The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-06


from Washington to the effect that Lieu
tenant Blake had been transferred~ from
the Fifth Artillery 70 his battery, ana
would overtRke them II possible on the
march. The result OF this official action,
of course, was TO occasion the usual re-
gret on the part OF officers and men at the
loss OF a thoroughly well liked lieuten-
ant, and 10 arouse certain degree of GU
riosity as TO the makeup OF his successor,
who Is now making the best time he can
across the hilly part OF weste~sl Rhode
Island 10 report Tor duty. Otherwise the
day passed without incident, and II was
the same last night.
Captain j Eields who has been in COM
mand of this battery for p years. has
had lots OF experience in writing military
articles for magazines having furnished
one OF the most picturesque and accurate
accounts OF the Modoc war that was ever
published, SO he knew just what THE
News CORE lpondent was looking for last
night when he appeared at camp head
quarters and asked what was going on.
"Come in,' ne said, with hospitality
that was worth coming in contact with,
"and make use OF that e. are pair OF blan-
kets, and J'l. tell you all here is 10 tell"
Captain Fields is big man with perfect
physique, snow-white hair, and closely
clipped white moustache, altogether mill
tary in appearance, and certainly in fact.
For he is a veteran of four wars, and,
practically speaking, has had spurs on his
heels, and sword dangling at his side
for 81 years.
He had retired for the night, not on a
spring cot in q tent with floor and
marque, but on a rubber blanket spread
next 10 Scituate soil, and with nothing
above him bat the lightest of shelter
tents.
His uniform and sword were hung over
a convenient tree stump that happened to
be within the enclosure OF the canvas,
his big bare arms were outside the blan-
ket, apparent strangers to anything like
the sensation of cold, and the picturesque
interior OF his quarters was completed by
the uncertain light OF a single candle.
Under these conditions he entertained
the correspondent until long after taps,
with stories OF the regular army in gener-
al, and of Light Battery i in particular
As TO the makeup of this command in
the present march there are all told three
commissioned officers, 80 enlisted men,
63 horses, four guns, Jour caissons. one
artillery or transportation wagon, "a
small tents and one hospital tent. and
an artiflcers supply of 100 horseshoes
and nails. This equipment Is for what
is known as leisure, or almost heavy
marching order On forced march the
tents and good deal OF the baggage
would 20 of the list in a hurry. But
this is an ordinary route march OF 100
miles both ways, with weeks encamp-
ment at the other emo and months
leave of absence from the post TO do II IN,
so comfort and fun is allowable.
Each day begins for the battery with
reveille at O'Clock in the morning, with
roll call 10 minutes later. Three-querters
of an hour is allowed for watering,
grooming and feeding the horses, and
then comes the breakfast call al o O'Clock.
1t takes another hour TO harness, pull up
stakes and pack. AT O'Clock the march
is resumed with halts OF five minutes at
the end OF each hour until noon when
there is stop of 40 minutes for lunch,
with nothing hot.
BY 4 O'clock in the afternoon the final
halt for the day is made and camp Sc
lected as near as possible TO stream or
pond. The battery IS wheeled into park
and the picket line stretched. The "po-
lice party" which is the guard OF the
previous "a hours, pi, ches the tents OF
the officers and the men put up their own
shelters or pick out trees 10 sleep under,
Just as they like. The camp is always
laid out in accordance with the regula-
tions so far as the nature OF the ground
admits, with the officers quarters on one
flank, the cook "tentn and supply wag-
on the other, and the mems tents ar
ranged in parallel lines with the guns
formed "in park In the intervening
space, ana the horses htched to the
picket line. which is stretched in sections
between the outer wheels of the caissons.
All this takes not more than an hour
and as taps are not sounded until 10
o'clock the men have five hours In
which TO enjoy life on picnic.
81 don't conform to the strict regula-
tons which we observe at Adams, 4"
continued Captain Field, "while on the
march, but make everything as easy and
comfortable as may be consistent wit h
good discipline. For instance, we have
guard mount on the marcs in the after
noon ju st before gong into camp and
then at night there is but one post main
tanned, and the principal duty OF this
single sentinel is to lock out for the
horses. "
II would be difficult to imagine a more
picturesque scene than that presented by
the camp i'm North Scituste last night.
IL was laid out on an uneven patch of
ground that formed an opening In thick
piece OF woods between the road and the
shore OF Lake Moswansicut. And here in
the center OF the nights bivouac were
tethered half hundred splendid horses,
rolling, lying down and In all positions
OF equine comfort. The waters OF the
pond, the tents and the polished barrels
OF the big guns glistened I'm the moon
light, the remains OF an immense camp