The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-05-26
AN ACCOUNT OF THE MARCH
HOW THE BOYS IN BLUE PUT IN
THE TIME.
Four More Companies Go Out on
Practice March This Morning
The Signal CIass-TaIk of the Re-
moval of the observation-disclosures
ing Notes.

fully carried out per order. The bat
talon left the post in light shower
of rain, which increased as the column
moved toward the mouth of Big Cot
tonwood canyon, and until the troops
were halted at noon to go into camp,
thirteen miles from the post the rain
was increasing. 1t is needless to say
there were many expressions of dis
satisfaction and not little profanity
| INDUCED in by the boys of the Six
teenth, many of whom were wet to the
skin. BY the time the advance guard
! reached Halliday the roads had be-
come so muddy and slippery as to
make marching a veritable burden.
In advance marched the point"
support" and reserve" all detach-
ments of company D, in the order en-
ployed when an enemy's country is
being invaded. Following them at a
! distance of two hundred yards came
the main body in column of fours,
sometimes in column of twos, and close
behind splashed the wagon train, fol-
lowed by the rear guard.
4 pioneer courier, mounted on mil
itary bicycle, preceded the point" but
at such great distance as to some
times make it doubtful which road to
take, and consequently the point" got
lost once or twice and led the command
on the wrong road This, however,
was soon remedied when the head Of
the main column would reach the right
road. The commander would send for
ward a mounted orderly and correct
the mistake, the connecting files send
ing the word forward, and the point
would cut across the fields and come
in ahead again on the right road.
!, Having marched thirteen miles, when
the rain began to turn into heavy
snow, the commander and adjutant
galloped forward and selected a camp
ing ground a short distance this side
of the grim walls of the old paper
mill, to the right of the road, just at
the mouth OF Hughes canyon, on the
right bank of the Big Cottonwood
creek. AS soon as the tired and drip
ping troops had stacked arms and the
wagons ha6 arrived at the head of
each company street to be hastily I'M
loaded. the snow and rain suddenly
stopped, the clouds began to break
over the mountains, and by the time
the white village of Camp Richards
had sprung into existence the sun
burst forth in splendor-a welcome
change to the wet and weary march
ers.
Beside the preparations for hasty
dinner and the drying of clothing and
oiling of rifles, but little was done
on the afternoon of the first day, eX-
cept an additional march of two miles
UP the canyon toward the great
power dam. In the evening a guard
for the camp was detailed, consisting
of six men with two posts. All kinds
of preparations were made to soften
the hard. damp ground, upon which
were to- repose the weary bones of the
Io,- +,,,. coil
and spread their blankets upon dry
ground; others rustled among the
damp leaves in the patches of scrub
oak nearby. and spreading first a
! canvass and then a blanket, made a
bed somewhat more downy. Many
others were content to cut the tops of
the ubiquitous sagebrush, which the
sun had dried and which was an adj
mirable arrangement for keeping the
blankets off the damp. ground. KNAPP
sacks, oyercoats and blouses were
used as pillows.
The sun rose bright on the morning
of the second day, though the breeze
out of the canyon was quite cold. At
8 O'Clock the troops were formed and
marched out on a tableland on the op-
posite side of the road, where the
field maneuvers or battle exercise as
prescribed was gone through with
Each man had twenty rounds of blank
cartridges in his belt. Reaching the
lower or north side of the hill, the
command was formed for attack, the
objective point being ridge in front
distant four hundred yards. and the
space lying Immediately behind it.
Company D was held as a reserve, the
other three companies were moved
forward and deployed upon reaching
the ridge. Cossack posts were formed
by sending forward one sentry from
each squad. THESE being recalled,
scouts and pickets were sent forward
to engage the enemy. who. in imagina-
ton, fired upon the scouts and drove
in the pickets upon the third line Of
resistance stationed on the ridge Here
the firing became fast and furious, and
made a continuous roll through the
canyons. The anxious watchers back
among the reserves expected every mo-
ment to be called upon to come for
ward in support, but their services
were not needed-the enemy was re-
pulsed The object for which the COM
mand had fought, the position on the
hill had been gained, and after the
reserve Unanswered a short time on
the ridge, the command was reformed
and marched back to camp, where the
cooks had ready a toothsome dinner of
bacon. hard tack, coffee. ham and
bread.
A welcome rest from drill was given
the troops in the afternoon. At $50
o'clock on the third the bugle suddenly
sounded the general" and the white
village instantly became a thing of
the past, every tent falling simultan-
eously to the ground. Soon the wagon
train was loaded and the column was
headed for Fort Douglas, with COM
pany G's scouts, fankers and point
in the lead The troops reached the
post in good shape at 12:15 o'clock of
the third day, having marched dis
lance of thirty miles.
Miss Madge Theaker, daughter of
Colonel H. A. Theaker, arrived at the
post Friday evening from Berkeley,
Cal, where she has been attending a
private school during the past winter
The band gave complimentary con-
cert in honor Of Miss Theaker last
evening at $3.50
The signal class, consisting of four
officers and twenty-five men. will go in
the field Cor five days. leaving the post
Monday. Three stations will be estab-
lished, one near the city, one near
Saltair and another at some point be-
low Murray. Two teams will furnish
transportation. The signal officers are
Lieutenants Steedman, Cowles, Pres
ton and Castle.
Private Pennington of company C
has been appointed post librarian in
the place of Private Meadows of COM
pany G.
Private Horne of the post exchange
will take advantage of three months
furiough. beginning Monday, the 25th
inst, and will remain in the canteen
store during the time.