The Washington herald., 1908-08-03


F. Dudley. Of the Second Regiment. held
0pen-aIr services in the locust grove
where the headquarters tents are pitched
The Brigade Band furnished The music.
and the service was a beautiful one The
mems voices. aided by the soprano and
treble Of the visitors. blended beautifully
in the evening air with the strains Of the
band. The service was. perhaps. the
largest attended Of any of the encamp-
meuts. Conspicuous IN the congregation.
seated on camp chairs and on the ground,
were Col and Mrs Cofiu and Mrs Cof-
fms mother. Mrs. Mansfield
COIOred Troops sing.
At Fort Hunt in addition 10 the regular
service. the First Separate Battalion the
coIored contingent. furnished an old-fash-
ioned open-air meeting. This will go
down as one Of the features Of the en-
campment- With natural talent for
music. the negro voices viii long be a
remembrance by those who heard them
Lovers Of melody were enthralled. and
no Old South camp meeting. with its won
derfuI melody. could exceed that Of TO-
day.
For the first time in many years that
the TWO river forts have stood sentry
over the entry 10 the Nations Capital
Washingronians generally have begun 70
appreciate the beauty and strength OF
these TWO fortifcatiCns- The emplac~-
ments on the two prOmOntoTies. bristllug
with unseen giant guns. were a Tevela-
ton 70 those who had many times before
passed on excursion steamers Both forts
are beautifully laid out and exceed for
natural bsuty most of Washington 5
boasted parks The ingenuity % great
/ engineering minds has added wonder
fully to this natural beauty
An Ideal Sunset
In parties, but more generally by rWos.
guest and guide. the visitors rambled
/ through the heavy forests on sightseeing
tours around the batteries. Many were
/ the couples that sought the seclusion %
I the old fort IN the early evening, and
/ there. seated on the gun bastions and the
4ramparts. gazed out over the river and az
Z the opposite shore clothed IN the Won
derful beauty Of a marvellous sunset
/ Il seemed that Providence aided in
I making the Gay the banner one OF this
and every other encampuent Not an
I evening during the past week has the
I sunset been as beautiful. or the river as
I picturesque. with its score OF passing
/ boats. excursion steamers, and launches
I Gazing upon such a scene as this. will
I fnE guides disertated 10 their own par
/ ticular visitor upon the history and TO-
] nance that surrounds the old fOruhca-
ticn that has stood for centuries In
/ many different corners and on each sep
I arate gun mount and bastiOn. and on the
I old drawbridge over the moat. was told
/ Of the ancient DAYS when the Indians
I had selected this as a spot naturally pro
i tected. and how later the invader-the
white man-had. through a century. i'm
/ proved gradually upon nature and the
red man. until to-day the fort stands In
/ vinclbls- Never before has cupid had
{ such 'an opportunity. and in the falling
I dusk many photos changed hands. and
{ buttons were surreptitiously cut from
7 many uniforms 10 be held forever over
3 futtering hearts as mementos-
PartInES Were Lingering.
/ Under these conditions, il is small won.
/ de- that partings were long and Inger.
I ing, and the distraught warning whistles
| Of departing steamboats, called forth
I silent imprecations from the men and
more apparent scorn from their part
ners Through Il all, the band. directed
I Il seemed by the unseen hand that per.
vaded the air, played the soft Italian
/ operas. and the lingering strains Of senti-
| mental music.
( With a discordant rumble and grUnt
/ the last departing boat pulled out from
/ the wharf shortly before 9 o'clock
and quiet descended upon the camps, ex-
] cept in a few gatherings Of those who
! prolonged what TO them had been q
/ more OF less dismal day. They had
I sought in many ways 10 acquire the Iigh-
Z heart and the extreme pleasure Of their
I more fortunate brothers, but finally they
Z turned in unsatistied and with a feeling
I OF discomfort with the day.
f The Washington and Potomac Steam
/ boat Company ran a special schedule OF
] boats 70 Fort Washington. morning, aft
I eruoon. and evening. The Queen Anne
Z stopped on her way 10 Colonial Beach
( as did also the Wakefield and Harry Ran
I dali on each TRIP. going 10 and coming
I from River View and Marshall Hall
Each arriving and departing boat wa,
I greeted with cheers. and a hundred va
Z Tieties Of wigwsg signals with hanGSer-
I chiefs and hats. that completely non
( plused Lieut. Putnam and his corps Of
: signal men Each code was Enthusiastically
I one Of private copyright. and not foi
I others 10 use and understand. At FOrt
/ Hunt each fair visitor was escorted al
I the way along the long lane TO the cai
( line. and moJOrmen and conductors were
as unpopular as the steamboat men be.
/ cause they closed their schedule early