Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-14
National Guardsmen Return to
Washington Feeling in
Fine Condition.
DESIRE LONGER PERIOD
TO CARRY ON WAR GAME
Many Say That Just as Profit Is
Coming From Instruction It
Is Time to Come Home.

/ mas OCSh 0CSidICus dIlu the OpDOSlnk
armies have united into one force and
returned to Washington as the National
Guard of the District Of Columbia 1t
was healthy-looking body of men which
stepped off the troop trains at the Balti-
more and Ohio freight yards late yester-
day afternoon, returning from the annual
encampment of the District National
Guard at Camp Ordway, near Harpers
Ferry, w. Va.
| There were no scars, only those made
by Old Sol. but these had healed on many,
/ and had turned to a deep, healthy brown.
The sight of Washington seemed to make
many of the boys happy. but they en-
| joyed the camp as long as they were
| In 1t. Many expressed the desire for
longer encampment. explaining that just
about the time they get used to camp
| life and are getting profit from the in
! structiop 1t is time to break up and
| come home.
| There was a mix-up In the number OF
coaches on the first troop train which
left Shenandoah City. The result was
that this train of thirteen coaches. on
| the 18th day of the month in the year
1913 was very much, crowded. The trip,
| however. was made without mishap.
first at one-half- intervals.
Girls Much in Evidence.
At Shenandoah City. which is only a
| railroad siding where the county road
runs close to the railroad and where
there Is not a house in sight, there
!. were girls a-plenty, bidding fond
adieus to their camp beaux.' and
pleading for the soldier boys to send
back pictures of themselves and to
write often.
The train stopped at Harpers Ferry
before running on the main line, and
there was another army Of girls to re-
peat the incidents of Shenandoah City
while the men were compelled to stay
on the train there, many of the officers
took advantage OF the opportunity to
| leave the train and there speak to the
girls, who made a solid row along the
lengthy station platform.
The boys amused themselves during the
two and-a-ha hour ride by telling stories
and singing songs, and every once In
while the shrill calls Of the bugle corps
could be heard above the roar of the
train wheels.
Ihere was an unusually large crowd at
the freight yards, where the soldier boys
0etralned. Mothers, fathers, relatives and
friends crowded in between the trains.
and there was scarcely room enough for
the soldier boys to form their companies
when they got off. Each regiment got
| away from the station in short time, and
was son marching to the armories
wnere the equipment was deposited.
having lost their chance to talk to
! their soldier boy relatives and friends at
| the freight station, many of those who
came TO the station to welcome the re-
turning conquerors. boarded cars and
could welcome them as thew came from
| the buildings. Many of the boys changed
| from their soldier clothes In the armor-
les and appeared on the streets to go
nome In civilian clothes while others just
| deposited their heavy equipment and left
In their soldier clothes. Everywhere
| about the city last sight soldiers could
be seen khaki clad.
Signal Corps Returns Afoot.
While the infantry was detrainine at
the freight station the Signal Corps
Company was marching through the
streets Of Washington from another
direction. 1t came over the road
afoot the entire sixty-eight miles. Early
Tuesday morning it pulled out of
camp. accompanied by the field articllery
gun. which had been used in firing
salutes at the camp ground
i 1t marched direct to its armory.
on Missouri avenue. where the equip
ment was placed in the armory. and the
hired horses were returned. Lieut.. Rus
sell NJ. McLennan declared that the men
had q fine trip to Washington, and there
were no accidents. They left Camp Ord.
way in a heavy downpour Of rain Tues
day morning, and this kept up until they
reached Leesburg at 2 o'clock Tuesday
afternoon. where they camped In the
fair grounds. The horses were housed
in the box stalls OF the fair grounds
and the men slept in the grandstands
| while the rain. which had then developed
into q drixzle, fell in upon them The,
were on their march at o'clock We'd.
nesday morning, and kept going unit
they reached Washington, at o'clocl
yesterday.
The heavy gun carriage, in charge q,
Capt" Joe s. Cornish and Lieut..
Willis s. Bryant. could not keep up with
the Signal Corps and fell back some dis
lance along the road. However the CUR
was brought safely into the city jus,
before dark last night. =
emit encampment. according to National
Guardsmen. was the burial Of dead
soldiers" by members Of Company A
I'd Infantry. Just before breaking cam;
the dead ones were placed on q single
pine board and covered with q spotless
white cloth. With tears in their eyes
and stricken with grief from the los.
Of their beloved 'stand-bys." the "spir.
its OF the camp" the soldier-bo pail
Il bearers, with hats across their breasts
picked up the board and carried it to a
shallow trench dug near q blasting
burg read the services. the band playet
ii "Everybody's DOM It" for the dirge
II and to the sound of taps" the "deat
ones were slowly lowered into tn,
II grave. not silently. but to the clinkins
OF glass. The dead soldiers" were ,