Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-14
Mi|itiamen Enjoy the
Voyage on Transports
Special Correspondence of The Star. via Pilot
Boat.
Aboard the Transport Sumner.
Off Cane Henry Va

Special Correspondence of The Star. via Pilot
Boat.
Aboard the Transport Sumner,
Off Cape Henry. Va,
August II. 1909.
With the Stars and Stripes streaming in
the breeze from her prov. the Sumner,
with her cargo of nearly 1900 members
of the National Guard of the District of
Columbia, is pushing her way northward
as fast as steam can propel her. The
Sumner left her moorings at the Wash
ington barracks Wednesday night with
sealed orders concerning her destination.
This morning the orders were opened and
the place of landing made known to sew
eral of the higher officers of the National
Guard and the commander of THE steam
ship.
The men of the 1st and I'd Infantry. the
Hospital Corps and engineers on the Sum-
ner are getting a taste of real military
service in time of war, and those of
them who went to the front in the Span
sh war in 1898 are constantly reminded
of their experience at that time. All eX
tras, such as were furnished at encamp-
ments in former years. have been cut off
and everything is being conducted on a
wartime basis.
Just Little Grumbling.
Naturally there is some grumbling
among those who have never before faced
the conditions that prevail when war is
low deck is not suggestive OF the downy
beds that are furnished at the New Will
lard or even at the homes of the soldier
boys The rations furnished the guards
men are the same they would receive If
the United States was at war with q
foreign power and the men We're going to
the front to do battle under the coors.
The first breakfast given the District
troops Thursday morning. far down the
Potomac, consisted of canned beef, army
ration of regulars and volunteers at the
time of the Spanish-American war. Those
of the boys who have beea used to juicy
steaks. poached eggs on toast, hot cakes
and the like at home, of course. complain
of the military menu, but the majority of
them are making the best of it, and they
are learning salutary lesson i'm the art
of real warfare which will be OF meal
culable benefit to them in the years to
come.
Guards are changed every two hours.
and the warlike attitude is heightened
from time to time by the stirring notes
of the bugle echoing over the waters and
the roll of the drum. Strict orders have
been issued against friendly games OF
chance in any form. The guardsmen
have many vocalists among them. and
the quiet of the ocean is frequently dis
turbed by the singing of such songs as
Il Had Good Home, but | Left 1t, I
Love My Wife. but oh, You Kid" and
even hymns by those who are religiously
inclined.
First Guard Mount.
The honor of having the. first guard
mount Wednesday night fell to the lot of
Company Il, LIST Infantry. and excellent
order was maintained on shipboard
The hospital report up to this time is
blank as the lads are enjoying excellent
health and the bracing sea air gives
them an appetite that causes the army
rations to disappear with great rapidity.
While the hospital is empty OF patients.
the impromptu guardhouse Is filled with
guardsmen. The guard swooped down on
a number of the boys Thursday morning
while they were engaged in a game of
casino and the offenders against or
ders may be court-martialed.
The officers are enjoying themselves
hugely. They are occupying the state
rooms OF the Sumner and pass the time
studying games of war. reading. writing
and smoking and drawing imaginary pic
lures of the forthcoming invasion of old
Boston town.
The transport Mcclellan. with the COM
handing general and staff and more of
the troops on board, Is at this time about
fifteen miles behind the Sumner. Signal
reports from the Mcclellan state that all
are well and anxious to get down to the
active work of the campaign The Nc
Clellan broke her steering gear while
leaving Washington harbor and she is
struggling along In a crippled condition.
The Signal Corps men are working on
the wireless plant, and as soon as 1t is in
operation aerial messages will be sent.