USA > New York > Rensselaer County > Troy > A history of the Troy citizens corps, Troy, N. Y > Part 10
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"The boys were bent on having a good time. Song and jest and skylarking made the moments fly rapidly. But no bones were broken, and the worst wounded was the young recruit who was unexpectedly enveloped in a door mat. When he dug himself out of the resulting dust, it was found that the only surgical operation needed was a copious application of aqua pura. But with all the jollity, an unwonted air of seriousness was observable. The most of the discussions were on matters military, and everybody was eagerly perusing the manual of camp duties. Lieut. Thompson for a long time held what amounted to a school of instruction for sentry and guard, and was plied with questions innumerable. His usual good nature and military knowledge stood him in good stead, and it was generally admitted that he had passed the exami- nation. As your correspondent strolled over the boat, he observed similar groups gathered around the captain, and lieutenants Smith and Tupper, and other officers who were "up" in the tactics. Meanwhile anxious corporals devoted themselves assiduously to the pages of Upton, lest they should mistake a lieutenant for a brigadier general, and involve themselves in unimaginable but tremendous consequences by giving the wrong salute. But one thing could divert the men from this studious work, and that was the sight of a silk dress or a waving handkerchief on a passing steamer. Such an event would comparatively absorb the attention of the entire eighty-five; but when the last glimpse of handkerchief or fan was lost in the distance, the straining eyes would regretfully turn
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away, and pensively the soldier boys settled down once more to solve the intricacies of guard duty.
"About noon a general assault was made on haversack and can-
teen. Sandwiches, cold chicken and doughnuts melted like snow before the spring sun. The canteens (which in every instance con- tained nothing but Troy hydrant water) received devoted attention, and the Corps retired from the fray masters of the stricken field. At half-past three the expedition glided by West Point, catching occasional glimpses of cadets, trim in their uniform of gray and white.
"At 3:30 o'clock the boat was made fast to the wharf at the State Camp. Equipments were hastily donned, and the Corps disem- barked. Through a blazing heat from the sun and on a sandy road they wound over a flat, toiled up a steep hill, and at once found themselves on a level plateau, covered with tents and gay with uni- forms. A rest of a few moments and the company filed into a street of tents and were at home. The men were rapidly told off, two to a tent, the ranks were broken, and the tired boys scattered to their quarters.
"The supper was promptly attended. Abundant rations were pro- vided in a large building erected for that purpose. Bean soup, beef steak, potatoes and coffee made up the bill of fare. At 7:30 o'clock the different organizations fell in for dress parade. The Ninth regiment of New York are quartered with the Corps.
"The dress parade was very fine. The Ninth regiment, under Col. William Seward, Jr., commandant of the Post, turned out about five hundred men. The Citizens Corps was divided into two com- panies, forming the right and left of the line. The prompt execu- tion and accurate work of our boys elicited general admiration, and they were admitted to be the feature of the parade.
"The company are well and in good spirits, and at this writing (8 P. M.) are actively engaged in fitting their tents for comfort. Candles have been served out, and an illumination rivaling the moon-light is the result. The entire command are ordered to at- tend divine worship to-morrow at 10.30 A. M." H. P. J.
CAMP OF INSTRUCTION, PEEKSKILL, July 15, 1883 .- Editor Times : " The Citizens Corps, eighty-five strong, Captain James W. Cusack commanding, filed upon the good steamer Belle Horton at 7.30 o'clock yesterday morning. The trip down the river was made delightful by a perfect day. The always beautiful shores of the Hudson never seemed more lovely than to-day. The camp was reached at 4:30 o'clock P. M., and the company were at once assigned their quarters, and the men proceeded to make themselves at home.
"The camp is situated on a bluff on the east bank of the river. The contour of the ground is such as to form a level plateau,
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descending sharply on all sides but the north. That is faced by an abrupt hill. The parade ground is smooth, and of sufficient extent for the manœuvres of a regiment. On the western side of the bluff are the tents. They are laid out in regular streets, eleven in num- ber, extending east and west, with the officers' quarters facing each street at its western extremity. Each company is assigned to a street by itself. The tents are the ordinary wall tents in common use in the army. Each is pitched over a good board floor, the opening facing the company's street.
