Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-03-04

copyright. iso. by John H. Parkeri
n RIliviNo at Tampa on the si,h of
April. ! found that many Of the
~ regiments that were being CON
centratcd at that point had
brought nionR GatlIng guns u
the old style 40 calibor. These guns
In each case were located In the
midst Of tho reglmcntai camps. The
pieces lay idly In the hot sand. sheltered
from the sun md weather by canvas
pauiins. only one regiment ~ all those
assembled at Tampa was making any
EFFORT whatever 10 instruct men In the
use Of these machine guns. This rcgi'
mont was the Ninth Infantry. Tho Hpo-
radlc effort made by II was due 10 the
enthusiasm Of Lieutenant simpson and
Sergeant wciKlc. and consisted solely of
n daily drlii of about half an hour In the
manual Of the piece. No cartridges were
available for TARGET practice. and no
permanent detail had been assigned TO
handle the guns. The men who were as
signed 10 this duty were taken az ran.
dom from various companies. contrary.
In many cases. 10 the wishes of their
captains. and performed this duty In q
pcrfunctory manner In addition 10 their
other duties about tho camp. I waited
couple Of weeks watching the DRIFT
OF events and talking machine guns 10
anybody who would listen 60 me- with q
net result that was considered u crank
a bore and nuisance ON this subject.
found only two officers besides Lieutcn-
ant Simpson who agreed with my views
ON the subject, and these were Majors
Auman ana CavhnnuEh ~ the Thr-
tecnth Infantry. They were powcriess
10 assist mo In any way but they IN.
Outraged by sympathy ana good advice.
scheme of organization. designed 90
unite NIL the machine guns ~ my own
brigade Into single battery for In
utruction and training, was dropped be-
cause II could not obtain official np-
proval. A personal Interview with the
hdlutAnt general al Tampa made the
outlook q little more hopeful nt the time.
but led TO no results because he was or
derod 10 another coUnmnni Al langth
through the assistance OF Colonel
Thompson. an officer of the ordnance
department, also machine gun crank.
! was detailed as his assistant In the
ordnance depot and given little squad
OF u men. These men performed guard
duty over the ordnance depot. assisted
In the rievedorc work ~ handling boxes.
etc. and incidentally received inatruc-
ton with Calling guns. Thompson h.
sued NJ four 30 cniihcr GatllngH. aud
these men were thus compelled TO do
double duty Even this beginning OF the
detachment had not been secured until
the ssth day ~ May.
In the meantime General Lee, after
an Interview. took up tho subject of
machine guns and recommended The
organization N battalion Of nine guns
to be placed under'm my command. lie
wanted this organization for HE own
corps. General Wheeler also took an
interest In the subject ana aaled for
the organization Of a battery Of three
guns under my command 10 form mart
OF his cavalry division. Both ~ thefe
recommendations were diHapproyed By
superior authority
~ length the order was issued for the
embarkaiion OF the Fifth army corps
ana tho little depot guard of Ontliug
guns was omitted. l seized couple uf
freight ears. placed my mon and guns
on board and got the railroad officials
TO send " TO Pori Tampa. ON arriving
there | placed both men and guns on
board a transport, slowing tho guns In
the hold Of the vessel We completed
the operation at n o'clock az nlght. and
my men went 60 bed The next morn
ing We discovered that our transport
had on board about 300 men, that our
guns were covered by fvc tons of rtri-
mental baggage and that our ship, the
Cherokee. was already out IN the
stream. While we were sleeping por-
tlons OF two regiments had come ON
BOnrl landed tho NNaa4l mud Flp huI
left her Zip. anchorlng In the bay
ready for the trip 10 cuba.
Before sailing, however as the mum.
Der OF my men was inadequate 90 the
handling Of the four guns, ana as had
no mules to draw them, | went TO Cen
eral Shafter ana reported TO him exact