Evening star., 1898-06-20
The District Regiment in Its New
Camp.
THE STORY OF TIE STAMPEDE
Major Hine Has His Photograph
Taken.
M BY TELE HON E
From a STAFF Correspondent.

NOlWllnSlanO1nE
| tain highly colored and wholly unwarrant-
1 ed reports wired to Washington, the regi.
ment survived the incident without injury
| The escape, however, was disagreeably mar.
row. Because of the dispatches referred to
| the soldier lads were fairly deluged with
| kilograms, seeking information as to theil
condition. The colonel of the 9th Maryland
| Regiment. camped alongside the Districts
representative, SO it is stated, received a
| telegram from the governor of his state di-
| recting that the bodies of Maryland's killed
! be sent home at the expense of the gov
ernor. All this proved highly amusing to
| those of us who participated in what may
| be termed the engagement that followed
l. the stampede of horses through the Dis
| trict camp Thursday night.
The stampede was startling. 1t demon
Strated, though, that the regiment is COM
posed of soldiers through and through. AS
they always do, the men responded to the
call to arms in a manner that was crafty
lngly prompt and military. When the time
arrives for the command to obey a call that
will mean work of a nature decidedly more
serious, no criticism of their action it is
now assured, will be justified.
Story of the Stampede.
The intense quiet was rather rudely shat
| tered a few minutes after 10 O'clock by
| half a dozen rifle shots. Those who were
| laundering crash. An ominous distant roar
| followed the firing. 1t increased in volume,
| rapidly drawing nea1er. Before any one
could begin to realize the situation the
camp was enveloped in an indescriDable
something. Guy ropes were torn from
their faSteningS and almost cola psed. The
| rear gradually receded. A dozen trumpet
ers then began sounding assembly. AS Of
| hcers and men tumbied from their tents.
ef deaVoring to 2rray themselves in some
sort of uniform, several more shots rang
out. ITO arms was next sounded, just as
the mighty rumble again approached. In
less than three minutes from the first note
OF assembly the twelve companies were
formed under arms in their respective COM
pany streets, and the first sergeants were
calling the rolls Several company CON-
manderS, very properly in the opinion of
some, issued ammunition to the men.
A whirr, a cloud of dust, and a hundred
-rerhGps several hundred-frightened an
inais tore through the company officers
street. \ turn 10 the left and regimen tai
headquarters was in danger. Another
syTerve and the kitchen and cooking para
phernalla of the I'd Battalion officers mess
were IN runs. a few yards further or 4
shelter tent, occupied by an officers serv-
ant, stood-ior a mouent. 1t was pulyer-
lied The tent occupied by Capt. Simon
son, who was on the sick list, was :eveled
to the ground in less than a jiffy.
The statement was Passed from man to
man that party OF unknown individuals
pad broken into the corral and purposcly
stampeded the horses. This corral is Local
ed adjacent TO the District camp. The mis-
creants had been fired on by the sentinel
on the post nearest 20 the corral. Fearing
further hostile acts. ITO arms was sound
ed. The guard was called out and huge
bGnfires lighted.
After another run through the camp the
horses turned into Franklin street and
made things interesting during the remain
der OF the night FOR the residents of Tam
pa. The companies were dismissed, and
soon quiet and calm again held sway The
truth has not yet been definitely learned
reaardlns the cause of the stampede the
nj mber of animals lost.
Walter, Wnere We're you when the
horses came through?'' asked Maj Hine Of
one of the colored stable attendants
Me an Dr. Pyies an whole lot mo-
went up dat tree. .yanGer,' replied Walter,
graphically.
Were you the first one up?' Mai. Hine
then asked.
No, sah,' Walter made answer, with
emphasis. Wen l got thar de doctor wuz
on de topnos' lm'." This declaration the
senior medical officer of the regimen,
rather proudly substantiates.
Coio3el Harries command packed up
their duds Wednesday afternoon, and. in
heavy marching order, proceeded through
the deep sand to Tampa Heights There
shelter tents were erected. Under these the
soldiers retired. At 3 o'clock Thursday
morning reveille was sounded After a
very light breakfast the companies were
formed and just as day was brea king the
regiment took possession of the surround
ing country for extended order drill For
nearly four hours the command deployed
as skirmishers, advanced retreated rallied
assembled, charged, engaged in rapid fire
work, sent out scouts and acted otherwise
as though actually in the presence of the
enemy. Returning to the place of bivouac
canvas was rolled and the regiment march,
ed back to camp, under a sun whose rays
We're not warm, but hot. All this was un-
usual and wearying work. Therefore, it
may be readily understood that after tat
too roll call, at . o'clock Thursday night
the men We're ready to retire When taps
sounded. half an hour later but very few
were awake.
A Months Good Work,
The practice march, bivouac and extend
ed order maneuvers Wednesday evening
and Thursday morning as carried out were
an evidence of the unexpectedly rapid
progress maze by the regiment Just one
month ago today the regiment, as COM
pleted, went into camp near -Loring
Va. Since then it has been in camp at
Chickamauga, and for the past fortnight
under canvas at Tampa, travelling in ad-
dition hundreds of miles. The regiment is
ready for any duty at any time, has at
tained degree of efficiency greater than
might be expected, and, furthermore Is
anxious to move directly to the front.
After the dusty march to Tampa Heights
had been completed. camp was laid off
and tents pitched in a surprisingly short
time. Then the list of calls was published,
providing for taps at $50 pm. and reveile
at l.m.
well" Major O'Brien was overheard to
remark, I've often tattooed at 3 am, but
never before have / reveilled at that hour"
The awakening occurred in what seemed
to be the middle of the night. 1t was
rather strange sight to see more than
900 men coming to their senses at that
hour of the morning, in a dark wood-one
that will long be remembered unless more
unique awakenings are in store for the
regiment hereafter.
Maj. Hines War Photograph.
The week ending today has been fraught
with incidents of lasting import. The
stampede Of horses and the practice march
occupied quite a little attention, but along
side the photographing Of Major Hine
mounted, in war paint and feathers they
were ants compared with mountain.
The major in field uniform with haversack,
canteen, pistol and cartridge belt, was cal
culated by his appearance alone to cover
the most daring Spaniard on the Island of
A mm11 i'm mpHe