The record-union., 1898-06-15
Will Sail for Manila This Afternoon
or Tomorrow Morning.
The Departing Soldiers Given an Ovation as
They Passed Through the Streets
and While Embarking on
the Transports.

second fleet of transports to convey
men and the accessories of war to the
Philippines, and incidentally to Rear
Admiral Dewey's aid, is almost ready
to start. The men, with the exception
of a few officers, are ali on board and
the finishing touches are being put on
the cargoes. The last wagonloads of
stored away and the cargoes are being
trimmed, preparatory to the long voy-
age
Orders Were issued last night by Gem
eral Otis to the commanders Of the
different companies to have their men
prepared to leave camp early this
morning, and the joyful news spread
rapidly among the men, who have been
waiting patiently for such orders for
three weeks past, ever since the de-
parture of the first fleet.
There was little sleep for the volun-
teers at Camp Merritt last night cspe-
cially among those who received their
orders to prepare for the long journey.
All night long the men talked Of the
trip between snatches of Sleep which
needed no second calling this morning
to get them out of their tents. AT an
early hour everybody was astir. Cooks
had been up half the night preparing
breakfast for the soldiers-possibly the
last that many of them will eat on
American soil.
After the morning meal had been dis
posed of the work of rolling the army
blankets, overcoats and other military
possessions was completed and the
march.
The regulars. with the calm demeanor
of experienced soldiers, We're the first
that left the camp. They consisted Of
Companies F. D, E and b of the Twen-
ty-third United States Infantry, and
four companies of the Eighteenth
United States Infantry.
The Colorado regiment, 1000 strong.
were the first volunteers to leave the
camp The men were remarkably well
than volunteers. They were in heavy.
marching order, and their fine appear
ance excited much praiseworthy COM
ment from the thousands of spectators
who lined the downtown streets.
The Pennsylvanians We're the next to
take their departure. They were a
happy lot of men, and showed no evi-
dences of fear for the future. AS they
left the camp they were cheered by The
other soldiers, and answered in kind.
Their march to the water front took
them along Golden Gate avenue. and
as they passed two public schoolhouseS
the children greeted them with cheers
and the waving Of flags, and the soldier
boys replied to this demonstration with
hurrah upon hurrah.
The Utah men left the camp later
in the day, and they had a hard time
passing through the throngs of people
gathered on Market street to witness
the passing of the departing soldiers.
The Nebraska troops did not leave
Camp Merritt until this afternoon. I'm
til this morning the Nebraska volun-
teers feared that their lot would be
cast with the third expedition, and the
welcome order to get ready to join
the second expedition came as a great
relief to the nerves and was received
with cheers.
All morningand early in the afternoon
people gathered along the line of march
to see the soldiers and to say their
good-bys Every now and then some
volunteer or regular, more fortunate
than the rest, broke from the ranks to
say good-by to friends and relatievs.
Bands played patriotic airs, and bombs
and small cannon made lots of noise.
The men were given a fine send-off and
there was evidence of genuine friend
ship for the strangers from the East.
OF course the demonstration was not as
great, nor was it so pitiful, as the one
given the soldier boys Of the first fleet
of transports. but then the men who
boarded the vessels to-day were not
brothers and fathers, but they We're re-
minded that even though they were
far away from home. the people of Cal
ifornia felt for them and showed them
as warm a sense of friendship as Is
possible between strangers. Whenever
there was a stop the civilians gathered
around the men and gave them fruit
fr,onfinned on Eighth Pagel