The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-19
CRIMSON AND
GOLDEN PLUMES.
REVIEW OF THE ARTILLERY AND
CAVALRY AT THE PRESIDE
YESTERDAY,
RECEPTION TO GEN. MERRITT.
WORDS OF PRAISE FOR THE BOYS
IN Embellishments OF SPEC
TAToRS PRESENT.

| Ii those having in charge the arrange
ments for the reception to General Merritt
| OF the Division of Dakota q. s. A., and
the dress review of troops at the Presidio
| yesterday had made special terms with
Dame Nature herself they could not have
been accommodated with fairer day and
one more suited for their purpose.
| over thousand persons sought the
! Government grounds to witness the dis
| play which had been promised, and the
charms OF weather and the natural scenery
| which surrounded them caused rapturous
phrases to drop from every lip.
| The Preside is at all times a delightful
place with its shady groves and winding
paths; with its lovely villas and cottages
nesting amid green foliage and banks of
many-colored flowers; with its vistas of
green hills and broad, level stretches, and,
above all, its eye-enchanting panorama of
! blue bay waters and the distant hills of the
| Marin shore.
But when warm sun shines down from
cloudless sky and tempers the cool spring
breezes that are waited in from the Golden
| Gate, and the atmosphere is 50 clear that
all the pleasing surroundings even to the
| far-oH blue mountains across the bay are
as clear cut as silhouette, it must be
| phenomenalIy unimpressionable nature
that can withstand feelings of rapture.
And then, too, yesterday the picturesque
ness of the scene was made additionally
| pleasing by the maneuvering of the gayly
eaparisoned cavalry and artillery men with
their prancing steeds, glittering arms and
swift-rolling gun carriages.
1t was half-past 1 o'clock when the
| Fourth Cavalry rode out upon the parade
ground, their requirements glittering in
| 4 JOhS
| streaming out in the breeze. The troops
were composed of Companies B, G., and
| X, and they we're under the command of
Lieutenant-ColonelS Samuel D. NJ. Young.
Following the cavalry came the dashing
red-plumed Fifth artillerymen, under the
command of Majors John A. Darling and
Tully McCrea. Major Darling's command
consisted of four foot battalions, A, II,
R and L, and Major McCrea's the two
light batteries, F and D. All the field
maneuvers were under the supervision of
Colonel William M. Graham.
AT the eastern end of the parade ground
was BrigadierGeneral Forsyth, accom-
panied by Liutenant F. Franklin Bell
They escorted gadierGeneral Merritt
their visiting commander of the Depart
ment of Dakota. General Merritt was at
tired in civilians clothes. Ranged around
the edge of the grounds were about 1900
men, women and children. After salute
tinguished officers the manuevers began.
| They lasted over an hour, and it is need
| less to say that the participants distin-
guished themselves.
1t was the first time since his taking
charge of the Preside that General For
syth had held general review, and he ex-
pressed himself as very much pleased with
the discipline and personnel of the troops
General Merritt also uttered words of
praise for the boys in blue. The affair
closed with one wild dash of the cavalry
and artillery across the entire width of the
| parade ground, which was thrilling in the
| extreme.
! Among the spectators were many friends
| of the officers of the post who had gone
| out in carriages. After the review was over
the gallant soldier boys participated in an
informal reception to General Merritt,
hall had been handsomely decorated for
the occasion with flags and bunting, and
| profusion of palms, evergreens and flowers.
A band rendered sweet music while the
| guests of the day and the soldiers ex-
changed greetings with General Merritt.
In an adjoining room refreshments were
| served. All the officers wives were out to
do honor to the occasion and greet their
| fair friends who had driven out from the
city.
General Merritt was accompanied by the
/ members of the party who came here
| from Dakota With MIN. 1t was late IN the
afternoon before the festivities ended and
| the guests began to depart. Altogether it
was one of the most enjoyable events that
has taken place in the coy Preside quarters
for long time past.
Following are the officers of the troops
and batteries which participated yesterday:
Troop B, Fourth Cavalry-Captain James
| Parker, Lieutenants Alexander T. Dean and
| Samuel McP. Rutherford.
Troop c, Fourth Cavalry-Captain George II.
| G. Gale, Lieutenants John NJ. Neall and Thomas
! G. Carson
Troop Captain James Lockett, Lieutenants
James E. Nolan and Milton F. Davis.
| Troop K-Captain Alexander Rodgers, Lieu
| tenants Harry c. Benson and William r. Smed-
berg Jr.
Light Battery F, Fifth Artillery-Captain
Charles Moins, Lieutenants John d. MileyIWil-
| liam G. HAN, w. E. Ellis and Louis r. Burgess
Light Battery D-Captain Benjamin K. Rob-
| erts, Lieutenants Edward L. Brown, George w
Gatchell, Thomas w. Winston, George C. Cat
ley and Charles P. Summerall.
Battery A-Captain Frank Thorp, Lieuten-
ants William T. Hancock, Thomas Ridgway
and Louis r. Burgess.
Battery H-Captain Elbridge R. Hills, Lieu
tenants William I'll. Coffin, S. E. Allen and John
| w. Joyes.
Battery K-Captain Henry ]. Reilly, Lieu
tenants Granger Adams and Willoughby
| Walker
Battery captain John Mcclellan, Leuten-
ants George E. Sage, W. B. Homer and Edmund
M. Blake.
General Merritt and party will leave for
Portland, Or, on their way home to-day.