The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-23
Final Scenes at Camp Bell Were
Enjoyed by Thousands of
Spectators.
BRIGADE ENCAMPMENT ENDS.
Regiments Departed Yesterday
Afternoon for Their Homes
Breaking Up of Camp
Described.

is'+i y STAFF tbl;i;E.SPbNi
Camp Bell. Springfield Mo. July AT
O'Clock this afternoon the buSler AT bri-
Safe neaGquartcrs gave the signal To- strike
tents. Soldiers along the entire line were
standing ready for the call. and. at the
first notes. set hriSkly to work looseninS
ropes and pulling UP pegs. In an incredibly
short time III" big white city was levclled
10 :he ground AID sro.ps Of men were
busi!y AT work rolling up the canvas and
packiE; the baggage.
Their" WAS considerable rivalry between
the regiments as 10 which should have its
baggage first ready ;or shipment. and tho
mp Site cleared of al; dirt and rubbish.
Officers and men worked with will, and
in less than ore hour there was hardly
trace. with the exception of a few smolder-
.rg camp fires. to show where the soldiers
lad spent entire week.
All the camp baggage was piled on
Grays and hauled 10 the different railroads
in charge Of details who put 1t aboard the
ears.
Though the FRS, Regiment was the last
TO leave Springfield tonight. IT did the
quickest work decampinG and getting in
shape to travel. The entire brigade executed
the maneuver IN ain orderly. military man
ner. strictly in accordance with the pre-
scribed tactics. Each man was assigned a
certain amount Of work beforehand. and
after he had completed It he reported to
his company commander for further orders.
Tonight the camp has a lonely, deserted
look. Brigade headquarters are the only
tents standing.
Battery a left here for s.. Louis al .
O'Clock this morning. The battery was the
first organization To- break camp. Reveills
sounded in its quarters at . a. m. and the
tents struck al o'clock. The artillerists
left In u special coach on the Regular morn
ing train.
~ p. m. the brigade had its regular dress
parade. Thousands of visitors Hooked 70
camp 10 view this final exercise of the troops
and II Vas one Of the finest OF the week
Musicians Of the four regiments were com
bined into one band for the occasion. The
Iai!!t!amen have been benefited greatly by
their drills during the encampment as was
shown by their marching and general field
work to-day. The parade went off without
a single hitch.
The nation. Il guard leaves Camp Bel about
$500 better off in equipment than when IL
arrived. Every regiment was issued, oy the
Federal Government through AdJutant Gen
eral VI. r. Bell. sufficient tentaSe for field
purposes cantcens blue shirts. blanket bags.
cooking utensils. saddles, and partial sup
ply of several other varieties OF equipment
Each organization will take these supplies
To its home armory. When the militia re
turned home after peace had been declared
with Spain. IL Turned in TO the Government
nearly all its equipment. Since that time
until now 1t has had practically no field
equipment.
TIL, brigade commissary department con-
tIgued TO give perfect satisfaction up 10 the
last meal in camp. The bread. meat anu
vegetables furnished were excellent lhefe
wa, practically no complaint during the en-
ti.. week. Nearly Bee pounds OF fresh keel
were issued during the ercampmehl.
Throughout the troops have kept in spienuiu
health and leave here greatly benenteo oy
the outing.
Mock dress parade by Colonel Sconcers
command occurred considerable time OF the
First Regiment boys this morning ana III
fordet great amusement for the cnt!re camp
Colonel Sconcer Is as old as the regiment
and he Inusters his command of Srotcsqus
soldiers on the last day o: each annual tn
Campmcnt-
His purpose is to riliCule any officer VINO
has b.undercd or done anything 10 dlsplease
the men during the weeks camp. Inc OF
Tending officer Is burlesqued III the farce ana
made, = laughing stock for weeks 10 CONF
Much labor is expended by the men in rig
sing up wooden horses with whisIs OF straw
for tails and devisias all manner OF absurd
costumes to be used in the parade.
Every face in the command is streaked
and tainted after the fashion OF Apache
Indians Usually there are number or
cti,sies carried on poles in line and de-
tachnlert with a blanket Tor tossing .;Ci-
poses The Hospital Corps carries a
stretch.r made out CT tent fly nailed 10
a couple Of pianks. ana unhappy Is Tho
man or beast who has need of its services.
Al the present encampment everything
went off well and there was no one TO
hold ND for ridicule. but the AFFAIR was
none tho less coniical-
shortly after 10 o'clock wi.rd SOUNDS were
heard in the direction Of the First ReSi-
mcut camp. Presently there issued from
the company streets ii procession whica
would have done credit 10 the New or
leans Martii GraS. Il WAS headed by Colo
mel sooner and his staff mounted upon
wooden horses. Following them was band
Of discoriant musicians. Then came INC
four battalionI of the Sconcer regiment
In lieu of colors. dummy WAS borne
aloft on clothes prop. Iied ABOUT ITO
neck VAS A p!acard on which was marked
SEYMOUR. our bsndmasier. who cid not
come" The line filed out on 20 the parade
ground. where it lined up in regular bat
TALON formation and the ceremony of dress
parade WAS gone through. During the
course of this. several Of me horses were
overcome by heat and were carried 10 the
rear by the Hospital Corps.
Tn. ceremony wound up with Il concert
IN, the bard tossing the Seymour dummy
i'm 4 blanket and finally chOp2ins it To
nisccs With axes. Private Fergus OF Com
rany r represented Colonel Sconcer. His
aIfutants were PrivateS Ben CURE. Com
pany /: Webster. Company {; William
i;unsc. Company +. and sampson. Com
pany ID. ). WIN fAflN.