New-York tribune., 1897-08-01
SECOND BATTALION'S WEEK.
DRILLS HELD UNDER ADVERSE
WEATHER CONDITIONS
IN SPITE OF RAIN AND STORM THE MEN MAN

| IN SPITE OF RAIN AND SIokM MIN 'H''
AGED TO DO CoMMENDABL1 WORK.
The % Battalion has been through Its baptism OF
| fire and water-mosty water. It's initial cruise
| and outing is now eight days old, ana there WAS
rain on almost all OF those days. sometimes pour
ing drenching rain But there were no cutters IN
the little fleet and it was noteworthy iact 'ha'
| the men worked Just as hard as If the weather
| had been Of the finest. Each man Of them no."
has fine coat of tan that is evidence that he
has been active duty
| Much Of the excellent work done by the battalion
must be attributed to the remarkable popuhriy
OF the commander of the body. Captain Stayton.
There seem to he two reasons for this feeling OF
loyalty that Captain Stayton has aroused. ohe IL
that he has many excellent and attractive quaiiUes
as an officer and man. and the other Is that
when strict discipline Is not essentl ne II an
easy boss" While the trip has had its strictly
disciplinary side. II has likewise had almost the
same freedom as 4 IT had been a pleasure cruise.
Captain Staytons popularity is not confined TO
his own men, as is shown by the fact that several
members OF the New-York battalion have recently
given UP good offices that they might join the "a
Battalion.
THE WEEKS CRUISE.
The Brooklyn Naval Militia started on the week
cruise from the old New Hampshire. at the end
of East Twenty -eighth-st., New-York, last Satur-
day morning There were about one hundred and
sixty men slowed in five whaleboats. hve cutters
and two steam launches Captain Stayton ana
Paymaster J. Adolph Moenhauer each had charge
of a steam launch. The launches towed the other
boats up through He'll Hate Sands Point. There
the boys went into camp and got acquainted with
the rain on Sunday night they had a chance to
show the kind OF stun they were made OF. The
wind was blowing strong from the northeast when
it was reported that a cutter which had been
anchored off the beach was going ashore. Several
boats were manned. and the cutter was safely
landed upon the beach The men had no sooner
returned to their hunks than II was reported that
a yacht was being driven ashore. Boatswain's
Mate Nddre and crew rOwed out in hght
gig after considerable difficulty had been expert
enced in launching it, Then a cutter was ordered
out under command Of Quartermaster Crossing
When the drifting boat was approached she was
seen 10 he the oatboat Tabtha. owned by Dr. Nc
Ebbitt. the surgeon OF the battalion. She was
dragging her anchor. Men from the gig and the
cutter manned the catboat. pulled up her anchor
and she towed to "A place OF safety by launch
that had been ordered out. AS the was
high this work required nerve that would have
done credit to men who had been on many cruises,
instead of those who getting their first taste
OF service.
The reserves left Sands Point at 8 o'clock on
Monday afternoon Camp again pitched at
night, the narrowest part of Lloyds Neck.
which separates Cold Spring Harbor and Hunting
ton Bay. Some alarm vas caused by the absence
OF three boats. under the command Of Lieutenant
Reid. Engineer Brane and Quarermaster Ham-
ton.
All OF the boats had reported by Wednesday
| morning that they were safe at points along the
north shore of Long Island. where they had turned
In for safety. As each boat had been provisioned
for day two. there suffering Ensign
Beale had put in at Sea CH because of the high
water. Lieutenant Hirsch and Ensign Braine like
wise put into Sea clif Harbor Quartermaster
Hamilton put In at Matinicock Point
he q N he ma
shore boats which had begun at Sands Point was
opportunity 10 learn the duties of every station in
boat At night the men received shore liberty
Up to this date the SnS msnaP OF ssr9s M,ddr, nat
who contracted gastrits AS result OF his rough
| experience In gig on sunday night, and his sub
The perpetual rain would have made the trip
dismal to a less cheerful lot Of men. They were al
ternately getting soaked and putting their clothes
| out to dry Each man slept on rubber blanket
with blankets and tent over him but even with
| that they were becoming seasoned seamen at a
< lack of butter and in,experience in preparing
and serving their meals did not matter to them
because their appeites were constantly whetted by
to 'sne he On ensda oe and d%nsss at The Gesiho
| men. In the afternoon the battalion gave a drill
with the boats in squadron formation. The guests
| The orders signaed with flags from the
| launch that Captain Stayton had made his flagship
| excellent work being done.
PRAISED BY MR.. ROOSEVELT.
The battalion struck tents and got under sail on
Thursday morning on the return the crews that
| had been sidetracked by bad weather were picked
up Quartermaser Hamilton had tried his best to
reach Iloyds Neck and result had been
| ly swamped several times. The wind prevented all
| these boats from lacking eastward far enough to
| reach the main fleet.
| The trip home was made IN safety, and camp was
pitched at the end OF Fifteenth-ave.. south of
Dyker Meadow Park. The battalion gave a boat
| drill In the morning and In the afternoon 1t
| reviewed in connection with the NewYork re-
| serves on the parade ground. The men were
greatly cheercd by the manner In which Assistan II
| Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt singled them out
| to compliment them for the brave manner In which
| they had borne up trying trip. He again went
out OF his way to praise the Brooklyn boys on the
| lively manner in which they manned the boats in
| front OF their camp.
| The men had their liberty Friday night, and
| Yesterday morning they had boat drill under
| sails
| The camp will not be broken until this afternoon.
| but such desired returned TO their homes
| last night.
| y