The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-01
DEPARTURE OF THE TROOPS
THREE COMPANIES LEAVE FOR
THE COAST TODAY.
Next Wednesday Two More Com
panies VIII Go-Wil Leave But a
Handful of Men at the Post.

All was hustle and stir at Fort Doug
las yesterday. Barracks and officers
| quarters alike were scenes of confu-
sion 1t was worse than May house
cleaning. it was the tearing up attend
ant on an exodus.
For today three companies of the
Twenty-fourth infantry leave the post
for stations in the northwest. On
! Wednesday next two others, together
with the commanding. officer and his
staff, go to San Francisco to take sta
ton at the Presidio. This will leave
the post occupied by but two COM
panies of the regiment-a mere handful
OF men, compared to the force which
has been stationed there in past years.
! Most of the big barracks will be left
untenanted; more than half of the wide
circle of officers quarters will be va
cant.
Yesterday there was scarcely an idle
man about the post. The whole gar
rison, from the newly assigned recruit,
who scarcely knows how to shoulder a
| krag-J orgenSen or count tours, to the
commanding officer himself, were
hard at work. Up and down
the long, low barracks there was
noise and hustle enough to drive one
mad. Squads Of bluecoats "toted' big
rolls of bedding and tentage from
their quarters and piled them high on
big army wagons drawn by long
limbed, long-eared mules. Other
/ squads, in brown canvas police uni
forms, cleaned and set in order the
empty rooms. Non-commissioned Of
ficers stood about everywhere, over
seeing and experimenting the work.
Officers, in campaign hats and leg
gings. were getting their belongings
together, making desolate the pretty
stone cottages which have been their
homes for nearly three years. Every
veranda was piled high with household
goods and great boxes of books and
brica brac. Orderlies skurried hither
and thither carrying messages and
bringing commands from the busy men
at headquarters. Now and, then the
shrill. thrilling notes of a bugle came
echoing over the parade ground, bear
ing peremptory summons to someone
officer or private.
1t was all vivid reminder of that
scene nearly a year ago, when the
stormclouds of war were rolling up in
the east and the message came from
ulars gather to him to fight for free
Cuba and to avenge the jackies of the
sunken Maine. Then there was the
same hurrying to and fro, the same
preparations for exodus, but with a
difference. For then the soldier boys
left all behind them but their accou-
trements of war; they left their wives
and families, not knowing, scarcely
hoping. that they would ever return at
ALL But now they are taking, many of
them, all that they own with them,
moving their all, wives, families and
baggage. And instead of the tears and
bitter partings of that other time in
the rows of little wllitewashed cabins
that fringe the post, there is joyous
~ NO h1lc 10 Of tio,,
there also, for in most cases even the
poorest hanger-on goes with the de-
parting companies this time.
The first company to depart, this
morning will be D company, differed
by Captain A. c. Ducat and Second
Lieutenant D. F. Keller. The company.
ninety strong, will occupy two special
train north this morning. Its destina-
ton is Fort Harrison, Mont.
B and NJ companies go out by spe-
cial train over the Short Line this af-
ternoon. B company is bound for Van
couver barracks, Washington, and it is
commanded by Captain Henry Wygant,
with Second Lieutenant W. L. Murphy
kane, Wash. Its commander is Cap
tain J. B. Bachelor and Second Lieu
tenant T. A. Baldwin is his aide.
Colonel Freeman, with companies H
and L and the headquarters of the
regiment, goes to the Preside on Wed
nesday. This is considered one of the
most desirable stations in the country,
and although the officers have made so
many friends here that all will be
sorry to see them leave, they are for
tunate in being assigned to SO pleas
ant post.
Company A, differed by Captain
Leavell and Lieutenants Keene and
Kerwin. and company G, whose off,
GERS are Captain Brereton and Lieuten-
ant Nelson, will be the only companies
left at the fort after Wednesday.