Evening star., 1897-06-16
Soldier Boys at Fort Washington E1-
hibit Great Proficiency.
TIE MORTON CADETS RECEIVE PRAISE
National FencibIes Put Upa Beau
tiful Exhibition Drill.
THE CURRENT CAMP GOSSIP
By Special Wire.
EVENING STAR HEADQUARTERS.

the canvas city occupied by the D. C. N. G.,
and everything is moving along smooth
ly- The rays of the sun are more intense
TOO. than they have been any preceding
day of the outing. The heat has had
some slight effect on both officers and en-
listed men. who were out this morning and
again this afternoon for a total Of several
hours. maneuvering in extended order.
With the passage of time matters at
Camp Washington seem to grow gradually
quieter. The prearranged program, COM
mencdng at reveille at 5:45 o'clock In the
morning, and ending with taps at 1890
O'Clock at night, is followed without varIa-
ton day after day. and every man on the
reservation is thoroughly familiar with and
accustomed to the daily routine. They all
take to 1t as naturally and as promptly as
though soldering was their chosen walk
in life and that they were being paid for
1t. But they are not.
1t is merely a matter of duty. As has Oft
times been stated, heretofore, IL the gov
ernment could be induced to pay the off,
GERS and men of the organized militia at
the national capital a sufficient amount as
daily stipend. while at camp, or at ordered
parade or rifle practice, a brigade could be
maintained which the entire United States
might well be proud of. AS 1t Is, however,
judging solely by its present appearance
volunteer militia organization could toe the
mark in better all round shape than the
command under Gen. Ordway.
Different at Fort Washington.
Visitors to camp who have had the op-
porturiity at any time to cast an eye over
the so-called military encampments Of Ma
tional Guard companies ut Atlantic City,
Ocean View and like resorts, have had
their eyes opened after spending several
hours at Camp Washington. Independent
camps Of the National Guard are usually
synonymous with mock parades, ghost
dances and other forms of revelry, by day
and night. Such decidedly unmiiitary do
ings. too, have been countenanced by the
of the camps. 1t is different
here at Fort Washington. The conduct of
the men, in fact, Is dametrically opposed
to such actions as those described.
All in all, the discipline. and general
bearing of those in camp is praiseworthy
in the extreme, the most violent form OF
amusement noticed up to date having been
the indulgeI ce in the national game of
base ball, and the building of a human
pyramid by the members of one of the
companies. At taps everybody is in bed
who is not required Or authorized to be
up and stirring, and there are no yells CT
outcries of any kind. no ringing of bells
or disturbances Of any sort, except the
calls of the sentinels and the rumDiing OF
the ambulance in the event that 1t should
be called into service as it was at an early
hour this morning.
Observance Of the regulation in the mat
ter Of salutes is also worthy of note. There
is no shirking in that regard, as might he
expected. ENLISTED men go out of their way
to pay courtesy to commissioned officers.
They do not consider 1t humiliatihg act,
but matter of military duty as much as
Is any ether requisite prescribed in the
regulations. In short, Camp Washington
Is model in every sense of the word.
Mortons the Heroes.
Just at present the members of Company
B, I'd Battalion. are the heroes, go to speak,
of the District National Guard and Of
Camp Washington. Under it's official desig-
nation, Company B, ID Battalion, may not
be recognized by persons not constantly in
touch with the guard. For their benefit 1t
may be well to explain that this organiza-
ton is the Morton Cadets, the holders OF
the title of champion military company of
the United States.
The Mortons reported at 4:3O o'clock yes-
terday afternoon to be mounted as provost
guard, and the manner in which they went
through the ceremony was nothing short CT
a revelation. 1t was by far the finest ex-
In every respect, and as the boys marched
OH the drill ground there was a spon-
taneous, enthusiastic, sincere and long
drawn-out demonstration in the way OF
When the company reach.
ed the provost guard tent 1t was called to
attention by Capt. Herbert Sloc I'm Of :he
Ith United States Cavalry, who Is on duty
at the camp as instructor Of the guard, and
complimented on its work in most hattering
terms.
Capt. SlOcum's Com m2liment.
In his service in the regular army since
leaving West Point. twentu years ago, Capt.
Slocum said to the Morton Cadets. he had
never seen, in the regular army in a mill
la encampment or. in fact. anywhere, ..ny-
thing that equaled or approached to the
exhibition at guard mount The thoro Ugh
training of every man of the comp my was
at once apparent in the showing Of the
organization as a whole. SO said Capt. Slo-
cum, and he was more than pleased with
the company. Capt. Shilling, who was
officer Of the day. was warmly congratulate.
ed on the showing Of his company by all
the officers, regulars as well as members
of the guard. who witnessed 1t.
Il tried to catch those fellows mapping
shortly before o'clock this morning"
said Capt. Slocum. in conversation with
The Star correspondent 1T was my in
tention to take them unawares, II possi-
ble appeared on the road near the guard
tent and. after being challenged in perfect
style, ordered that the guard be turned
out The order was obeyed with most
commendabie promptness Every man was
properly equipped, and, try as hard as /
could, 1 was unable to find the semblance
of raggedness about the formation. The
sentinels on all the posts knew their bust
ness thoroughly. Both Capt. Shilling and
his men deserve the utmost credit"
Capt. Charles H. Heyl CT the c3d United
States Infantry, who is to be the next ad-
jutant general of the District militia, con-
sidered the guard mount of Capt. Shilling's
company magnificent. The Morton Cadets
will continue on duty as provost guard un-
til 4 80 o'clock this afternoon.
Fencibles, Too.
While compliments are In order. Com
pany c, I'd Battalion-the famous National
Fencibles-should not be overlooked At
the request Of the Union Veteran Union,
which gave an excursion yesterday to
River View, a squad of sixteen men in the
Fencibles, under command Of Capt Do
mer. went over to the excursion resort and
gave an exhibition drill for the benefit Of
the excursionists.
The Fencibies wore the regulation uni
form, with the exception of white duck
trousers On reaching the dancing pavilion
at River View they were warmly welcomed
by the officer In command Of the veterans
and In reply Capt. Domer stated that his
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