The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-08-12
District Artillerymen Drill
Hired Horses Before
Transportation.
MILITiAMEN CHEERED
UPON DEPARTURE
ArtilIerists and Signal Corps Leave
on Same Train for War
Game.

Full uniformed and equipped. and
ready to follow their comrades to the
front in the arena of mimic warfare,
the artillerymen o. the District of Co
lumbia National Guard, held their last
preliminary drill On B street, between
Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets. this
morning.
Under the command of Capt. Charles
Fox the battery weat through the mo-
tons Of dashing into action, wheeling to
left and right. taking position, and re-
firing. The battery was handicapped
to some extent In these maneuvers. by
the absence of their guns and ammuni-
ton wagons, which are slowed away
in the hold of the transport Sumner
bound for the coast of Massachusetts.
Ninety seven men answered the mus
ter this morning, and reported them
selves in readiness to go 10 the front.
They needed 10 special insignie TO dis
tinguish them as members of the red
army which will attack Boston, as they
always wear the red hat cord. the dis
tinguishing mark OF the Artillery Corps.
The drill this morning was not for
practice purposes for the men. but
merely as a preliminary for the eighty
horses. which were chartered from
washington livery stables. It was in
the parlance of the artilleTists a ''har-
ness drill" which IN the main consists
in hitting the harness to new horses,
not necessarily of the livery variety.
The chief difficulty in fitting some OF
the harness was n making it scant
enough TO prevent it falling off the
backs of some of the horses, which sub
mitted docils like. as though even war
no longer held terrors for them. Sc
riously, the horseg as a whole are
credit to the battery, and TO the Wash
ington liverymen. While they are not
as sleek and well tuned up as the
horses OF Uncle Sans regulars. they
are considered fair ones. The livery
men are hoping that they will all come
back alive.
After the harness fitting. the men dis
persed, TO assemble again this after
noon. and ride the horses 10 the wait
ing box cars out near Benning- The
men viii assemble for their departure
at O'Clock tomorrow morning, and
their train viii pull out at z.
The Signal Corps, under command Of
Lieutenant Putnam, win leave on the
same train. The two corps viii join
the main infantry body Of the guard at
a secret rendezvous somewhere on the
coast. Signal men and
artillery men viii then receive their
squipment, which was transported Oh
tie Sumner. It is probable that they
wiz have two or three days in which
10 drill, before they are ordered into
he line to flight" against the force de-
lending Boston. probably early in the
week The men are. all in fire fettle,
and it is expected with a preliminary
rest, the horses will be rejuvenated.
Brigadier General HarriEss his stans
and the First and Second Regiments,
First Separate Battalion. and band, left
o. the transports McClel-|
Ian and Sumner last evening. Thou
sands Cf Neutrality-suspicious. Journeyed 10
the foot Of Seventh street to wish them
bon voyage The militiamen made an
picture as the TWO gTeat trans
ports swung slowly down the river, with
the band playing THE Girl / Left Be
hind Me"