The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1903-08-20
Military Life in Barracks.
Notes Of Short sojourn in Fort Wayne.

To THE EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL:
Since | last wrote our friends in
Maine, through the columns of the be-
loved Journal, l have added a most
pleasant episode to the short experience
already gained of a military life in bar
racks, and think perhaps some notes OF
our few mouths sojourn in Fort Wayne,
Michigan, may interest them. In the
spring the End battalion OF the 14th
Infantry, which had been stationed at
Wayne, was ordered to the Philip
pines to relieve the troops coming home;
and two companies of our regiment
were sent to occupy that post for a
short time. | was thus enabled to see
life in a second military post within SIX
months time after coming west. AL
though Fort Wayne does not compare
with Fort Sheridan, either in size or
modern elegance. it is yet a very pretty
and interesting place, situated as 1t is
on the banks of the Detroit river, in the
suburbs of that most thriving city, ana
commanding long sweep OF the river,
with the green shores of Canada oppo-
site.
This river by-the-way, is a source OF
never-ending interest. as the commerce
upon it is immense The big frelghters
of the Great Lakes are constantly pas
ing too and fro, beside multitude OF
smaller craft and the many immense
excursion steamers, for this river is the
connecting link between Lake Erie
and Lake Huron. These freighters are
peculiar looking boats. Nothing like
them is used on other waters. They
are very long and narrow, and their
hundreds of tons of freight are all
stored below the water line, little show
ing above but the long, slender outlines
of glistening white or black. The pilot
house, engine, steering apparatus, ETC.,
are in the stern, instead of amidshlps, or
forward, as in other craft l have been
accustomed to see, and it gave rather
an ungainly appearance.
But to return to the Post. The reser-
walton occupies about two hundred
acres, in the centre of which, on the
slope facing the river, is the Old Fort,
grand specimen of the old-time fortl-
tication. In looking up statistics L learn
it was first built in the year 1S43 as
cedar stockade: and in 1868, during the
Civil war. this was torn down and the
brick wall built. This wall is twenty
seven and a half feet high and seven
and a half feet thick, covered by Il
sand glacis and sodded There are eight
classmates which have traylSes ana
ports for fifty-two flank defence guns;
and gun beds and travises for thirty
two siege guns on the bastions. These
guns were ready for use until 1875, but
since there has been an agreement
between the United States and Great
Britain not to mount any siege guns on
either border.
Within the walls are the old stone
barracks, now used as the guard house,
since the new barracks were erected
near the main gates of the reservation
in 1894 Surrounding the immense
walls is the wide, deep moat, now
smooth and rass-grown, but which
could be flooded at a moments not]ce.
This moat and draw bridge remind one
of the pictures drawn from ''ye oldeh
times" and such well preserved relics
of ancient Notifications are rarely seen
nowadays. The grounds are nicely
laid out in broad shaded avenues OF hne
crushed stone, with nice cement walks,
and every inch of the lawns, slopes ana
parade grounds is kept clipped to velvet
smoothness, and all take great pride IN
the brilliancy and profusion OF the flow
er beds about the officers and staff quar-
ters The barracks are fine. commodl-
ous brick buildings, with all modern
convenienceS. TheIe is a large, new
hospital, with the hospital stewards
family quarters adjoining; and although
during the past year there has been
much talk of the government abandon
ing this post, with many other of TIE
smaller ones, condensing the army more
on the larger reservations, this propo-
sition seems to be laid aside for the
present, at least, as long row of non
commissioned staff quarters were Or
dered erected during the summer
months and Officers Row was also i'm
proved.
AS Fort Wayne was built for but one
battalion, the numerous daily drills,
parades, etc., and the exercises of field
day. which occurs once each month,
are on modest scale compared with
larger posts containing a regiment; yet
the city people of Detroit never tire OF
strolling over the grounds and watch
ing the exercises which to many are
novel and interesting. Besides the
preparations for field day, the soldiers
have for recreation, numerous games
of baseball on their diamond with
teams from other places; bathing and
rowing on the river, many gay balls in
the Post hall, and added to this the
pleasures of the adjoining city.
Eo,+ yUavpo ic rounb lil-od On that