"The furniture consists of two cots in each, with a good mattress and pair of double blankets, two camp stools, a tin wash basin, two tin cups, an exceedingly diminutive tin candlestick, with the proper allowance of candle thereto appertaining, and sundry hooks and cords for various uses. Through the courtesy of Col. Seward of the Ninth regiment, commandant of the Post, the Corps are quartered in the extreme southern street, near the edge of the bluff overlooking the river. This is the choicest part of the camp. As I write, the view from the tent door is beautiful beyond description. A flood of moonshine is shimmering on the river, and on all sides the mountains dimly loom on the horizon. The ground seems well selected on all accounts. It is amply commodious for purposes of drill, and, being on high ground, must be a healthy place. There are between three hundred and four hundred tents, affording accom- modations for a full regiment.
" When the company was dismissed Saturday, Quartermaster- Sergt. Mann at once allotted the tents, two men to each, and the boys without delay proceeded to make themselves at home. All man- ner of little comforts speedily appeared, and in short order the various tents assumed a home-like appearance. As darkness drew on, candles were issued. Many had provided themselves with huge Chinese lanterns, and the variegated light of these, the twinkling of candles, and the ruddy glow reflected from each open tent by the red blankets spread over the cots, made a most picturesque scene.
"About six o'clock the company fell in without arms and marched to supper. This was a substantial meal, and gave the hungry Trojans a good impression of camp rations. The bill of fare included bean soup, beefsteak, potatoes, coffee and incidentals, and the viands were certainly good and well cooked. I will give later a more extended account of the commissary arrangements, that your readers may understand fully how the wants of the inner man are attended to by the state.
"After supper the company were ordered to prepare for dress parade. Then followed a vigorous rubbing up of uniforms, black- ing of shoes, and polishing of brasses. At 7 o'clock the various companies were formed in the company streets. The Corps were
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divided into two companies, the first, under command of Captain Cusack, being placed at the right of the line, and the second, un- der First Lieut. Thompson, at the left. Battalion line was promptly formed, and the ceremonies of dress parade followed. The Ninth turned out about five hundred men. The fine moonlight evening which followed was spent by the men in perfecting their tent arrangements, visiting, etc, At half-past ten o'clock taps were sounded, and all lights were extinguished. Quiet was then sup- posed to reign ; indeed, good order was maintained, but many did not feel like sleeping. In fact, some obtained little sleep all night.
"The police of the camp was maintained with great strictness throughout all the night. Your correspondent knows this. After taps no one was allowed to pass the lines without the countersign, and the sentries patrolled their beats with vigilance. At rather a late
hour your correspondent, in company with a well-known ex-city official, were innocently wending their way toward their quarters, when, owing to some inexplicable concatenation of circumstances, they found themselves on the wrong side of the line. The shady outline of a sentry loomed vaguely in the darkness, and a colloquy followed something like this :
"Sentry-'Who goes there ?' Correspondent (surprised)-' A friend.' Sentry-(sternly) 'Advance, friend, and give the counter- sign.' Correspondent (argumentatively)-' Why, the fact is, we have n't the countersign, but-' Sentry (shouting promptly) ' Cor- poral of the guard, number nine !' [Enter Corporal of the guard.] Sentry-' Men found outside the lines without the countersign.' Corporal (briskly) ' Very sorry, gentlemen, but I must take you to the guard house.'"
" The twain meekly obey, and march off in front of the corporal's bayonet. Arriving at the guard tent we find the officer of the guard disposed to be stern. He gives us dire hints of imprisonment. Then eloquence. Officer relents, and orders the corporal to take the men to their captain. Corporal groans at the thought of another long tramp. Arriving at the officers' quarters, a summons brings the benign face of the captain through the folds of his tent, and we are at once released from durance vile, and contentedly wend our way to our cots. The guards seemed preternaturally busy, and the incessant call, "Corporal of the guard," made the night vocal all around the camp. The perspiring corporal was kept in a state of constant activity, and his lantern revolved perpetually along the line. Were we sorry at his tribulation ?
"Sunday morning the entire command were ordered to attend divine service at 10:30 o'clock. I subjoin the daily routine of duty, extracted from general orders. It is only needful to add that the men generally are well and in good spirits, and determined to learn all they can of the duties of a soldier during their week in camp. At present, sweep-
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ing and scrubbing of quarters prevail on all sides. Pails, mops and brooms are at a premium, and the boys show a surprising grace in using them. The following is the order of daily duty :
HEADQUARTERS NINTH REGIMENT, N. G. S. N. Y.,
CAMP OF INSTRUCTION, PEEKSKILL, July 14, 1883.
