The herald., 1897-08-07
AT THE CAMP
Citizen Soldiers Having a
Good Time
SOME INCIDENTS OF THE DAY
NAVAL RESERVES FROM SANTA
BARBARA ARRIVE
SOME INCIDENTS OF THE DAY
The Forenoon Devoted to Work and
the Afternoon to Playa Ball
in the Evening

Especial Correspondence Most of the
thousand men in camp here were awake
long before reveille was sounded this
morning. After the roll call was over
there came short drill just to wake the
men up and give them an appetite for
breakfast. Breakfast over the men
cleaned up around their tents and in
spection was held. Company c carried
off the honors in this not tent but was
in the most perfect order
After inspection some of the companies
were formed and marched up to the
quartermaster's tent where web belts
were issued. When the companies came
in from company drill they were marched
up the parade ground to the center and
there made a left turn and marched over
to the wheat fields just west of camp,
where they had skrmish drill. During
this the men were, like Gen. Jackson's
command, marched up hill and then
marched down again." the only differ
ence being that they were run up and
then run down again. They deployed to
right and left and charged an imaginary
enemy, consisting of a herd of mules.
There is no rest for the weary, and so
1t was to the boys in blue for in just
ten minutes after coming in from COM
pany drill they were marched out for
battalion drill evolutions, when they
marched and countermarched for the
longest hour and ten minutes ever licked
off, so some of the boys say After this
was finished they had twenty minutes
TO get ready for regimental drill. This
is the largest and longest drill of the
day, and was gone through very satis-
factorily, even to Capt. Darlington,
U. S. A., who is down here to find fault
if there is any to be found. At the close
of the drill Colonel Berry and Major
Weller sent their compliments to the
officers and men of the Second battalion
for the satisfactory way in which the
maneuvers were gone through with.
The Second battalion is composed of
Companies A, c, F and I. The men were
tired-very tired-when they were dis
missed, and most of them sought their
tents to get little rest and clean up for
dinner.
Last night was the first night that
passes have been issued and as a conse-
quence the corporals of the guard had to
keep on the jump UP to early this morn
ing, for numbers of the boys had for
gotten that the lines closed a half-p past
ten, and were only brought to the
knowledge that such was the fact by
the command "Halt!" given in a tone
that meant business, and this morning
there were fifteen or sixteen forlorn-
looking prisoners in the guard house.
The prettiest feature of the day outside
of dress parade was the arrival of the
Santa Barbara naval reserves, forty
three strong, who, with their officers,
were dressed in spotless white.
The signal corps and cavalry had
mounted drills all the morning and it
was a pretty sight to see them charging
across the plain with an almost perfect
alignment and moving with that grace
which is so characteristic of men who
have lived in the west the best part of
their lives and know how to sit horse
so as to cause the least fatigue to rider
and mount.
AS soon as the boys We're through din
ner they could be seen making for town
in great numbers. Once there fun ran
riot, great crowds patrolling the beach,
singing and enjoying themselves The
blanket again made it's appearance, but
by that time all those who were afraid
to be tossed had disappeared. A number
of the wiser ones spent their day in camp
resting for the dance, which is to be
given tonight by the non-commissioned
officers of the Second battalion to the
commissioned officers and men. Eckert
&s Hopf's hall has been hired for the oc-
casion, the Regimental band will furnish
the music and royal good timel is ex-
pected. Those who remained in camp
enjoyed the music by the band, which
plays in front of Headquarters every
afternoon.
Targets have been erected on the west
Of the camp, and rifle practice will BIZ
held there daily. Some time before the
end of the camp there will be competi-
tion for the several medals which have
been donated for prizes. One of these
is of solid gold set with diamonds. 1t
is an exquisite piece of workmanship,
with large diamond of the first water
for the center. The man who wins this
will receive the finest prize that was
ever offered for a state shoot
Tomorrow the Seventh Regiments
crack baseball team will play picked
nine of the officers, and an exciting game
is expected.
Dress parade was the feature of the
day There were, if possible, more la
dies out to witness it than yesterday.
Many of them brought cameras and ii
must have made beautiful picture
all of the men looking as if they had
just stepped out of a bardbox, the cav
airy and signal corps drawn up on the
left with a gloss on the satiny skins
of their horses that betokens hours
spent in preparation.
After dress parade came guard mount
This always impressive ceremony was
made more so by the seriousness of the
men, who entered into the solemnity If
it as though they were in an enemv's
country.
EAST SIDE NEWS