The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-05-23
HEAVY BATTERY B IN CAMP
THE BOYS ARE RAPIDLY BEING
TRANSFORMED INTO SOLDIERS.


One of the Finest Looking Bodies OF Men
at the Rendezvous Captain Beach is n
Popular Commander-Drills Held
Every Day-Commissary Department
IN Good Working Order.
The last few days of pleasant wealth
err have been nowhere more gratefully
received than by the soldier boys at
Mantle. The sunshine has done Won
ders for them in the way of cheering
them up and nowhere from Maine to
Oregon can now be found a jollier lot
of sturdy soldiers than are those of Con-
necticut's first contribution to the
Spanish war. But with all the jollity
every man of the lot realizes his re-
sponsibility as soldier of the United
States and apparently there is not one
but is prepared to go where duty calls
him and make any sacrifice, even to life
itself if needs be, in, defence Of the flag
and the noble principles which it rep
resentS.
Among the most patriotic and the
finest looking body of men in the Con-
necticut state camp is Captain Fran
els G. Beachs Battery B of the Con-
necticut Heavy Artillery, recruited in
New Haven. Although this command
has not yet received uniforms and con-
sequently does not show up so smartly
on drill as do the uniformed companies
of the First regiment it needs a not
very searching scrutinw of the men to
see that they are all strong fellows and
of just the stuff that good soldiers are
made Of The company could have re-
ceived uniforms last week, but, thanks
to the foresight of Captain Beach, they
did not accept them. The uniforms Of
fered were old partlyworn state uni
forms. 1t seems that each soldier is
allowed $43.50 for clothes for the first
six months of the year and IS for the
second six months. When these old
uniforms were offered it was required
the men sign for them at their full
value. Then if, as undoubtedly would
have happened, these old uniforms had
given out before the first six months
was up, the men would have been COM
PEELED to have purchased new uniforms
and paid for them out of their own
money. Captain Beach decided that it
would be better for the men to wait a
few days longer until brand new strong
uniforms We're furnished by the gov
eminent. For this prudent decision
and display of good judgment he is re-
ceiving the hearty thanks of every man
in his command. Not a commander in
camp is better liked or more popular
with his men than is Captain Beach.
His wish is as good as law to his men
and it is safe to say that if Battery
B is called into action it will rally
round Captain Beach as long as a man
is left.
The boys are all in good spirits and
are being steadily drilled every day.
They have not received gun equipment,
but are now being put through what
is known as the setting up drill. This
is marching and calisthenic drill and
is given for the urpose of teaching
the men precision and promptness in
obeying commands as well as sort of
physical training.
The men are all anxious to be called
south and and rurnors are daily flying
about the camp of orders received for
the battery to move to some southern
rendezvous. The rumor Saturday was
that the battery had been ordered to
Mobile, Ala, but Captain Beach said
that he had received no intimation Of
such orders or in fact of any immedi-
ate orders to move. The men of Bat
terry B are all trying hard to get into
condition to stand the hardships of a
campaign and with this end in view,
they refused during the recent heavy
rains to accept the offer to allow them
to sleep in a mess house. They stuck
to their tents when the rain soaked and
the heavy winds threatened every mo-
ment to overturn.
The cooks stand is just back of the
company street and when mess call
sounds the company lines up, sergeants
on the right of the line, corporals next,
followed by privates and march in sin
gle file past the cook table, where each
man receives on his tin plate his allow
ance and in his tin cup his portion of
coffee. Then marching back to the
tents they there eat their rations with
a keen relish impaired by the hard
drills. The comnissary department is
now in good working order and not a
complaint is heard as to rations. Bat
terry B boasts that it has one of the
best cooks In the camp.
The boys are a little disappointed, as
nearly every other command in camp
has received flag or a set of colors
from it's home town, but New Haven
has not as yet remembered in this way
her first company to volunteer.
AT FIRST BAPTIST. CHURCH.
nl,nnc IL A 4