General Orders : Reveille, 5 A. M. ; assembly roll call, 5:15 A. M. ; sick call, 5:45 A. M. ; company drill, 6:30 to 7:40 A. M. ; breakfast, 8 A. M. (coffee and bread are furnished at 6 o'clock) ; rifle practice, 8:40 A. M. ; guard mounting, 9:20 A. M. ; battalion drill, 10:25 A. M. to 12:15 p. M. ; dinner, 1:30 P. M. ; rifle practice, 2:40 ; supper, 6 ; dress parade, 7 ; tattoo (roll call) 9:45 ; taps (lights out) 10:30.
The New York Tribune says : "The strains of 'Old Hundred ' floated yesterday morning over the field from the southeast corner of the camp, where services were held under the direction of the Rev. Henry Ward of the Reformed church, Poughkeepsie, who is acting chaplain in the place of the Rev. E. G. Reed, of Madison avenue and Fifty-seventh street, chaplain of the regiment. The sixth separate company of Troy were under the trees attending service in full dress, with Lieut. Smith conspicuous in white helmet and black plume. In fact, the Troy company is setting a standard to the New York men that the latter are hastening to adopt. The sixth of Troy and the ninth of New York are old companions in arms, having served to- gether in the troubles at West Albany in 1877. Since then the sixth have at least kept up their drill, the click of their sharp movements im- parting an electrical admiration to the officers of the ninth, who call on their men to 'brace up' and do likewise. Discipline accordingly is strict."
KELLY. H. P. J.
The story of the first night in camp would be incom- plete without a few words on the picturesque topic of Kelly. That was the name of a mysterious individual of great hilarity who was on guard near the end of our company street. Being endowed with a mind which soared far above the mere commonplace of life, he en- gineered his tour of guard duty in accordance with some most original and startling conceptions. Affable to a fault, he conversed copiously with a group of admiring Trojans, and entertained them greatly with his easy flow of language. Occasionally he varied the program and edified his admiring audience by summoning the corporal of the guard, in stentorian tones. When that useful functionary appeared on the scene, the imaginative sentry
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enlightened and alarmed him with amazing tales of men who had run the guard. Some yarns are related of Kelly on that eventful night, which at least ought to be true. One is the following :
Stranger approaches in the dark. Kelly. "Who comes there ?" Stranger. "Friend with a bottle." Kelly. "Ad- vance, friend, and pass the bottle." Stranger. "But the bottle is empty." Kelly. "Halt, friend with the empty bottle. Corporal of the guard, number nine !" And the stranger was taken in.
Here is another. This has been told of various men in different regiments, but there is excellent reason for believing that Kelly was in truth the great original.
Time, about midnight. Kelly pensively paces his beat. Enter grand rounds.
Kelly. (briskly.) " Who comes there ?"
Sergeant. "Grand rounds."
Kelly. (disgusted.) "To the d-1 with the grand rounds. I thought it was the relief."
Kelly was fond of a relief. He punctuated his tour of duty with the monotonous call " Corporal of the guard, number nine, relief !" And when the relief came, some insist that Kelly merely had an interview with a black bottle behind a tent. But this must be a slander.
The name of the genial Kelly will long be green in the memory of the Citizens Corps.
STATE CAMP, PEEKSKILL, July 16, 1883. Special Correspondence of the Troy Daily Times .- "The arrangements for feeding the camp seem quite elaborate, and, so far, at least, meet with general satisfaction· At 6 A. M. the men are served each with a generous cup of coffee and six ounces of bread in the company quarters. Breakfast, dinner and supper are provided in the mess tent. This is a very decent wooden building with open sides, 100 by 80 feet. Two tiers of tables run the entire length of the floor, at each of which there is room for sixteen men. The entire number of sittings is 940. Adjoining the mess tent are the kitchens, bakery and appurtenances. The contractors are Windholz & Co., of Syracuse. The firm attend personally to all the details. There are about eighty employés, cooks, waiters, etc. The preparation of food is managed with complete system and exquisite neatness. I found Mr. Windholz busily overseeing the preparation of dinner. Soup was bubbling in a huge eighty-gallon kettle, vege-
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tables and corned beef were cooking in others of similar capacity, huge joints of beef were roasting in a long row of ovens, and in the bakery a wilderness of bread and pies was being piled in stacks.
