The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-03-14

terday to return to Fort Riley at once.
If it is necessary to dispatch the artil-
lery as early as Tuesday, and some are
expecting such an order, the war de-
partment will appoint a temporary ord
nance officer to turn over the property Of
the three batteries to their respective
commanders. Each battery has been
ordered to take with it a full supply of
ammunition, which means $40 rounds
of Schrapnel and ten rounds each of
gun canister and shells. Canister and
shells are now very little used in the
American artillery, the latter only to
locate the range for the schrapnel and
the canister to resist a charge of the
enemy upon the guns The Schrapnel
supply to be taken is such as to indi-
cate that the batteries are to be used
for service in actual war.
The three batteries have each four
two-inch breech-loading steel guns,
weighing, without the wagons and cais-
sons, 500 pounds. In addition, each bat
terry will take rs men and As heavy
horses.
Each battery will be accompanied by
a captain, two first 1ieutenants and two
second Heutenants The captains are:
H J. Reilly of Battery F, Fifth artil-
lery; Captain H. r. Anderson, Battery
B, Fourth artillery, and Sidney Taylor,
Battery F, Fourth artillery.
The latter is the Oldest military organ
izatiOn in the United States, and it's Of
ffcers and men are jubilant over the idea
of going to war. 1t was organized in 1I16,
and Alexander Hamilton, the great Fed
eralist leader, was its first captain. Its
first military service was in the Battle
OF Long Island, in the REVOLUTIONARY war
In 1882 the descendants of Alexander Ham
ilton presented it with a banner for JOG
years of service faithful and tried Cap
tain Taylor's battery will go to Fortress
Monroe.
Captain ReiIly's battery will go to sa-
vanuah and Captain Andersons battery
will go to Jackson barracks, near New Or
leans.
The women and children will remain at
Fort Riley and the empty artillery garr1-
son will be protected by detail of the
Second cavalry. The war spirit is at
fever heat, and every man IS anxious 10
meet the Spaniards. Fort Riley being an
artillery school for both officers and men,
the batteries now ready to leave for the
south are said to be the crack batteries
of the service. Many of the men are vet
Grams, and some of them served in the
All day today the companies We're busy
moving flowers and other barrack adorn-
ments into Junction City, and at night
fall the beautiful quarters were pare.
Hundreds of boxes are piled high IN
front of the barracks ready to be moved
to the depot when the special train IS
switched Tuesday morning. Nothing re-
mains unpacked but the blankets OF the
men and the cooking utensils. MAJOR
tillery post, received his commission as
lieutenant colonel this morning, and with
it received an order to proceed at once
to California to take command or Fort
Preside. He will leave Wednesday.
While the transportation mas not ar
rived for the batteries, it is expected that
they will proceed together to st. Louis,
commander of Fort Riley, viii not allow
anybody to see the original order sent
from the war department ordering the ar
tillery to go south While the othcers
are courteous they will not give any in
formation whatever about the movements
of the troops and the proDaDIe cause.
They even object to discussing the prob
ability of war, although it is evident from
their manner that they expect a crisis
within a week. The non-commissfoned
officers and men talk without reserve, and
discuss nothing else but the subject