The Washington herald., 1909-08-12

While a narrow queue of khaki ad-
vanced along the neck Of the wharves.
while snappy little launches scudded about
like busybodies anxious to have the last
word. and while twilight stole pensively
across the channel. the transports sum
ner and Mcclellan weighed anchor at 3
o'clock last night. bearing 1.500 members
OF the National Guard of the District to
the rendezvous in the environs of Boston.
Drums beat and whistles screeched. the
barracks yard was a-hutter with excite
ment. and the crowd lined the shore with
the powerful searchlights on the trans
ports playing upon their eager faces.
Like huge seagulls. the ships slowly
made their way down the channel. their
lights twinkling like frefiies in the gath
ering darkness.
For an hour before the steady. thud-lIke
tread Of military feet had sounded along
the creal1ing boards of the piers. The
throb and rhythm carried with Il the
glamour Of incipient warfare. Had the
transports been bound for the field Of bat
tie, the thrill in the atmosphere could not
have been more pronounced. When hfe
and drum gave their shriIl challenge TO
the winds, the Illusion was perfect
Made the DerricI1s Gronn.
The huge derricks groaned under their
burden Great patches of supplies were
piled up on the wharves. Officers hur-
ried back and forth shouting orders. with
many nervous gIances at their watches.
Abaft lay lighter with a half dozen
rapid-firing Calling guns awaiting ship
ment. Down into the vitals OF the trans
ports was forced the belated material.
Like a sleeping bulldog. the monitor
Puritan black and somber, slumbered
under the nose OF the Sumner. With
no sign did it participate in the thrill
or the excitement Of the night Yachts and
launches scurried about like Liliputians
before the somnOleat Gulliver. The
crowds at first promenaded along the
piers. but were driven back when the
militia began TO arrive. They then
cheered. and waved handkerchiefs along
the shore.
The sumner was at the engineer dock.
Washington barracks. and the Mcclellan
at the naval battalion and lighthouse
docks Chaos was reduced 10 order in
side or an hour. Along the docks were
packchests. knapsackS. cots. suit cases
odds and ends of supplies. Like a bucket
brigade at a fire, men in khaki formed a
long line. each a link in the chain. They
passed bundle after bundle down the
line, often with the speed of basket ball
players advancing the leather TO a goal
This swift work surprised those who
betrayed cynical annoyance when the
huge store Of unloaded material was
shown 20 them.
"Bungling somewhere along the line,
they said. Maybe the transports will
debark tonight; maybe they won't"
The wharves were spick and span al
O'Clock, and the arrival of the troops
was awaited. At this time the men were
dehling out OF the armory and preparing
for the march down Seventh street The
queue Of khaki was warped on the pier;
each squad was compelled to halt and
wait until the word TO embark was passed
down.
whistles Gave Signal.
Then the searchlights flooded the sky
and the whistles gave the signal; the
ropes were gathered aboard, and tine
transports got under way at last. A
a parting word, the searchlights threw
a shaft Of calcium against the Washing
ton Monument That mejectic structure
was sharply outlined against the sky
and seemed TO bid farewell in its owl
peculiar fashion.
In this way the two transports turned
their prows down the Potomac, the Nc.
Clellan carrying Gen. HarTies and hiS
staff, the First Separate Battalion Of In.
fantry, the division hospital and the band
Of the First Infantry, and the Sumner
conveying the First Infantry, under com.
mand Of Col. Charles II. Ourand. and tho
Second Infantry, under Col Richard D
Sims.
The transports sail under sealed order,
as to the exact point Of debarkation No
until the ships are out at sea viii the
troops know Just where they will land or
Long Island Sound or the coast Of Massa,
chusetts.
Throughout the day the loading Of tn,
ships was conducted with strenuous ac
tivijy. The guns, caissons. and battery
wagons or the First Battery Field Ar
tlllery; two wagons OF the Signal Corps
and the Calling guns were loaded on tn,
Mcclellan under direction OF Lieut. Ed
ward NJ Nevils, who Is quartermaster o.
the troops who will entrain tomorrow.
Under the direction Of Lieut. William A
DuvaT. the loading Of the personal equip
ment OF the officers and men was done IL
the afternoon. Bagging rolls OF officers
cots. suit cases, field medical chests, cook
ing spiders. and various impediment!
were all taken aboard. These were con
veyed from the Center Market Armorl
with excellent management.
The transports were loaded with III,
rations and fresh beef in the morning.
Orders from the headquarters, Depart
mont OF the East, have detailed FRS
Lieut.. Harold S. Hetrick and Secont
Lieuts Daniel I. Sultan. John A. Hola
Continued on Page 2, Column 2.