Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-09

own Instruments, and it may be said that
the band is today using those same instru-
ments, battered and worn, " n tunes es-
Gaping here and there through the holes
but dearer to the District men than if they
| were made of solid gold Complete band
instruments have been following the regf-
ment since it left home, almost but have
not yet caught up. The regimental wall
tents also came in, but they were not put
up. as the command expected to move at
any moment, and the men continued to tie
themselves into double knots in an effort
| to make themselves comfortable in the
shelter tents
Paid, but Disappointed
Hard rains at night were one of the un-
| comfortable features of the stay at Tampa
Early in the morning of June the regi-
ment received orders from General Car
penter to ship all horses to Port Tampa at
1 o'clock that day in order to make an i'm
mediate move for Cuba. The baggage al
lowance of the men was thereupon cut
down still lower. Huge assortments had
been abandoned at Chickamauga, but at
Tampa the men found that there were still
a good many things that could be left All
the horses We're sent to Port Tampa that
afternoon, and were put on board T. =
transport Florida. Every man in the resi-
ment expected to be off the next day for
the scene of war. The men turned out a,
reveiile on the Tth, still expecting to move
before nightfall. The certainty was In
creased by Snyder's division being detached.
from the 9th Corps and added to the 4th
Corps. under General Coppinger, the regi-.
ment now being in the I'd Brigade, ID.
Division, 4th Army Corps. During the day
the men waited for the word to go. The
story came that the regiment had been
pulled out of the Cuban expedition and
would be sent. at once to Porto Rico, where
1t was thought at that time the hardest
fighting would be experienced The regi-
ment did not care so much where 1t went
80 long as it went somewhere and went
there quickly. Drilling was kept up and
ammunition was gathered and issued
June s the hearts of the men were made
glad by the appearance in camp of Major
Sniffen, who paid the for thirteen
days. There were SO many. men in the
regiment =%s'ho Understood the army pay
opefasaAtt< = chat the transaction was pat:
through .s4'an exceedingly quick way, and
the paymaster compliniented the regiment
very highly. The pleasure. of receiving
money was good deal dampened, how
time that the transport Florida, on which
the regimental horses had been placed. had
been in a collision with another transport
and both boats were considerably dam
aged. AS these transports were the only
ones available the chances of the regiment
going on the ffrst Cuban expedition were
enfed None of the horses belonging 70 the
regiment were injured in the collision.
/ me following day {June 81 the officers Of
the regiment smiled and looked pleasant.
they had their pictures taken A good
many OF the enlisted men neither smiled
nor looked pleasant. They were IN the
guard house, charged with absence without
leave, and all on account Of having been
paid off on the day before.
Lieutenant CoIonelcy.
The regiment was without lieutenant
colonel. that position having never been
filled. 1t had been held open for Captain
Heyl of the regular army, who had acted
as adjutant fer the District of Columbia
Brigade. At this time word was received