The evening times., 1898-06-14
The AAtOr Battery.
CHARLEY.

New York, June i.-Tanned to a suit
able color by four days exposure. the
| Astor crack mountain battery left camp
yesterday and started for duty in the
Philippines. Reveille was sounded twenty
| minutes to six o'clock, and after 4 break
fast of tenderloin steaks lamp chops, beef
hash with eggs chopped up in it. coffee.
bread and butter and milk. the work OF
breaking camp began at 7:3o o'clock. A
few who had special reasons TO advance
We're allowed to go to the city to say
''good-by'' to their friends and then re-
Joined the main body at Jersey City, from
which place the departure for the West
was taken over the Pennsylvania railroad.
The work of packing up at the camp pro-
gressed rapidly for the mems hearts were
in 1t. and soon after noon the bugles
sounded the orders to march.
1t was only a short tramp to the Van
Nest Station. on the Harlem River branch
of the New York New Haven and Hart
ford railroad, about mile away, where
a special train of three sleeping cars and
three baggage cars awaited. There the
battery lay all the afternoon. however,
owing to some hitch in getting the rail-
way transport boat up to the river.
JUS before the start, a little after 5
O'Clock, the boys band from the Catholic
Protectory at Van Nest marched down
to the station and gave a serenade. play
ing number of patriotic airs very we'll
The soldiers acknowledged with cheers
and hearty applause and a round of calls
from the battery buglers. 1t was just ten
minutes after when the train reached
Port Morris and was shunted aboard the
big transfer steamer Express. which took
the troops to Jersey City, where they ar
rived at z o clock.
Down the river and around the Battery
the Astor Battery received perfect
ovation. The men were recognized from
all the ferryboats which were crowded
at that hour. and were cheered to the
echo, while the steamers big whistle
used about as much steam as her engines
in answering the triple blasts from every
craft which passed.
About 800 persons, women predominant
ing. who had been waiting patiently all
the afternoon. focked out on the bridge
when the Express was seen coming
around the end of the slip. and it re-
quired the gentlest efforts of big force
If policemen and railroad men to get
them back out of harms way.
Sandwiches were passed round to the
hungry men when Jersey City was
reached, and boys who treed the cars to
sell pies-to. them did a bad business. So
many friends of the soldiers were on hand
with eatables.
Now shoes had been distributed among
the men Saturday. They came from the
Army department. and were sewed
throughout, being without the pegs which
so cruelty mangled the mems feet on their
last forced march. Henry B. Ely and
Mr. Timpson. from Col. Astor's Office.
were at Jersey City and had a long talk
with Capt. March about various plans to
make the men more comfortable.
Capt. March found time to say that he
expected his battery would stay forty
eight hours in ST. Louis and one week in
San Francisco before going on board
Ship, and he estimated that 1t would take
them ftfty-four days to make the journey |
from New York to Manila He said he |
was very wen pleased with his men thus |
far, having found them very. intelligent, |
and he believed they would prove most |
ehlcient.
1t took about three-quarters Of an hour