Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-07
ArtiIIerymen Hustle to Obey
Mexican ''War" Order.
| MEN READY IN A JIFFY
Battalion Prepared to Start Four
Hours After Word Is Received.
GUNS AND RATIONS READY
Men and Horses Waiting Only on
Railroads, May Get
Away Tonight.

| A brief telegram from Governors Island
N. Y, headquarters of the Department
of the East, U. ,. A., received at Fort
Myer at Sill o'clock this morning reused
| that post to scenes Of action.
The I'd Battalion, Sd Field Artillery,
| composed Of Batteries D, E and F, was
ordered to proceed Immediately to Fort
| Sam Houston. at San Antonio, Tex,
equipped for field service.
Within fifteen minutes after Col. Jo-
seph Garrard, commandant at Fort Myer.
had received the order the ten officers
| in charge Of the battalion were in his Of
flee. Soon thereafter the 343 men Of the
batteries were packing their rations and
equipment. BY noon the artillerymen
had their guns. caissons and horses ready
| for the long trip.
| The difficulty in arranging transporta-
ton facilities: which weer not completed
until 100 o'clock this afternoon. pre-
vented the squadron from leaving the
fort ION the jump as the troopers say
| All was excitement, and the spirit OF
enthusiasm displayed by the soldiers
transformed the post into a real CAM
paign picture. Everywhere the artillery
men We're busy rolling tents. transferring
boxes of rations. forage for the horses
and loading ammunition wagons.
| During all this activity the cavalrymen
l
ing eyes. blaming the luck which kept
| them at the post when their more fortu-
| nate brothers in arms were going to the
Mexican border.
Surprise to Everybody.
The surprise caused by the sudden and
unexpected order was felt by every per-
son stationed at Fort Myer. In the Of
fcers' quarters the wives and children of
those captains and heutenants ordered
Ito the front" helped them prepare their
kits, all the while discussing the prob
able reason or cause for the exodus to
Texas.
The "ladies Of the post" gathered in
| little knots and pondered over the order.
can situation would hardly warrant inter
ference by United States troops. while
others pointed out that American inter-
ests were in danger from the insurgent
forces headed by Gen. Orzoco.
| While the officers declined to be quoted
| on the matter, the majority expressed the
belief that the GENERALIZATION of troops
| on the border was merely maneuver TO
prove that the United States Army IS
ready to meet any emergency. This
focusing of forces at San Antonio. they
| asserted, is to alleviate the fears en-
gendered by members of Congress and
others that our army Is not prepared for
war.
| Take Plenty Of Ammunition.
Judging from the formidable array Of
cannon, guns and ammunition stacked on
| the parade ground at the fort, at least
one section Of the United States Army
tis ready to go into action. Each man
who will leave for the south tonight or
tomorrow win carry 200 rounds OF ammu-
milton. Ten days rations for each troop
err will be carried along in the box cars.
/ LSar oh, nf fho
battalion 400 rounds of ammunition Will
| be carried along. The three batteries
will ship with them S5S horses and fifteen
ponies; twenty-four caissons. six kit
| wagons. three store wagons and three
| forge wagons.
In all, it is estimated by Lieut.. w. H.
Shepherd. adjutant to Capt. Brooke
Payne; that 5000 pounds Of food will be
clude coffee. tea. evaporated milk, sugar,
pork, beef, beans, bread. flour. yeast.
corn, tomatoes, potatoes, rice, onions. jam
and bareback This supply is already
boxed and ready for loading on the trains.
| When the men received the instructions
to get ready they packed their equipment
lin quarters" Each trooper will carry in
his blanket roll one extra uniform, one
extra pair Of shoes and socks. one extra
suit of underclothes and a half shelter
tent. In his knapsack he will carry cook
ing and eating utensils The packing of
| personal equipment consumed but a few
minutes.
After lunch. when all was in readiness
to get under way, the railroad facilities
| had not been completed and the men
| waited around, still eager to start and
| killing time talking over the trip and
the possibilities of field service along the
! Rio Grande.
Makeup of Trains.
Each battery will travel in a separate
train, made up of seven horse cars, one
box car. one baggage car, five fiat cars
| and four sleeping coaches. 1t has not
yet been decided by the depot quarter
masters department where the battalion
will load. 1t is probable that the trains
will depart from st. Asaph or Alexan-
dria.
In the absence of Maj. L. G. Berry,
who is at Fort Leavenwortl, at the army
school. Capt. Brooke Payne will command
the battalion. The other officers who
| will go south are Capt. Willard d. New
bill, First Lieut.. d. c. Seagrave. First
Lieut.. Sherman Miles. First Lieut.. John
Lund, Second Lieut.. s. r. Hopkins, Sec
ond Lieut.. f. w. Stewart, Second Lieut..
w. H. Shepherd, Second Lieut. Joe r..
Brabson, Second Lieut.. A. w. Smith and
Maj. j. H. Allen. medical officer, and four
assistant officers.