Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-06-27
FOUR VESSELS AT SAN FRANCISCO
LOADED WITH TROOPS.
EXPEDITION TO START TO-DAY
FIFTH STEAMSHIP WILL RECEIVE
HER LOAD THIS MORNING.
General Merritt to Sail on Wednes-
day With Troops Enough to
Bring the Number With the
Third Expedition Up
to 5000 Men.

SAN FRANCISCO. June oS.-Four thou
sand men. comprising the third expedition
to the Philippines, embarked early this aft
ernoon, and soldiers now swarm in the
holds and upon the decks Of the steamers
Ohio Indiana, City of Para and Morgan
City. Tomorrow the steamer Valencia
will receive her complement of the military
and these five transports. bearing the bulk
of the expeditionary force, will probably
sail tomorrow afternoon, to be followed
on Wednesday by the steamer Newport.
upon which General Merritt is expected to
depart
Camp Merritt presented a busy scene this
morning. The orders issued to the troops
which are to compose the third expedition
to the Philippines served to keep many of
the men awake last night. so excited were
they over the anticipation OF an early start
for the Philippines. All night long the
camp cooks worked to prepare the last
breakfast in the camp for the departing
soldiers and to get the one days cooked
rations with which the order to embark
said the men must be supplied. This work
required the aid of many privates, and the
noise caused by hurried preparations made
sleep almost impossible.
During the morning hours carloads up
on carloads of people were landed near
the regimental camps, and it is safe to
say that at least 5000 people visited the
camp before orders to march were given.
Very few of the visitors to the camp went
out empty handed. Many were the pack
ages containing little necessaries and del
icacies packed up with the luggage of the
departing troops. Many of them who had
not received comfort bags We're supplied
! with this little necessity to healthful SOL
dier life this morning. and the absolutely
necessary abdominal bandage was fur
nished those of the departing men who had
not received them. Bouquets of beautiful
California flowers were distributed among
the men in large quantities. and many
rifle barrel was made pleasantly heavier
by floral decorations.
Shortly after IL o'clock the sounding OF
bugles announced to the civilians and SOL
diers alike that time for parting had come
and the soldiers must form for the march
to the water front where the transports
awaited them.
Along the entire extent Of the five-mile
march an escort squad Of police was obliged
to force back the throngs of people to
make a narrow lane for the progress OF the
parting companies. The soldiers were cheer
ed at every step: good-bys and good wishes
were momentariIy shouted. hand flags were
waved, flowers were thrown and every
where emotion was visible as when the
first California regiment of San Francisco
boys marched away.
1t was a long. hot tramp this morning
over the cobblestones, but willing hands
brought glasses of water for thirsty SOL
diers. and each enlisted man would have re-
uuired an orderly to carry all the parcels
which were pressed upon his acceptance.
When the triumphal march ended and fhe
soldiers were taken on board their respec-
tive transports they were given a tremend-
Gus ovation by thousands OF citizens who
swarmed on and around the wharves. 1t
was an emotional as well as physical
relief when the embarkation was an ac-
complished fact.
The assignment Of troops to the various
transports was as follows:
Steamer Morgan City-The First Idaho
volunteers and the First Nebraska recruits.
Steamer City of Para-The Thirteenth
Minnesota.
Steamer Indiana-One battalion OF the
Eighteenth United States infantry. one bat
TALON Of the Twenty-third United States
infantry, the signal corps and detach-
ment OF engineers.
Steamer Ohio-First Wyoming volunteers.
Batteries G. and L, Third artillery, and re-
cruits of the Thirteenth Minnesota.
The steamer Valencia, which is taking on
coal to-day at the Union works. will be
ready Tomorrow morning for its assign
ment of troops-the First North Dakota
volunteers.
The Newport on Wednesday will take on
Batteries III and h. Third artillery. the
Astor independent battery and General
Merritt and his staff. This steamer Is at
the Pacific Mail dock.