The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-20
FORT SMELLING DESERTED
THIRD INFANTRY ON IT'S WAY
TO THE SOUTH
Two Trains Hearing the Troops De-
parted From the Fort Yesterday
Shortly After the Noon Hour
Officers and Privates Accorded an
Ovation mt the Union Depot In ST.
PauI-Events of the Day.

Omcers ana f'r1Vates Accorded an
Ovation ut the Union Depot In St.
PauI-Events of the Day.
The fighting Third babe farewell to
Fort Smelling and ST. Paul yesterday,
and is TOW on it's way South to fight
the Spanish. if war comes.
The regiments leave-taking was the
most memorable incident in the history
of the post in latter days. Ten years
OF agreeable associations were snapped
when the trains bearing the troops
drew away from the station, and there
was not an officer or man in the COM
mand who did not feel a deep regret
at the parting.
There were many moist eyes among
them as they looked back for last
view of the vanishing fort and waved
farewell to friends from whom some of
them may be forever separated. The
piping times of peace were over and
they were going to try the grim for
tunes of war.
A number of the men have been I'M
der fire in the Indian service. Several
have fought in the English army in
Africa and India, and most of the prin-
cipai~.ass GERS are veterans of the Civil
War, and TO those the sensation of go
ing - battle was not a new one, but
there were many of the more recent
warfare and who felt as though they
were already face to face with the foe,
and they were a little nervous. But
there was not a man there who was not
determined to do his duty whatever
comes.
Every one In the regiment was disap-
pointed that the Third was not to pa
rade through ST. Paul to the train as
had been arranged. The regiment 8
failure to do so was not the fault of
Col. Page. The colonel had arranged
to have his men brought to the city
in trolley cars and to march through
the streets from Seven corners. He felt
that his men deserved the ovation
which they would have received, and
had promised F. w. Bergmeier and Sec
rotary c. P. Stine Of the Commercial
club, that such parade would be held
when about o'clock Monday evening
he received a telephone message from
Maj Wheeler, chief quartermaster at
army headquarters, forbidding it.
Col. Page was accordingly obliged to
notify the men that there would be no
parade, and they retired to their quar-
tiers. They were just getting to sleep
when Maj. Wheeler notified Col. Page
that he might march through the city
if he so desired. 1t was to late then,
and Col. Page did not deem 1t wise to
countermand the order he had given,
and so there was no parade. If Maj.
Wheeler had let Col. Page alone there
would have been no trouble and the
people of st. Paul would have had an
opportunity to testify their good will to
the departing troops.
The men passed their last night at
the fort sleeping on the hard floors Of
their company quarters. Every vestige
of comfort had been removed. The
company rooms were as bare as when
the buildings were finished. The men
in, hot 10 i1rcf G
they will in the field, and used their
knapsacks for pillows.
When reveille sounded in the morning
the men tumbled up to prepare for de-
parture. They found a raw morning
with dismal sky and a keen east wind
blowing. The ground was patched with
snow and it was generally disagree
able.
Word was passed that the regiment
would start from the fort at 9 o'clock
and the men hastily got together the
few things that had not been gathered,
and then they waited for the bugle call
to assemble But when 8 o'clock was
near word was received by Col Page
that the trains would not be ready I'M
til 11:30 and the men were given a fur
Their respite. But they were not pleased.
They were all worked I'D to a keen
pitch Of excitement, and they were
anxious to get away.
l. IL
were in the post headquarters receiv-
ing the last orders from the army
building and waiting for the time to
start. A great many ladies called upon
them and bade them goodbye. Some
of the ladies We're inclined to shed
tears, but the officers told them to be
brave and keep up their courage. 1t
was hard work for them to obey, but
most of them tried to. There were few,
however, who did not have handker-
chiefs in their hands.
While the men were waiting to fall
in, body of ST. Paul high school stu
dents appeared and marched up the
walk to the headquarters building.
There they stopped and shouted for
Col. Page. Col. Page did not feel like
making speeches, and he did not re-
spond. The boys bore flags, and they
were attired in high hats and various
other kinds of headgear. They shouted
and sang and made the rounds of the
company quarters. Near the guard
house they picked up a soldier and car
ried him on their shoulders around the
grounds, to the amusement Of every
body. They then went into the quar-
tiers and despoiled them of everything
they could carry away. They took hats,
helmets, coats, trousers and anything
else they could find that the soldiers
did not want, and then they cut but
tons from the coats of the soldiers for
souvenirs. They distributed their spoils
among a number of young women VINO
were there, and who went about ar
rayed in the soldiers finery.
The boys formed in procession and
marched about in their grotesque cos
tunes. They got large blanket and
captured a number of victims, whom
they tossed in the air. to the great de-
light Of spectators. The soldiers were
good-natured over the boys antics and
allowed them to amuse themselves to
their hearts content.
Precisely at IL o'clock Bugler Stohr
walked from the headquarters build
ing and to Company A barracks and
blew the signal to prepare to fall in.
In a moment the men who had been
lounging on the verandas of the COM
guns and stood in groups in the parade
ground. The captains appeared and
surveyed the ranks.
At II 15 the bug1er stepped again to
Company A barracks and blew the as
sembqy. Instantly the men formed In
regular files before their respective
company quarters and presented arms
Each had his knapsack and accoutre-
ments strapped on his back, his belt
bucl1fed about his waist and his gun
ready. The first sergeants mustered
the companies, and then the captains
gave the commands for inspection. The
captain and first lieutenant Of each
company walked slowly along the lines
and Inspected them carefully front and
rear. They looked at the knapsacks
and ordered such as were out Of align
ment arranged properly. The inspec-
ton over, the men waited for the com.
mand to march,
But it did not come Col. Page was