"Some idea of the healthy appetite of our citizen soldiery may be gathered from a few figures furnished by the courtesy of Mr. Wind- holz. The daily consumption of the camp at present is at the follow- ing rate : 800 pounds of fresh beef, 200 pounds of corned beef (about half a ton of beef, you will observe), 800 to 900 quarts of milk, 600 pounds of bread, 75 pounds of butter, 10 bushels of potatoes, 3 bushels of beets, 100 gallons of soup, 200 heads of cabbage, 200 pies. Of course these are in round numbers, and the articles vary on different days. The beef is all bought of Armour & Co., of Chicago. Fish and vegetables come from New York. Butter is obtained in Cortland county, and milk in Westchester. All the bread is baked here, three bakers being constantly employed in its manufacture. Choice Min- neapolis flour is used. It is simply just to say that the food is excel- lent in quality and quantity. It is well cooked and nicely served. I add the bill of fare for Sunday. It should be remembered that this is varied every day. Ice, by the way, is supplied in generous quantities at the expense of the contractors. For some reason the state will not pay for it, regarding it, apparently, as a luxury.
"6 A. M .- Coffee and six ounces of bread.
" Breakfast, 8 A. M .- Calf's liver and bacon, stewed kidneys, oat- meal mush and milk, boiled potatoes, coffee, bread, etc.
" Dinner, 1:30 P. M .- Vegetable soup, roast beef, corned beef and cabbage, beets, potatoes, peach pie.
" Supper, 6 P. M .- Cold ham, cold beef, Bologna sausage, coffee and tea, bread and butter.
" A large squad of the company fell in for attendance upon divine service yesterday. They were in full uniform, with side arms and camp stools, and made a very pretty sight as they marched with solid ranks across the parade ground under command of Lieut. Smith. In the shade of a cluster of apple trees the men were seated. The band and a large body from the ninth regiment occupied the adjoining grove. The sermon was by the Rev. Henry Ward of West Hacken- sack, Dutchess county. He preached from First Corinthians, xi:16, showing in a simple but forcible way, that true courage and real man- liness consist in self-control. As nothing but the necessary work of the camp was done, the day was one of welcome rest. Not much sleep had been experienced the previous night, and it was quite largely made up during Sunday. Late in the afternoon a heavy rain set in. Through the thick of it the Corps double-quicked to the mess tent for supper. The storm continuing, dress parade was omitted, and the boys scattered to their tents. While there was of course more or less singing and visiting, yet the camp was on the whole very quiet and orderly. All knew that hard work was coming for the next day and consequently soon after taps nearly all were asleep.
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"To-day the corps devoted to rifle practice. One squad was told off at 6 o'clock, and marched immediately to the range. Here they worked until breakfast time, when their place was taken by the rest of the company. A large number qualified at the preliminary distan- ces of 100 and 300 yards, thus becoming entitled to shoot at 200 and 500. This latter was the crucial test to decide who should have the badges of marksmen. The longer distances soon sifted out the un- lucky shots.
"The heat of a July sun could not be escaped in the field, and necks, ears and wrists soon assumed a boiled lobster hue. But everybody was good-natured, and contented to be fried, roasted, or stewed, if the good of the service should demand. After dinner the work was resumed. There was firing by platoon, by rank, standing and kneel- ing. Then followed firing in skirmish order. All this in the midst of blazing heat was no small work. The men without sunburned necks, ears and faces were very few. All the afternoon was consumed in this way.
"One incident at the range caused some commotion for a time. A span of horses attached to a carriage containing ladies, were frightened by the guns and became unmanageable. Some of the corps sprang quickly to the horses' heads and held them until the occupants of the carriage could get out. The vehicle was broken, but no one was hurt.
" After a hurried supper preparations were made immediately for dress parade. The corps turned out in white trowsers, blue coats and scales and white helmets. The ninth were in their handsome uniform, blue "swallow-tail " coats, white cross belts, white trowsers and blue helmets, and made a very fine appearance.
"This morning occured a fine battalion drill of the ninth. Capt. Cusack will be officer of the day for to-morrow (Tuesday), and Lieuts. Thompson and Smith, respectively senior and junior officers of the guard. The Citizens Corps are detailed for guard duty from Tuesday morning to Wednesday morning."
H. P. J.
CAMP OF INSTRUCTION, PEEKSKILL, July 17, 1883. Special Corres- pondence of the Troy Daily Times .- "The Citizens Corps went on guard duty at 9:30 o'clock this morning. They are divided into two reliefs, each having three hours of sentry duty and three hours off .* This will continue until to-morrow morning, the time of duty being twenty-four hours. So not many expect much sleep to-night. Those who are not on duty must remain in the guard tent, ready to turn out at a mo- ment's notice. And not infrequently comes the cry, "Turn out the guard, officer of the day!" Then there is a general scramble for belts and muskets, a hasty forming and dressing of the line, arms are pre- sented, the magnate salutes and passes on, and the guard again break ranks.
