Evening star., 1916-10-05
LAST D. c. TROOPS
LEAVE FOR BORDER
Third Infantry From Four to
Six Hours Late in Getting
0ff-Left Last Night.

FRIENDS WITH DAINTIES
ARE SADLY DISAPPOINTED
From four to six hours late and in
darkness which made it difficult for the
entrainment operations to go on, the Sd
Infantry, last of the District militia
units to start for the border, left the
Rosslyn. Va, railroad yards last night,
bound for Fort Sam Houston. near San
Antonio, Tex.
Thousands Of friends and relatives Of
the District militiamen waited for
hours at the Rosslyn yards for troops
to arrive. and the small guard placed
around tho yards to keep tho crowds
out found It difficult to perform this
duty even in daylight. but when night
came the crowds began to surge in.
While young mothers with small ba-
bies IN their arms waited for hours to
see their husbands, who were in the Sd
Infantry, standing with boxes Of dain-
ties for them, and crushed in a great
control at the railroad station, the
troops, hours late in arriving from
camp. were rushed on the trains. with
out even chance Of seeing their
friends or wives or sweethearts. Moth
ers with boxes for their boys could not
see them in the darkness, and they
were compelled to carry them back
home.
Some OF the men were lucky enough
to get away from camp early, and they
sat around for a time in automobiles
and carriages, talking to their friends
But when the excitement of the officers
increased, when they saw that they
would be hours late in getting away,
loading the trains.
Sight Of Young Mothers Pitiful.
The sight Of the young mothers with
children in their arms and others hold
ing to their dresses was pitifu1. But
there was scant chance of Identifying
individuals as the companies passed by
on the way to the boarding platforms.
The wonder is that children were not
crushed to death in the jam.
When the troops did arrive from
camp, shortly after o'clock, it was
hard for them to keep a squad forma-
tion, so tightly did tho crowds press in
anxious to get close. so that they could
see men in the guard, bid them good
bye and hand them boxes Of food.
The roadways around the railroad
and carriages, making it difficult for
the fast-moving motor trucks. which
were transporting the impedimenta
from the camp to the cars. to get
through. They came and went with a
rush up to within few minutes Of the
departure of the last train.
The delay seemed to have been caused
by the difficulties in wagon and truck
transportation. Enough of them could
not be obtained to carry the large
trains were to be stored to subsist the
troops en- route and to load the large
amount of lumber which had to be
knocked down to be taken.
When the trucks arrived the property
they carried had to be placed on the
proper section, and 1t took the time of
one officer to direct the movements of
this transportation. Enough men could
not be obtained from the camp to load
the lumber in a hurry, and shortly be-
rush larger details from the camp.
Officer Inspects Train.
Maj Fox Connor Of the inspector
generals department. U. 8. A.. arrived
and, in company with the section quar-
termasters, made an inspection of all Of
the trains to see that they were prop
erly equipped for the comfort of the
troops en- route. He also went over
the written instructions issued by the
commanding officer, Col. Young, gov
erning the movement to the border.
The troops left camp shortly after
o'clock, led by the Sd Infantry Band.
1t took about an hour to march from
the camp to the railroad yards. A
short halt was made before the troops
marched into the yards. Here the hun
dreds of friends and relatives crowded
along the line in an effort to find hus-
bands, sons and brothers.
Then the troops were marched into the
yard and those who came to see them off
were kept back. The men Of the first
section were marched aboard, and shortly
after o'clock this section was pulled out
to the main line. Two hours later the
second section was taken out. Then the
train yard was empty. There was an
other long wait, while the third section
was brought to the siding. This section
was loaded shortly before midnight, and
then the last Of the troops left.
While the second section remained in
the yards the Sd Infantry Band tried to
keep the people in good spirits by play
ing lively airs.
Camp Ordway was left as clean. as
when the troops found 1t on June p,
when they went into the field. All Of the
bitches around the tents and the big
drain bitches were filled in. The incinera-
tors were closed, and everything put in
first-class shape.