The Washington times., 1895-06-15
Soldier Boys ''TroOp" the COIors
for the First Time.
MOST BEAUTIFUL CEREMONY
First Day of w orI for National G yards
men-Officers Have a Hard Time
Shut Up In the Fort-Moonshiners
Attack the Camp-Other Matters
of Interest.

nearly everyone failed TO get asleep until
/ late in the night
This first night in camp was not very
pleasant one. The rain had made the
ground very unpleasant, and tue men,
after tramping around in the mud and
wet, were only too glad to retire when
| taps were sounded. In some camps 1t was
not heard at all. Notwithstanding this,
there were q few bold spirits who wanted
| to go skylarking around, and they were
able 10 give the guard some little trouble.
But once out of bed the boys jumped
right in for day of hard work, and it
began at once. AS the Teveille call was
sounded the men rushed into the companyS
streets to answer to their names, and then
went back to their tents to finish dress
! ing When this had been completed each
company was put through the setting-up
process, and then they Were ready for
breakfast, which was served at o'clock.
GUARD MOUNT.
Guard mount at s clock was beautifully
executed The sun had risen smilingly
land the day was fair and bright. The even
ng before the ceremony had been inter
lrupted by the heavy rain, but this did not
| interfere. The main guard mount in front
of brigade headquarters was under the
CONSISTED of Company b, Sixth battalion,
Lieut.. Simmonson commanding. AS Of
lfiCer of the day he was responsible for
the behavior in camp. Lieut.. Oden, OF
the same company was officer OF the guard.
At the same time regimental guard
l,lount was in progress. In the First II was
under the command OF Capt. and AdJt.
iPeixOtto, Company @, Third Battalion,
was the guard company. Capt Sayer was
Iofficer of the day; First Lieut.. Birchard, OF
the same company, was tenor oiilcer OF
the elard, aud Second Lieut.. James, Com
pany D third junior officer. Capt. PeiXotto
says he noticed vast improvement over
the ceremony of the day before. In the
Second Regiment Adjt. Meyer was in
charge. The detail was from the Second
Regiment, and Capt. jenkins, Company "A,
Fifth Battalion, was officer of the day;
Lieut.. Dauforth, Company 3, Fourth, was
seuior officer Of tie guard, and Lieut.,
john +. SmallwoCd was junior officer or
the guard. At { O'Clock this morning they
are relieved. After retreat was sounded
the Countersgn was given out.
After this Tie first duty was drill. The
various majors took command OF their bat
talions and i'll some cases turned them over
to the captains In the Fourth and Fifth he
companies We're consolidated and platoon
drill was the order. Capt. Chase, of the
Fourth Artillery, inspected this drill and
saw a vast improvement in it before it
.
company drills were the order and We're
kept up during the time allotted TO this drill
The Third battalion, with increased num-
bers, spent its time most profitably as did
the First Separate battalion, which is
winning many friends by its attention TO
duty.
FLAG DAY OBSERVED.
After this the boys had time to pay some
attention to flag day The Emmets led off
! Nv nr1tN 2, Gpfa
Major Campbell followed and soon every
tent in the Second Regiment was flying the
stars and stripes. Major Suess had flag
raising in front of his headquarters and it
was here that the battalion learned the
qualities OF DR.. Neely's voice The First
Regiment in the meantime got out its share
of bunting and the camp was quite gay.
The Engineer Corps put in its time
preparing for work. Details of men We're
sent to the woods to cut small wood from
which to make @abions. At the same time
other details were out flashing messages
through the camp With the heliograph,
and others We're sending off messages by
carrier pigeons The corps has already
finished the telephone line from the wharf
to brigade headquarters, and also finished
a number of tripods for the use of the
inspector OF rifle practice. Now they are
getting ready to build a signal tower
1t will be made OF undressed timber,
pinned together with wooden pins. On
the top will be built a platform, and from
this messages can be signaled to the city
by either flags or the heliograph. Work
on this VIII be commenced at once.
GEN. ORDWAY'S LETTER
Gen. Ordway, at the request of The
Times, sent the following message from
camp by carrier pigeon:
Camp Washington Md June / 4, 1895.
ITO The Washington Times:
| '''Tbp National Gina rd have bprruD their
course of instruction in camp with q zeal
that promises good results, and with an
observance of good order and discipline
that should be gratifying to the citizens
OF the District, for whose protection they are
maintained and protected.
ALBERT ORDWAY,
"Brigadier Gen Commanding"
The bird left Camp Washington at 5 20
% o'clock, and reached its loft at ia d
street northwest at $40, the distance
having been flown in fifteen minutes. 1t
was at once brought TO The Times office by
messenger Each day a basket of fifteen
birds is sent down to camp by Mir Wallace,
and are received by Capt. Drury and his
men. The pigeons are great fighters, and
kept up such racket during the night that
The boys were forced to move from the next
tent But they are nice birds, and every
one in the company is stuck on them
OFFICERS CATCH IT.
The drill which was most Interesting
however, was in private. 1t was held in
Fort Washington itself, ard the private
wasn't in il. Had he seen his officers
yesterday, and could he see them to-day,
he would lie satisfied. They were taken
in charge. all tie officers OF the brigade
by Major HaTries and were put through
an aiming and sighting drill. Rather,
they received a preliminary training. A
rifle properly sighted was placed on Il
sand bag on top of tripod. Each officer
had TO look through the sights and say
, whether the gun was properly sighted.
Then various points were taken in tri-
angle, and i'll this way an officer was
told what errors he was guilty OF, if any
in aiming a gun. A. 80 they were put
through another hour of this work, and
to-day they must drill tkeir men i'll what
they lave learned. Then two more hours
must be put in, and this time it II cans
work, and work of the hardest kind
They viii leave the fort perfectly melted
Ma iur Harrirs was assisted by Capt Jas,
E. Bell. Inspector of rifle practice Second
Regiment; Lieutenant Ebert l. r. P,
First Battalion; Lieutenant F. j. Cardor,
l. IL. p, irst Separate Battalion; Lieu-
tenant g. c. Shaw, l. r. p, Fifth Bat
talon; aHd Lieutenant John A i irk, l.
r. p, Pro visional BattaIi on. After
Saturday Lieutenant Sabin of the Fourth
Battalion will be an instructor and perhaps
Lieutenant Gibson. who is acting as quar-
tcrInastcr n the Third may also gc, back
tu help 3ia or Earries, bat it IS t.CGb, fui.
MuuuSiiners attacked lie camp early in
the day by water The laval force con-
sisted of one boat, but il was loaded
with cnnugh tronbie 10 keep the camp
wide awake. Gen. Oulway had 4 bright
lookout hcwever, ard tic invading force
was promptly met Two revenue officers
were ordered to drive the eGeny AWAY,
I n III