The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1905-04-12

Dec 81. AT O'Clock the camp is
awakened by the buSle sounding re
veille. We are up and astir at once, for
we have all been looking forward to
this day, some Of Us with pleasure
and great many with some degree Of
apprehension. for, with most Of the
boys, II is the first sea voyage. Break
fast over, we sling our hsversacks,
canteens and blanket rolls and await
the command TO fall in, at 5 0 clock.
The sharp, clear voice of the first
sergeant is heard Fall in is the
word. Quickly the battery forms in
line and is mustered by the captain.
When al! have been found present, the
captain commands Right face; For
ward marcn ana we are off TOR the
dock 36G strong the 5th, Goth and 2Sth
batteries. the last two Of which are
mountain batteries, equipped with
three incn Howitze $. packed Oh the
backs of Missouri mules, but all our
equipment Is lett behind as we take
the equipment of the batteries we re
lieve
a march Of about 500 yards brings
US 10 the dock where we board the
L. :. a. transport tender "Slocum,
and are taken to the quartermaster
pier, at the foot of Folsom street,
wher- we Io8rd the L. : A. Transport
Thomas. As we 90 aboard we find that
we are preceded by 500 unassigned re
cruits, who are destined for for ign
service with the various cavalry and
infantry regiments in the Philippines
A detachment of sixty men Of the los
pltal corps a number Of men return
ing from tuIlough on their way TO join
their regiments, and about thirty
clerks. teachers and sterographers
compose something over 1000 souls
all told, including tn crew.
Quite a crowd of curiosity seekers
and few friends and relatives are at
the pier TO see us off. At - O'clock
sharp the whistle sounds one blast, the
gang way is hoisted the lines cast off,
and amid much shouting of good byes,
aud waving Of hats and handkerchle
We back out into the bay.
The day Is perfect, not a cloud TO
be seen a. we drop down the bay. The
sight that greets the eye is good to
look upon the clear water Of the bay,
almost surrounded By the verdant
Mills Of the Coast Range in a compsr
atively small spot covered by tn city
of San Francisco and its euvirons. And
over all an assure sky with the sun
almost semi-tropical in it's warmth,
We soon pass Goat Island and a
little beyond Alcrataz Island. used Oh ly
as military prison, and wher- Ian
guish in durance vile some $50 con
victs, serving terms tor punishment of
the various crimes committed against
the United States government To our
right lies Angel Island and Fl Nc
Dowell, 10 our LETT Fl Mason and two
miles beyond is the Preside, large
military reservation with barracks,
amps and drill gounds We glide
smoothly onward, and IN n few min
nt-s we have on our left, Fit. Winfield
Scott, large brick iortihcation
built in 1851 and, in its day, a splen-
did piece Of military engineering, Uut
now abandoned. The old muzzle load
ing cannons are lying about or stacked
up like cord wood as they are no
longer of service, their day being past.
a few shots from modern gun
would cause the old walls to fall in
to ruins.
To our right is a high bluff on
when can be seen three immense
guns, said to be placed at a greater
elevation than any coast defense guns