyone hoped the rain would
keep off, but it didn't-didn't even keep
off the grass. For an hour it poured down
and the boys had chance to test the water
proof qualities of their tents. 1t rained sc
hard and so long that dress parade, or
rather rehearsal, had to be postponed until
to-day.
Guard mount, while it was trifle hur-
red, was q beautiful scene and drew out
nearly the entire camp.
Company D. First battalion, was the
company forming the main guard and at
same time each of the regiments was
placing its guard The main guard mount
was III front of brigade headquarters and
was under the supervision of the adiutant
general. A few minutes before 4 O'Clock
the assembly for trumpeters was sounded
and the band soon appeared. A few min
utes after Company d marched on to the
ground and the ceremony was begun. II
was watched by Gen. Ordway and most OF
the members Of his staff