The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-08
SUPERB AT DRILL.
The Thirteenth Regiment Hard at
work at Camp Merritt.

Work at camp merritt.
Special Correspondence The st. Paul Globe.
CAMP MERRITT, San Francisco June e.
If the people of Minnesota could see the
Thirteenth regiment drilling at Camp Mer-
rift they would not recognize it as the same
regiment that left Camp Ramsey The i'm
proyement which every company has made
since the regiment arrived in San Francisco
is most marked and today there are few
regiments in the regular army that show up
to better advantage in tactics
Since the regiment arrived at Camp Merritt
every captain has done pers Mt and con-
scientious work in an effort to bring the regi-
ment up to high state of efficiency. and
their labors have been fully rewarded, ard
today no regiment in camp can calm SUI
periority and few equality with it. The PENN
sylvanta and Colorado regiments are the ony
ones that approach the Thirteenth either in
excellence Of drill or completeness of equip
ment. The regulars. the Eighteenth and
Iwenty-th1rd infantry. are far behind in drill
This is due to the fact that those regiments
have recently been recruited and new nj n
predominant in their rank.
During the Iast week the regimsnt has
been difficult to hold because of the restricted
space available for them. When Golden Gate
park was shut against them they were obiiS-
ed to hold the drills in the STREETS and Fnst
avenue was the only thoroughfare at all
suitable Ter them. but now the Preside has
been thrown open to the regiment and every
morning the three batta.ions 60 there for
exercise.
The hill on which the drills are held is an
unusually good place for military maneuyers.
1t rises In a gentle slope high above the val
ley in which Camp Merritt lies, and COM
mands fine view Of the ocean. A grove
CT trees acts as sounding beard and COM
dsne gwen saars any part Tt1 Of the fed
hrm and marching is comparatively easy
Ihere. nearly every morning, Majors Bean
FTedericks and Diggles go vi. thar tasE
talions and drill. They usually leave camp
at 1880 o'clock and drill for two hours Two
hours of battalion drill is considered enough
exercise for the men for one morning. -
Lieut. Col. Ames and Leuts. Mend, Conrad
and Garcelon, the battalion adjutants, a.
ways accompany the majors at drill.
Maj. Beans battalion. the First composed
of Companies G. X. l. and NJ, has not as many
experienced men as the two other battalions,
but they are all rapidly acquiring expertness
and in short time VIII be equal to the
others.
The Second battalion. commanded by Mai.
Frederlcks. is made up of the four St Paul
.pa G. D. p and H. AS the men
march to the Preside, they are the envy of
the commanders of other regiments, fer they
swing along with strong. steady stride. and
in perfect unison. Every command is obeyed
with machine-like promptness, and it seldom
happens that man has to be reproved for
slowness: On the drill ground it is thu
same. The men form in line company front
march and counter-march with the Free: SIGN
of cid soldiers
The Third battalion (Compani-s A. B. I
and F.. all of Minneapolis, like to be callsd
for it because those companies were the
first to receive the new black cartridge bel s
that have recently been issued by the gov
eminent Mai Diggles is very proud of his
battalion fer he was complimented by regul r
army officers on the excellence CT its drill in
the Preside.
There were expressions of bitter disappoint-
ment among the Minnesota men when it
became known that the Colorado and PENN
sylvania regiments had been ordered to Ma
nila., while the Thirteenth was to remain
behind for the third expedition. The boys were
as they are fully equipped thsy could not
understand why they had been Discriminate
against. They all like San Francisco but
they are anxious to be on the wing to Dewey
AS they look out upon the Pacific ocean
they count the miles and the days tina.
long to begin the voyage.
1t is more than probable that many re1
in the Thirteenth. when the war is erd d.
will not return to Minnesota. They are SER
iously talking of settling in the Philippines
or coming to California to live with their
families. They are enamored with the Cali.
fornia climate and scenery and, espscially
with the California people, whose hospitality
and patriotism seems to have no limit Only
one thing interfereS with the mans pl assure
at camp and that is the trade wind that
springs up about noon every day and blows
is in direct line with a gap in the hills
through which the trade wind has entrance
and it is an exceptional afternoon that the
men are not obliged to wear their capes This
wind is responsible fer many colds in camp
and much bed language If the camp could
would have been an ideal place for it. The
men would not have been troubled By the
trade wind. for 1t Is not felt in the pcrk.
Evan NJ. Jones.