The times., 1898-07-03
THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND.
Troops at Camp AIger Misconstrue
an Order,

The misunderstanding of an order is
sued to the Sixth Regiment Pennsylvania
Volunteers at Camp Alger yesterday af-
ternoon caused no little trouble. not to
say anything of the excitement and the
disappointment to the $50 or 200 boys of
the Sixth, whs had started out 10 have
a good time. The excitement began about
Z o'clock last evening when it was no
tieed that an unusually large number of
the soldiers were leaving camp.
Another thing which was noticed was
that nearly all the men who passed the
guard at the outposts of the camp along
the road TO Falls Church were members
OF the Sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers.
This excited suspicion, and the attention
of the comma nding officer. Col Shinton,
was called TO the exodus OF his men from
camp.
He Immediately issued orders for any
others who would attempt to leave the
camp to be stopped, and on the matter
being called TO the attention of Gen. Gra-
ham he issued an order for the arrest OF
all those who had already gone.
To execute this order. Lieut.. ]. l. Blaks-
lee, of Company Z, Eighth Pennsylvania
Regiment. who was doing provost guard
duty at Falls Church. was called on and
also troop A and c. New York Cavalry,
in command of Capt. Clayton. II is said
the call to active duty created much ex-
citement and for a time, before IL be-
came generally known for what purpose
the cavalry and an extra guard had been
called out everybody was wild.
AS soon as the bugle sound summoned
the troops, there was a rush TO the sta
bles and in a short time the cavalry
men were in the saddles awaiting orders.
They got them soon enough for in fifty
five minutes after the call was sounded
Troops A and c drew rein a Falls Church
station. There sixty or seventy-five
of the missing members of the Sixth
Pennsylvania were found waiting for a
car to take them to Washington. They
never boarded the train. however. for
they were placed under arrest and sent
back to camp with detail from Troop
A.
Then the search for the others began
and the country between Falls Church
and the Aqueduct Bridge was secuted
and probably fifty more were captured
along the route.
AS soon as Lieut.. Blakslee received or
! ders to arrest and return TO camp any
members of the Sixth Pennsylvania whom
! he found beyond the camp limits he has
tened TO the Aqueduct Bridge and re-en-
| forced the guard at that point.
On his arrival there he found many
more of the missing men, and these, too
were sent back to camp under arrest un.
! der guard. He also formed a special
| guard of a corporal and three privates
whom he dispatched TO Washington with
! orders TO go to the Pennsylvania depot
and stop any of the men who attempted
| to leave The city without showing writ
ten pass from Col. Shinton.
| AS already stated. the trouble arose
| over the misconstruction of an order is.
| sued yesterday by Col Shinton. Late ir
| the afternoon, in order that the soldiers
/ of the Sixth Pennsylvania should have
| rest today, on account of the heat and
also be able to enjoy the Fourth of July
he issued an order that the members o.
the regiment would not be called upon Il
| do any military duty until tomorrow
afternoon. This order was misunderstood
to be a leave of absence until Monday
evening, and as yesterday was pay day
| and the boys had money. they immedi
ately after supper started for Washing
| ton to have a good time They, however
! left camp in squads in such large mum
| bers as TO create suspicion, and it wa!
not long before the order excusing tn,
regiment from duty until tomorrow wa
rescinded.
| When the report of the exodus of tht
Sixth Pennsylvania Regiment from Caml
Alger first reached Washington il came il
a most alarming form. 1t IVES stated tina
| for some reason or other the men became
| dissatisfied. armed themselves and brok
! through the guard lines and were ravagin,
| the country between Camp Alger and tn,
| Aqueduct Bridge. 1t was further STATED
| that when they were met by the troop
sent out to arrest them that they refuses
| to submit and that a conflict had takel
| place, in which many were seriously in
jured. Investigation, however, prove,
that this picture of what had occurre
was entirely too highly colored.