The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-14
WHITE BAT TALON DRILL
The Philadelphia's Crew and the
Naval Reserve in Golden
Gate Park.
Pretty and Perfectly Timed Military
Observation-Disclosures Gore, the
Ship Dog.
Henry 4 Cha S.

The white battalion of the Philadelphia,
escorted by the California Naval Reserves,
gave the public a treat in the way of an
exhibition drill at Golden Gate Park yes
teTday afternoon. 1t was the first time
the men of the war vessels in the harbor
have given an entertainment of the kind
in the City, and the spectacle of almost
400 sailors moving as one man IN perfect
unison was an imposing one.
Long before the battalion arrived great
crowd of people had settled themselves on
the music-stand benches and grassy slopes
around the carriage concourse, which was
to be the parade ground. At about 3
o'clock strains of martial melody were
heard behind the trees, and presently a
relocated band came out of the foliage
and then the white companies.
With steady stride they swung across
the level space in columns of thirty-two
front. The battalion was commanded by
acknowledgements Ingersoll, U. S.
N, executive officer of the Philadelphia,
and the Naval Reserves by Lieutenant
Commander Turner. The whole force was
evidently under the guardianship of Dog
Gore, the cruisers mascot, who was not
only the one dog permitted in the park
but was, in his own mind, personally re-
sponsible for the military behavior of his
shipmates. Decoration day he came
ashore with the rest of the Philadelphians
and was the only sailor who overstayed
his liberty. He was absent four days and
when he did return he was quarantined
aboard ship until yesterday.
The reserves, not being accustomed to
drill with the cruisers men, did not take
part in the movements, but formed a
guard around the Enclosure. The bat
talIion was rapidly thrown into different
formations and positions by Lieutenant
Commander Ingersoll, going from sections
into battalion line in splendid order at the
change in the bugle's note.
Then came the riot drill, first forming
into company squares, with the officers
marched double-quick down an imaginary
street, the leading company upon reach
ing a cross-street would divide rapidly,
throwing line on each side, when, with
bristling bayonets they protected the
TANKS Of the moving line. Then. as the
column passed, that company would form
in the rear.
The head company would go through
the same pretty evolution and this would
go on as long as the street march would be
continued. That part OF the drill closed
with a beautiful formation of battalion
square, afterwards coming to "place rest"
in battalion line.
The most interesting maneuver was. the
bayonet drill, the movements of which are
made in keeping with the music of the
band. At the order the men Invested
themselves of their belts and accoutre-
ments, and as the drum-maior raised his
staff and the strains of "Daisy, Daisy"
burst out, each rife was swung through
the air in the prettiest motion imaginable.
The movements changed with the melo-
dies, the evolutions being gracefully exc
cuted and enthusiastically applauded by
the spectators. The white battalion then
passed into company formation and
marched back to the Haight-street cars,
returning aboard their ship.