The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-28
DESPERATE BATTERY DRILL.


DESPERATE BATTERY DRILL.
Capt. Curtis Gives Old Light Artillery
Boys a Task of Rough Riding.
Correspondence of the Journal
CAMP THOMAS, Chickamauga Park Ga,
June 26-The men of the Twenty-seventh
Battery had the drill of their lives Satur-
day. and there is not man in the battery
who will ever forget it, 1t was the most
warlike drill the battery has ever had In
stead of being a movement drill on the drill
grounds, Captain Curtis led the battery out
on the Alexandria road for about a half
mile and then plunged off to the right into
thick woods; the first command was trot,
ana then, as the drivers became more con-
fldent, the command was changed to gallon.
and from that to run. This continued UP
hill and down over bitches, through small
creeks, over logs and fences, at such rate
or speed that some of the boys imagined
their last hour had come. Not a tree was
struck, not piece of harness was broken
not man or horse injured, although the
run was made through the thickest kind of
underbrush, over entirely new and strange
territory. In several instances horses fell
to their knees, but in each instance the
drivers were on the alert and pulled them to
one occasion the heart of every man in the
battery leaped to his throat when they were
compelled to leap horses, pieces and all
over stone ledge at least four feet high
but these seemingly hairbreadth escapes
were intermingled with many amusing Incl
dents. Emerging from the woods into a
small clearing in platoon 'front.' the battery
came suddenly on a large corral Of mules,
and Lieutenant Callen, in charge of the
second platoon, was obliged to divide the
platoon to avoid running over the mules,
when the frightened animals stampeded and
the last seen of them they were running
wildly through the woods in all directions.
In another instance the boys suddenly came
over small hill on to drill ground where
battalion of recruits was drilling the sud-
den appearance of the artillery coming
down the hill in battery 'front.' at full gal
Top, must have made the recruits think the
Spaniards had attacked Camp Thomas, and
they broke and ran in as many different di-
rections as the mules did.
During the road drill Captain Curtis led
the men past the several regiments of in
fantry, and when he came to the One-hun-
-f1fty-eighth Indiana he gave
the command rest and allowed the bows a
few minutes visit with their friends in the
popular Hoosier regiment. After short
rest the men were commanded to mount
and were marched through the woods in a
roundabout way back TO camp, where the
grill was finished on the home drill grounds
in the presence of Maj Gen. Willeston and
star, and also the majority of officers and
men of the entire artillery brigade, whose
batteries had long since finished their usual
morning drill. Among the spectators were
Mr.. and Mrs. Van Camp and daughter Miss
van Camp of Indianapolis; also many
buckboard parties from Chattanooga. This
@ hn hep1A 500 fa-A 4 I,.,En -
terry has had as a whole at Camp Thomas,
and for the Twenty-seventh Battery to fin
ish the drill without the slightest injury to
either men, horses or equipment shows the
excellent condition of the whole battery.
The drill lasted from z o'clock a. m. until
noon, and after cleaning the pieces and har-
ness, as usual, the boys were so hungry
that they ate everything, in sight at the
hucksters along the road had for sale.
Sergeant Swan. of the Fifth Section.
went to Lyle yesterday to, make, a few
chased new lantern, which he claimed
was better than an electric lamp. AS he
went to light it he must have turned the
the globe was broken, and, as he expressed
it, he had no more lantern than a rabbit"
Consequently, the popular sergeant objects
to hearing such remarks as flights OUT or
what kind of lantern are you using?'
,Messrs. Huey and Stark. the indianapolis
for several weeks. and are getting up one
of the finest collection of war pictures
lHldSlldDle, WHICH Iney lnIenuT putting on
exhibition in indianapolis before long.
The members of the Twenty-eighth Indi-
ana Battery were pleased to find among the
recruits that arrived the other day their old
First Lieutenant Niemeyer, who has en-
listed as a private, which is ample proof of
the ex-lieutenants patriotism.
Pat Costello. the Indianapolis newsboy,
blew into camp yesterday and is arrang-
ing to sell the different Indianapolis papers
in Camp Thomas: He is an enterprising
young man and 1t is sincerely hoped by the
battery boys that he may succeed in his
undertaking.
A general order has been issued from
headquarters. excluding all newspaper cor
respondents from the camp, unless carrying
pass signed by Secretary Of War Alger.
This has been, within the last day or two,
the means of keeping out at least thirty war
correspondents for different papers all over
the United States.
ing why, since the other Hoosier regiments
have reading tents and reading matter, fur
nished them from Indianapolis, the l. L. A.
is left out If they wish to write they must
sneak away in the woods and are compelled
to use their knee for writing desk, and if
they wish to read, they must either borrow
one of the two or three books that have
been brought into camp, or do without
Lieutenant Gallon, the ordnance officer,
has received bill of lading for the equip
ment for the personnel of light battery of
six guns, which includes the following: One
hundred and seventy-three reviewers, with
holsters and cartridge boxes, 173 waist belts
and plates. II saddles and saddle bags COM
plete, 149 saddle blankets, II pairs spurs with
watering
brides. 70 curry combs. 30 grths or cinches
extra, 149 haters, IS horse brushes 149 horse
covers, SO links, 149 nose bags, 149 picket
pins. 149 sircingles 173 each of the following
-canteens canteen straps, haversacks, haV-
ensack straps, knapsacks, light artillery
khives, forks, spoons. meat cans and tin
cups. This, when it arrives, will make the
mems equipment complete, only lacking
then the other two guns with equipment,
and the rest of the horses and harness to
make the battery ready to march. Lieut..
Gallon says that the requistion for horses
has been filed and that the horses will be in
camp within the next few days.
Batter T., Of Fort Wayne gained a we'll
earned victory at baseball over the Dan
vile, ILL.,. battery. The score was to Z, in
twelve innings and tomorrow they will
cross bats with the Atlanta, Ga, battery.
The artillery brigade was fortunate
enough to have two church services to at
tend this morning. one at Battery H. Ohio
battalion, at o'clock, and the other at 10:45
lain Christensen. The boys OF indianapolis
were more than pleased to have another
opportunity of listening to the popular pas
tor from home The attendance at these
services is not compulsory. but all members
of the battery are requested to attend,
which they do in a body, almost without
exception.
The usual number of men who are granted
passes to visit Lookout mountain each Sun
day was in charge of Sergeant Dunlap to-
day and included Corporals Haughey and
Murbarger Bugler Martindale Privates
Gates. Griffith, Hawkins, Pearce Alfrey, s.
Pattison, Williams, Carney, Carton and
Hendricks. j. " ".