The Washington times., 1908-08-09
GuardSmen Break Camp
a. Early for Keturnzto
a. the City. ,s.s
FESTAL. SCENES
ON FINAL NIGHT
Many Friendships Made With
Regulars at Forts-Lasting
Peace Is Declared.

dance given by Gen. George H Har-
Ties in the old manor house at Fort
Washington. down to just ordinary phiz
tests, By groups Of the men. tonight.
the last night, was the gayest Of the
'encampment. OF the District Militia.
Every one turned out in. holiday dress,
and there was a continual round OF
festivities until long into the night.
For the first time. the guardsnsn found
time 10 indulge themselves, and 10 en-
tertain the regulars, who had been so
Glospitabie and considerate.
The men had been longing for this
opportunity to show their appreciation
OF their welcome. and that they had
b,;t one night to do it in was no deter
rent.
in the wee. small hours. militiamen
and regulars parted. the fastest
friends. This Spirit .perysded both
camps, from the manor house on down
the line, and the only variance was in
the mode Of expression.
All Say GOod-By.
In the manor house It was reserved
and dignihed, while IN the camps the
men put their arms around each others
shoulders and swore by each other
Many melodies, uear-melodies, and out
and out discords Wed with the orches-
ira Of the Brigade Band. playing at the
manor house,
Where all the necessary cOmmissary
supplies, dry and wet, came from. is
n puzzle. The two river forts are
isolated. and The Canteen was long since
abolished, but the necessary requisites
seemed TO grow on trees.
The big guns. nursed for two solid
zrta4r1rs
and gliost-like overlooking the papa
pets-deserted. They stood as silent
5entinels in the night. far removed
IRON the gayety and laughter and the
shining lights. No longer were they
petted, as the cavalrymau pets his
steed, but they stood hidden in the
recesses. and the slightest football or
noise inside the concrete emplacements
caused a ghastly. hollow echo that
seemed 10 come from q cave.
Peace Declared
Peace had been declared. No more
Tor another year viii these great guns,
standing black and silent in the night.
roar across the Potomac. splitting dead
" venom upon imaginary enemies.
Down along the ravines and the river
shore. the silence was equally intense
and the criclzets sang merrily. undls-
aurbed by the huTTying tread OF heavy
seet rushing by and firing into tho
might The myriad Of insects sdrOned
on, the sound blending with and Dc
coming a part Of the silence that other
wise was unbroken, except by the
echoes from the distant camps.
The Brigade Band gave its usual con
cert in front of Colonel Coffin's lawn
this evening.
Although nearly every man in camp
was on pleasure bent tonight there
were some few who were at work
Preparations were completed for strtk-
ing camp tomorrow morning and every
thing was made shipshape tonight. A
detail was made from each company
90 look after the stores and camp i'm
tpedlmenta, and these details had their
hands full. Other details were made
s6or the battalion and regimentaI stan,
and everything that could be was
packed tonight.
Immediately after rcveille in the
morning the tents viii be struck and
packed-the bedding rolled up, and the
men viii be ready for their return tc
the city.
Leave Early.
The baggage and other impedlmenta
LEULl N4EA Na4AR VIII bV PAAS4 sNttlAE
the tracks Of the Piscataway limited,
the dinlcy train that rambles over the
reservation.
Troops from Fort Hunt will embark
first, and the Jane MOsely, the trans
port, and the Jackson viii then pro-
ceed 10 Fort washington. The Jack
son viii land at the engineers wharf.
and the AIosely at the quartermaster's
wharf Both boats VIII be loaded "a
soon as possible, and the start for
washington viii be made as near 8
O'Clock as possible. There viii be plenty
or work and it is possible that there
will be some delay.
The reception and dance given by
General Harries and the brigade stan
tonight was the crOwning feature or the
social events OF the encampment. 1t
was rendered TO the regular army Off
GERS stationed at Forts Washington and
Hunt or detailed there as instructors
during the camp. their families and
house guests.
Setting of Beauty.
The skilled hands OF Washington dec
orators and electricians were used to
transform the dining hail Of the old
nansion~ into a setting Of beauty for
the wonderful gowns OF the women and
the run dress uniforms or the men.
Some Of the decorations were bor-
Fowed from the yacht Oneida, and the
''fags OF al nations" from her saloon
were festooned on walls and ceiling.
The brigade band and orchestra played
dance music.
Battery AIeigs was transformed into
a scene OF boisterous gayety. and the
Banquet there, rendered by Companies
A, Q, and d, of the Second Regiment, to
the officers and men Of the Seventeenth
Company, Regular Coast Artillery, who
served with them at the big twelve-inch
EnOTtars
The banquet was for the purpose Of
showing the appreciation OF the guards
men for their reception and instrue-
ton, and It became the vehicle for the
expressions of mutual regard.
Major stephan, commanding the bat
TALON. was elected POSTMASTER, and
Captain Coward and Lieutenants Brig
ham and Thompson, the regular officers
detailed 10 the battery, attended. It
deEelopa4. at she banquet that the