The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-07-22
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half hope he wouldn't be called out until
after daybreak, yet anticipating some
thing doin' in the wee sma' hours.
There's something exciting in the an
tieipation OF being walked from sound
sleep by the ''crack-b-0-O-m" Of big
disappearing gun. and the men last night
were as excltable and nervous as though
the expected attacking parties were com
posed of real enemies.
It was pretty definitely decided by the
men, and known. Of course, to the Off
GERS, both regular and militia. there
would be a call to arms about o'clock
tomorrow morning. and the men hope to
be able to show the regulars they are not
such awful rockies" as not to know the
way TO the many batteries that guard
both the forts.
Puritan May Attack Tuesday.
The real excitement, however. is ex-
pected some time Tuesday night. when,
possibly, the Puritan or some other mon
ster war vessel will come within reach of
the big searchlights that are kept playing
constantly up and down the river, in
search Of the enemy.
tack on Fort Washington by the Fort
Hunt soldiers; a return engagement at
Fort Hunt and for the forces in both
forts to combine against an attack from
the naval reserves that viii carry out the
maneuvers in the sea attack, so-called-
On Thursday, and possibly Friday, there
viii be a combined sea attack, unless the
present plans are changed, and that is
quite likely, for the reason that every
effort is being made to surprise the de-
tenders OF each fort
It is their duty to be on the lookout all
the time for the approach of an enemy,
and when an attack is suspected, the
troops, both the regular guard Of the
forts and the militiamen. Will answer
call TO arms ana learn something of the
working OF the big disappearing guns
that command the approach to both forts
forts.
Guardsmen Are Expectant.
To-day there was little done about the
camps In Fort Washington, many of
the men We're put to work trenching
around the tents that were hastily erect
ed yesterday when the guard arrived
here. In the morning, Capt. Ballantine
at Fort Hunt and Capt Coffin, at Fort
Washington, mustered the men in. and
there were religious services during the
day. which were well attended.
All the men had somewhat recovered
from their fatigue of yesterday, when
they were pretty well worn out with their
trip from Harpers Ferry and with the
getting of the camp into order. They
We're, of course. not required to do much
to-day. but after the word went out that
there was a possibility of the Puritan S
making an appearance during the night
every man was on tiptoe and when the
sunset gun was fired at Fort Washington
Il sent q thrill up several hundred spines
that won't come down until after the
stay at the camp is ended next Sunday
Disposition OF Troops.
The Fifth and Sixth BattaIons. in com
mand OF Maj r. D. Simms and Capt.
Alexander Summers. respectively, are in
Fort Washington. and the Fourth Bat
talon, under command of Mai Anton
Stephan. and Company c, Capt Mac
gonigaL of the First Regiment, are in
Fort Hunt.
Col. N. Emmett Urell. in complete COM
mand of al the District guardsmen. has
his headquarters in Fort Washington.
above the camp of the Sixth Battalion,
whose members are bivouacked right IN
der the guns of the Decatur battery with
the artineTymen.
The regimental staff consists of Col.
Urell, Capt. Brooks, adjUtant; Lieut. Col
Richard A. O'Brien, Capt. Z. G. Schaffer.
quartermsster; Capt WoOdman, surgeon;
Capt Dudley, chaplain, and First Lieut..
J. c. Whitaker, commissary oGicer.
Militiamen are acting as support for the
regular companies holding the forts and
as a reserve. The regulars comprise the
Seventeenth Forty-fOUTth. and 1OIth com
panies Of the Coast Artillery Corps, at
Fort Washington, and the Forty-seventh.
at Fort Hunt.
Col Urell and his officers yesterday
made themselves familiar with the
grounds and tactics to be employed. Col
Coffin and Maj Stevens showing them
about and when the men We're mustered
into battalion formation this morning
they We're also familiarized in a general
way with the duties that will be ex-
pected Of them.
instruction for Militia.
Tomorrow morning in both forts there
will be drills by the regulars, to BE-
watched by the miIitiamen, and their
officers viii be given instruction by the
regular officers Of the artillery companies
Following this, in the afternoon. the In
formation that has been impaired to the
officers. both commissioned and noncom-
missioned, viii be put into practice. and
the militiamen will be put through their
PAGES and given a workout that will
make them think war has been declared
Tor sure.
Then tomorrow night. late, they prob
mill no Cd
clarion call TO arms, aided by the adiura-
lions of cOrporals and sergeants. to re-
pulse an enemy Which fort will be the
enemy" no one knows as yet but the
men in both places will be on their mette
In Fort Hunt the four companies Of The
Fourth Battalion viii act as support to
the regular infantrymen, and Company {
will probably be detailed as The one tC
act as reserve.
Day Is Pleasantly spent.
This afternoon Col. Uren and practi.
cally all the staff officers went down tC
Marshall Hall on the lighthouse tender
and the commanding officers OF the forts
exchanged calls with the officials Of the
militamen. The troops in Fort Washing
ton put in most of their time riding OF
the "dinky" engine that runs from the
Decatur battery around to one OF the
ammunition houses. and the fact that
there is no conductor aboard to worry
the passengers about fares made a hit
with the guardsnen
At Fort Hunt there was not much do
ing after the mastering of the troops il
the morning. The men put in their time
ABOUT camp and down on the pier. below
the lighthouse, fishing and taking sur