The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-05-01
LIFE ON A TRANSPORT
DAILY ROUTINE TO KEEP THE
MEN IN FIGHTING TRIM.
Men In Uncle Sans Fleet Have Had
Their Baptism of Fire and Are
Ready For Niexic Struggle.

/ Nhcn III CuCIc so&sAti rlcCS AAdtNC hs@U
Their Baptism of Fire and Are
Ready For Mexic Struggle.
ON BOARD U. S.. TRANSPORT
MORO CASTLE, En- Route to Vera
Cruz.-Southwar over the warm
blue waters of the Gulf OF Mexico
an American army is hurrying to-
ward the first and last Spanish pos
session in continental North Amer
lea Unlike the conquerors of Her
nando Cortez, who landed in the city
| of True Cross-Vera Cruz-four
centuries ago one April day, these
invaders come with no thought of
territorial aggression and one fond
hope-to get home as soon as posi-
| Bile.
The expedition of marines under
command of Col. Franklin j. Moses,
which probably will become part of
the force camped in the tropical sun
of Vera Cruz, has reached its desti-
nation. Whether it is dull garrison
duty or the exhilaration of the
trenches the marines always go pre-
pared.
One who has never seen an expedi-
ton of this sort has no conception
of the business of it. Six days on a
navy transport might be thought OPP
portunity for rest. Quite to the con-
trary. There are hours of crowded
activity from waking to sleeping.
Loading a thousand men on ship
is comparatively a simple matter.
Keeping them in fighting trim is
another.
/ The smoking rooms of the steamer
have been converted into Offices.
Trim gray boxes which looked like
smart officers trunks have given up
to card indexes, typewriters, ledgers,
adding machines, modern Office APP
planes and every facility for bust
ness. That is the business end of
the expedition without which it could
not exist.
On the forward deck and on the
shade deck is quite another scene.
Long lines of khaki men drill in for
nation which limited space will al
low. Inspection and instruction fol-
low each other, field pieces are I'M
limbered and oiled, recruits are
taught the mysteries of semaphore
signaling, the principles of santa
ton, the fundamentals of the bust
ness which is to be theirs.
In one of the upper cabins group
of officers is gathered on the long
benches like school boys taking les
sons in Spanish, some refreshing the
knowledge of earlier days and others
learning their first pronunciations,
using a green baize piano cover as a
blackboard, an instructor gives such
conventional phrases as company
commanders are likely to need
AS the ship skins on scstlward
with mighty engines making go revo-
buttons minute, the skies grow
bluer, the stars seem nearer, the
light airs are warmer. The forest
green listers, so welcome off Cape
Henry, are slowed. The fire hose Is
brought on the forward deck and SO
marines have bath at one stroke.
The men sleep about in the open
without the blankets and tarpaulins
needed farther north. Hardy, well
set-up chaps all of them, some vet
Grams of the Philippines, Nicaragua,
Santo Domingo and even some of the
march to Pekin.
On Sunday business stops, no
drills, no typewritings no calisthen-
les. The chaplains conduct SER
vices in different parts of the ship,
The typewriters have been used to
print services, psalms. responses and
hymns, and from different quarters
one can hear a hundred lusty voices
lifted up chorusing Onward, Christ
! ian Soldiers and mingling with the
notes of my Country IT'S of Thee.
And on Monday the work begins
again where it left off Saturday, with
preparations always advancing to
meet any emergency that may appear
when the expedition lands. These
troops know what business they are
upon. Some Of them fought UP the
Coyotepe Hill in Nicaragua, some
brushed with Aguinaldo On outpost
duty In the far east, all of the officers
have had their baptism of ire, and
whatever awaits them in Mexico they
are ready.