The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-06-22
Militia Working Hard Condition

their labors az III tne sun were SHINING
A. soon ms the regiment reached the
camp site General Harvey observed
huge, black clouds In the western sky.
and. interpreting this to mean rain he
marks he intended delivering, and gave
the command rest"
The captains ordered their men to
rtack arnis. throw of their blanket. rolls
and other field equipment, and begin
pitching the tents. No sooner had the
arms been stacked and the rolls thrown
on the ground than a torrential down
pour OF rain began, interspersed with
roaring thunder and lightning flashes.
The militiamen. including the captains
and lieutenants were drenched to the
skin In a moment or two. Some OF the
officers had time to don their ponchos,
or rubber blankets. and protect them.
selves. Tho sergeants, privates. and
corporals, however, threw their ponchos
over the stacks of arms to protect their
weapons from the rain, and continued
pitching the tents or doing the other
camp work allotted to them.
Each Had His Orders.
Every man on the ground was under
orders to perform some specific serv-
ice toward establishing camp. and there
we're few who needed urging from their
commanders t. keep at their Jobs, not
withstanding tha rain.
who got their feet wet took off their
shoes and socks and worked barefoot
ed In the rain. They said they had
worn wet shoes once too often before
land nobody benefited but the doctor.
who presented large bill for a. pneu-
monia case"
Observing tire removal Of the shoes
a number OF "rookies'' quickly follow
ed suit, with the result that large
portion of the militia was stopping
hA harafnnfad QhOrflv
after the rain began.
Accompanying the basso rumblings OF
thunder was the rhythmic staccato OF
tent peg driving by the militiamen. The
| wagons carrying the mallets. sledge
hammers and hatchets with which tent
pegs usually are driven. The guards
men used one peg with which to drive
another into the ground, and In some
instances brought their discarded shoes
that within a surprisingly short time
sufficient conical tents had been pitched
to allow most OF the militiamen to get
In out of the moisture"
There they squeezed their breeches
and blouses IL remove as much water
as possible and then returned to the
open to atsist in the erection OF other
tents.
Sun Finally Shines.
All the field kitchen stoves were put
| up during the rain. and the camp work
in all directions went along uninter-
rupted by the downpour.
In half an hour the shower had passed
and the sun shone brightly. The militia
men then began digging the trenches
them from being flooded by future
rains.
This task performed. the guardsmen
went to the battalion quartermaster s
hAa tn ~ NH NJ hnr
found a Helen Gould cot. a canvas al
fair six feet long and three feet wide.
on which the militiamen will sleep. Inc
conical Sibley tents will accommodate
Yates under his charge.
A number OF men were assigned to
kitchen duty by each company com ..
them had had anything but sandwiches
and coffee. served at the armory. since
morning. and they wished to assist in
every way In Fastening the serving or
the nrst meal In camp.
Shortly after the tents were pitched
and cots arranged. clouds OF smoke
were curling from the kitchen stoves.
The The eSS. put ss kettles Gd wSs.
the only thing cooked for an hour. for
II was that long before the meat, po-
tatoes. onions, canned tomatoes. cofree.
sugar. sIl,a meat. and other rations were
/
caused by the supply wagons being
held fast In the mire.
Meal Substantial.
Major John c. Whitaker, commissary
officer OF the guard. issued rations
enough for lO0 men to each company.
| Most of the companies had less than
a hundred men. but Major whitaker
wanted to make the first meal a SUBJ
stantial one. Inc top sergeants," VINO
run the kitchens. know what to do with
any surplus. They dig hole and hide
Y, and are always putting up a poor
AS a result the militiamen get little
extra in the way or food each day.
The rnilitiamen ate their first meal on
the field with an unfeigned relish.
and asked for more. The cooks saw
that each man got as much as ne could
| consume
The appetite of the militiamen was
all the more surprising In view OF tho
fact that before mess call was sounded
| they Rad visited n store In the vicinity
of the camp and bought out the supply
! or cakes. pies. crackers. potted meats
and fish and practically all the other
| Following the first meal in camp the
| soldiers returned to their tents to rest.
No passes were issued last night and the
members of Company d, commanded
| by Captain Brooks. who were on guard
duty. were instructed to keep ali the
militiamen within the confines of tho
| camp.
| A cold wind blew over the camp
shortly after dusk and light showers
| fell The guardsmen because OF their
seven-mile march from the L street
armory TO the camp site. the drenching
they had gotten and the hard labors al
the afternoon were just ms we'll pleased
that no passes were issued and turned
| In early"
A. few OF them went to the Y. NJ. G..
| A. tent to write post cards or Letters Ia
the girl they left behind them or
their relatives. but most Of them sat
In their tents telling stories OF encamI-
ment experiences Of the past and then
went to led
Officers Wet, Too.
General Harvey and the stan Of
ficers Jared a little better than the
line officers during the rain. Their tents
had heen erected or them before they
reached the camp site. hut they were
out 'on the grounds experimenting the
activities OF the men when the storm
hKsNl ~ - Al.