* Practically, they were about three hours on duty to not more than one hour off.
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"The day has been warm, but tempered by a fine breeze. Toward 4 o'clock a light rain came on, which has steadily increased, until now it bids fair to be a rainy night. So the sentries will have a wet time. However, the duties of a soldier, even in a camp of instruction, go on regardless of rain or shine. We have been kindled almost to the blazing point by the torrid sun, and probably to-night our fiery skins will be drenched by a torrent of water. The ceremonies of guard mounting this morning were quite showy, and the Corps were gener- ously applauded by a good-sized audience from the ninth. The sen- tries during the day have performed their duties intelligently and well. It remains to be seen how vigilant they will be during the rain and darkness.
"The men generally are well. In fact, most of them will return to Troy with brown faces and enormous appetites, and much the better for their week out of doors. Two or three have been under the surgeon's care, but are only slightly ailing, and probably will be ready for duty by to-morrow. Capt. Cusack and his officers are very thoughtful and careful for the comfort and health of the command. At the same time they make all realize that the company are here for work; and thus far work has been copious enough, and play only a thing to dream about. We are hoping for a full company and a creditable record at the inspection Thursday.
" At dress parade to-night two non-commissioned officers of the ninth, who were caught running the guard yesterday, are to be read out in orders as suspended for twenty-four hours.
"WEDNESDAY MORNING, July 18 .- Rain ceased at about 7 o'clock last evening, and it cleared off so as to be a fine moonlight night. The different reliefs of the Corps patrolled their beats steadily all night. They did their work well, and elicited warm commendation for Capt. Cusack's careful training of his company ..
"Gen. Wylie says : '"It has been the most satisfactory guard duty of the season."' There are numerous shaky knees this morning, as no one could get more than an hour of sleep since night before last. It was very droll to see the relief that was called at 5 o'clock this morn- ing. The men tumbled out, yawning, rubbing their eyes, and won- dering whether it had been five minutes or ten since they broke ranks. But they went to their duty determined to complete the task as well as it had been begun.
"To-day's New York Tribune says: '"The guard mounting of the morning, however, was the great event of the day. The sixth sepa- rate company of Troy composed the guard, and as it was the first time they had ever done it they were keenly criticised. The verdict after- ward was that the Trojans had gone through the evolutions in better form than the ninth has done yet. Three companies of the ninth went to the ranges to shoot for their badges, but they will hardly surpass the score of the Troy men yesterday. There were no prostrations from heat to-day, and all in camp are well."' H. P. J.
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CAMP OF INSTRUCTION, PEEKSKILL, July 18, 1883.
" Editors Times : The last twenty-hours have been full of interest and activity for the Corps. As you have been already informed, our captain was officer of the day, our lieutenants officers of the guard, and the entire company employed in guarding the camp. The work was arduous, involving almost entire loss of sleep and almost constant activity for the whole time. As many of your readers are non-military people, it may be of some interest to them to give a brief account of what guard duty is :
"In the time of war every military camp needs guarding for two pur- poses : to give notice of the approach of the enemy, and to prevent straggling and desertion from within. Of course in peace the latter object only is in view, with the exception that it is always desirable to be able to put a stop to the intrusion of unauthorized and disorderly per- sons. To accomplish these objects, a chain of sentries is posted around the entire circuit of the camp, within easy communicating distance from one another. Of course these must be relieved at reasonable intervals of time, and must be kept under vigilant supervision and support. The ceremony of mounting guard has two forms, the dress and the undress. The latter is for use at night, at the end of a long march, or in inclement weather, and is as brief as possible. The dress guard mounting is made very formal and elaborate, and is second only in these respects to the regular evening dress parade of the command. This is the customary method in a camp like that at Peekskill, and consists essentially in the first place of a careful inspection and review of the company or detachment detailed for guard duty. This is made on the parade ground, and is conducted by the regimental adjutant. The guard then marches to the guard house, is formally received by the guard about to be relieved, and is told off into details for duty. The first detail is then sent out to replace the sentries of the old guard at the various posts. When these are all gathered up and marched back to the post of the guard, the old guard are dismissed from their duties and return to their quarters.
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