The herald., 1898-05-22
WIN the GUNvfRS
BATTERY D rs MAKING A GOOD
REPUTATION
ARE MISTAKEN FOR VETERANS
They Have Got Their New Uniforms,
an Army Haircut and Reg
ular Rations :.

PRE81D1O, San Francisco, May H.
Especial Correspondence to The Herald.)
We are now occupying the quarters lately
vacated by Company A, Third United
States artillery. at the extreme westerly
end of the Preside. Our move at this time
was somewhat hasty and entirely unpre-
meditated. both by officers and men.
Until yesterday morning Battery D oc-
cupied the east wing of the third floor of
the "Hotel De Fontana," the old ware
house. Last Saturday about $50 Washing
ton volunteers came in, occupying the
fourth floor, and necessitating the removal
of our mess room to the basement. Yes
terday some 400 more volunteers came in
from the north, and the four batteries,
comprising 600 men, were modified" on
the second floor to make room for them.
Last night Just before "taps''-indeed,
some of the men had already rolled up in
their blankets-we received mn order to
roll our blankets and prepare for immedi.
ate departure and fall in in the yard. In
less than five minutes the second floor was
unoccupied except by the officers, clerks
and guards, purposely left to straighten UP
the late quarters. The men went out
quietly and orderly, and there was not
even the suggestion of q panic.
Many Of the late occupants did not know
the cause of the removal, but those who
had noticed the creaking of the rafters and
supports could easily see that the old
building was slowly but surely giving
away under the unaccustomed strain,
Some of the supporting columns had
cracks in them from half an inch to an
inch and half In width, and they were
continually widening. There is no doubt
that, had the strains continued great
while longer the building would have coll
lapsed.
All four batteries spent the night in the
sand back of the warehouse. 1t was quite
cold, and stif breeze was blowing, con-
sequently several complained of colds and
sore Threats this morning. However. the
men took it philosophically, and about the
only complaint was that rough army ex-
perience and hardship came at inoppor-
tune moments, and found us without
proper equipment to meet 1t.
Our encampment on the sand was MAIN
atlned until shortly after this afternoon,
when We took up our line of march to our
present location.
The Battery's Pets
"Ellen," the Great Dane pup is growing
fast, and is now too large to be carried
around, SO was left to be brought out in
the commissary wagon. Harry Stiles car
ried the eagle. He has assumed entire
charge and control Of the bird and resents
any suggestion of allowing some one else
to attend to 1t. Our bird Is greatly adj
mired by all visitors, and Is the envy of
every other company.
Hard Worked Clerks
J. E. Stockwell and your correspondent
are acting as battery clerks. We are busy
early and late on muster roofs, rations
and equipment receipts and reports of va
rious kinds. We are not required to drill,
and are exempt from guard and mess duty.
but where the others only work five or
six hours a day ours is often extended to
twelve, fourteen, or even, as was the case
last Sunday, sixteen hours.
A Free Sunday
Sunday all drills are dispensed with, and
those who are not assigned to special du-
ties are given leave from 10 in the morning
to G. and last Sunday, 1t being the first one
since we were mustered in, nearly every
one took advantage of the opportunity, and
spent the day away from the garrison.
The battery was quite exercised a few
days ago over the prospect Of losing our
first lieutenant, J. w. F. Diss, Of San Ber-
nardino, but 1t developed that the parting
was only occasioned by leave of absence
to enable him to settle UP his business nf-
fairs, and, to the qualification of all. he is
now with us again. having returned this
morning.
Their Uniforms On
Our good luck did not end with the re-
turn of Lieutenant Diss. We got our uni
forms and campaign hats today also. The
battery was formed and marched from the
sand piles to the battalion quartermaster's
office and various articles were given the