The herald., 1897-08-11
NARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH
CF A MARKER
Work of the Signal Corps-Major Gen.
eral James Departs for the
North

| dnu II seemed to be SuDStan tiated when
the members of one of the companies
were seen running around the camp with
their belts bristling with cartridges.
Later it was found that it was merely
to be an extended order company drill
with skirmish firing.
| The company that had blank cart
ridges furnished to them marched out
to the north of camp and practiced for
the shooting at the silhouette targets
which have been erected just west of
| camp and to the north of the shooting s
range. They started in by firing one
volley at command, with sights set up
| to 500 yards. They then advanced 100
yards a. double quick and fired another
volley. After another 100-yard run five
rounds were fired at will within forty
| five seconds. Then came marching and
countermarching, with more firing, I'M
til almost all of the thirty rounds of
ammunition which had been issued to
each man We're fired. Finally the COM
paniee were marched back to camp and
stacked arms, to rest for about twenty
minutes for the regimental drill, which
is generally held after the company ev-
olutiona.
This morning this was omitted and an
| advance guard drill was held instead
All of the mer. in camp were formed in
two immense companies. Companies
| |, ard A constituted the first COM
pany which was commanded by Captain
Wankowsky of Company A, and Compa-
MES e, II, K, M and l., the second COM
pany, which was commanded by Captain
| Dodge. The mer. were marched out
about two miles and threw out skirmish-
ers and spies as they went. They We're
also given different formations and in
structed in the mysteries of the route
step and how to save themselves on a
long march. This drill lasted for about
two hours and half and all were very
tired when marched in to clean up for
mess.
Company F had skirmish drill this
morning ard used the silhouettes as enc
mics. Metaphorically speaking, they
didn't do a thing to them" One of the
figures, which represents the outline of a
man kneeling, was shot through the
heao fifteen times and some of the
others received much the same treat
| ment
There came near being a fatal accident
at the rifle range this moining. A de-
tachmert from one of the companies
was shooting at the target when one of
! the men who was. acting as marker,
stepped directly in, front of the target
and at the same instant a marksman
fired. The bullet passed within three
inches of the markers head. The tar
gets are not of the regulation order, but
merely canvas stretched upon frames.
| with bulllhead for the marker to etand
behind built out on one siC,e, and they are
so arranged that some of the bullets
from the 200-yard range pass danger
ously near to the 500-yard target. 1t is
hazardous for the marker Of the 500
YARD target to step from behind his bulk
head, as he has to do to mark the shots.
TIE cavalry troop had several exciting
horse races this. morning with their
troop horses, at the polo grounds. There
were only two entries in the first race,
which was one-eishth of a mile. F..
Donegan rode his horse Nury and VIII
cox was upon Kitty " The race was
run in. is seconds, and was won by Nury,
In the next, which was a quarter mile
dash, there were three entries: Walter,
with Donegan up; Badger, with Wilcox
up, and Tony, with Smith up. The race
was run, in % seconds, and won by Wal
ter, Tony second. In the third the en-
tries were: Duke, with Dunn up; Nury,
with Donegan up, and Mckinney, with
Wilcox up. They finished in, the. order
named. Time, 104; distance, ope-half
mile. The fourth and last race of the
day had three entries. The mile
o.Q In rio
being: Pancho, with Donegan up
Tonte, with Wilcox for the jockey. and
Bess, with O'Connor up. They finished
in the same order
A great many remained in camp this
Afternoon instead of going down town.
They have learned that a man cannot
drill all morning and walk around town
all the afternoon and evening without
having to pay for it the next day.
The officers of the cavalry squadron,
headed by Major Diss, paid their official
call on the general and staff and the
colonel and his staff this afternoon, and
for a short time the street in front of
headquarters was a scene to delight the
heart of man with a camera, for of
course the officers were in full dress,
with glittering gold lace. and plumes.
Thursday night there is' to. be an. old
fashioned camp fire with all of the
trimmings, that is, cigars, tobacco and
pipes. There is to be some fancy
dancing by a female impersonator and
music.
The signal corps have had messages
from the detachment on top of Old
Baldy all day. The last message sent
was that provisions are getting scarce
but we will pull through" 1t is the
finest kind of weather for signaling, as
the air is very clear. The distance
from Old Baldy to the camp is 60 or IS
miles, yet the flashes can be seen with
the naked eye. This corps holds the
long distance record for signaling in
California.
Dress parade was held at 4:30 this even
ing. with a large audience present.
Miss e. Sanborn, the daughter of the
regiment, was out in her uniform of
dark green cloth, trimmed with gold
|;lace. and white. On her head was a
helmet of white, with gold front plates
and trimmed with large white wings on
the sides. After the parade was over
she walked over to watch the drill of