The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1904-09-09
OUR SOLDIER BOYS.
Leave the Classic City of St. Angus
tine and Tent on Virginia's Historic
Fields
En- Route to Manassas, Va,

En- Route to Manassas, Va,
Sept. 4th, 1904
Special Correspondence Ocala Banner
The Ocala Rifles being among the
crack companies selected to go to
Manassas broke camp at St. Angus
tine Saturday morning and left at
eight forty-five on a special train of
twelve coaches over the Atlantic
Coast Line. We are company A of
the provisional Florida regiment In-
fantry) under command of our own
Major Mathews. The boys were
greatly pleased with St. Augustine
in particular but company A always
aspires to higher and better things;
thought we would make change so
marched on Richmond and when this
city was reached wanted to pitch our
tents on the public square in the i'm
mediate vicinity of cold drink stand
with a little "bOoze" on the side.
But owing to the deplOrable fact that
we were barred from seeing the town
on account of the houses and after a
heart to heart consultation with the
higher authorities decided to shake
the vile dust from our feet and seek
the more pleasant chimes in the
green fields of Virginia" where the
cotton and the apple blossoms blend.
When it comes to sleeping in the
daytime, Private Hampton has Rip
Van Wrinkle beat a city block with
Sergeant Pittman a close second. This
means of course between crap games.
The boys received the enormous
amount of one dollar and thirty cents
each and some of these boys being so
reckless in the fascinating game of
"show down. look like the proven
bal thirty cents this soon in the game.
According to Bradstreets for 1904
however Asher Franks rating is way
above par.
Among the new enterprises started
on company A street is the loan
association composed of Hampton,
Ditto & A. Frank. This association
has been successful beyond the wild
est dreams of avarice.
In view of the fact that there were
men behind the range at target shoot
Friday, Corporal Little Willie'
Dodson being very humane creature
and also a straight shot with the
krag, thought that the ball would go
through the target and kill poor
man, shot high. This alone accounts
for his very poor score.
On the road between Richmond and
Manassas the boys seeing some apples
made charge on same believing
them to be the "red eye" of the
enemy and captured same. 1t is
needless to add that they were
severely reprimanded for making
such a mistake.
The boys as well as all those who
have come in contact with splendid
officers of our battalion speak in the
highest terms of them commencing
with our popular and military COM
mander, Major Mathews down to our
Lieut.. Anderson. Captain Nash has
the enviable reputation as an excel
lent officer and his services are. al |
ways in demand at every point where
decisions and ability are called for.
He is by all odds the most popular
officer in the regiment.
One of the most interesting as well
as laughable features of our stay in
the accent city was the swell burlesque
on dress parade. 1t has held in the
public plaza Wednesday night by
compady A and the Miami boys eff
ficiently differed by Sergeant Pitt
man as major of the battalion and
Corporal Lancaster as adjutant. 1t
is needless to say that these soldiers
covered themselves with glory as well
-, e,,,,,;sL, ovfort ainpoout for fho
entire city both civilian and military.
ID. & L.