The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-28
HALF 1ST ARTILLERY
OFF AT NOON TO-DAY
Men Of Second Regiment Com
plain They Get the Cast
OFF Horses.
HAD TO SHOOT TWENTY

The a~rtillerymen and cavalrymen en-
camped at Van Cortlandt Park are still
there. despite expectations that before
noon yesterday they would be on their
way toward the Mexican border. They
managed to forget their impotence. how
ever. by drilling and shooting and brand
Ing horses. and by evening the men OF
the First Field Artillery had received
word that Batteries D, z and r were
to entrain to-day At noon.
What convinced them that this time
Il was nc false alarm was the fact that
all afternoon five medical officers Of the
regular army gave a physical exam,na-
ton to the mll,tiamen, who had all been
mustered In. The officers prodded and
tapped them In a tent north Of the polo
field. willis the barefooted men who
waited their turn outside stood on their
heads or turned fiip fiops IN sheer Joy
at the prospect Of departure.
On many "A face that came out " the
tent appointment WAS written large.
for they had been rejected. much against
their will. But the captains Of their
batteries weren't troubled. fvr all the
' vi eAotAS WV tSSAA WYNN ""s
strength and they could AFFORD TO dis
pense with some men. BY nightfall all
Of the 400 men In the three batteries
knew whether they were physically tit
to night for Uncle Sam.
The men of the Second Field Artillery
watched these evidences OF preparation
rather glumly. for they were less GER
tain than on the day before about their
own going away and their commander.
Col. George A. Wingate. wasn't saying
anything. In fact several of his can
noneers became downright pess!mlstic
and didn't believe they were ever going
away" They alleged that all the UNI
sound or urtrustworthy horses and
mules had been put under their care,
while the best animals were taken 10
make up the 500 odd required by the
three batteries Of the First Artillery,
Twenty Of the horses were in such bad
condition from CHAMBERS that they had
to be shot by a representative OF the
Health Department The inspection o'
the animals will continue to-day, and
IL Is expected that more Will be done
away with. This together with the re-
lection OF a large proportion on their
arrival at the camp has left the number
of draught animals still below the re-
quired quota tor all the organizations
Though rumors OF striking camp were
ailoat IN plenty among the troopers 81
the First cavalry, no ON" could say
d, initely when they would set out. But
two troops kept themselves in trim mean
while by skirmish practice, charging VI
a hill In a blazing sun. while two other
troops trotted and wheeled for an hour
b, fore the ad'niring gaze Of thousands Of
SPECTATORS making holiday AZ the park.
tn. visitors were even more inter.
eSted perhaps In the breaking ~ high
strung horses which took place at tbs
eastern end OF the First Artillery's sec.
ton. IL the ,nur>- Of the ,iay more tit,i
2Uu horses We're stamped with the marx
II : ia the six large shooting Stdil'
q ected by I'VE men under Chief Mecnaul,
George Elders 81 Battery Il.
Several men were kicked hy struggling
hors.s. and one suardsman was taxi,
Il" : Fordham Hospital with = frac
tured left leg The others. howe"er
I didn't mind a few bumps and bruises a
the end Of the day.
DissatlsfactIo over the food dcVcl
o, ed in Battery +. Second Arrller., he
cause their cook. whose color saves Mn
ANY worry ahou, sunburn. hadn't bee
treated cordially by his lady frlen'
the evening before. and had lost all in
T.. r.s' N hts work. But q heartfelt com
Ylaint to the Lieutenant soon rensdie,
This.