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NORTH ATLANTIC SQUADRON I N CAM
-- APRIL. 1888
..... BR C GFN 0 F HEVERIMAN. CMMANDING.. .-
CAMP OSCEOLA,,
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i.: MAlNOLIA BLUFF, PENSACOLA B FI F L RI
S. H. -ART,..Naval and Mllitary Pfiographe '
i' EA. T 2 4zA REET, NEW YORK.,
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The views contained in this book were taken during the encampment of
the Naval Brigade of about 650 officers and men, drawn from the Richmond
(flagship), Atlanta, Ossipee and Yantic, all the vessels of the North Atlantic
Squadron, under the command of Rcar-nAdImiral S. B. Luce, at that time
available. The Brigade was formed of four battalio:ns-one on the right of
Marines, under command of Lieut. I. 1 lRu.sll, U. S. M. C.; the First
Battalion of Blue Jackets, undei command of I.ieuit.-Com'd'r A. B. II. Lillie;
the Second Battalion of Blue Jacket-, iommianle.I by Ieut. I. C. Logan,
and the Artillery, by Lieut. .\. 1'. Nazro. Commander IIeyerman was
appointed Brigade Comniander, and he selccted T.ieut. A. C. Dillingham for
.the very important position of Adjutant-cGcncral. The site chosen for the
encampment was at Magn:lia Bluffs, on alnr,-t the same lines as those
k elected two years previous. lhi. bluff i- albu.t fircy feet above the water
level, and is. about three miles northeast oif 'ecar,,oLa. The Camp was estab-
lished on the edge of a tract of cleared l and :Il.. ir 500 feet square, used by
excursioniststs and other, as a baseball fichl. 'Ihe -:.il is sandy, and there is
a sparse growth of yellow pine timber, goodl watr pumped from a driven
Swell, and with excellent bathing facilities li-e I- -an ideal camping place.
,* A line of railway connected the ( anmp \ithl I'cns.la and afforded a ready
tfneans of obtaining a supply if ice and fire-h pi .visions. The tents and
their attachments were borrowed .fr.m the .\rmn., .ith the exception of those
covering the Marine Battalion, ,.whicli were new w\a.ll tents, the property of
the Marine Guard at lensacuil Navy VYuar. I lie -:silor Infantry was housed
under wall tents, and the artillery y command ,.ni-I.r the common A tents
without flies.
..On the afternoon of April r th tthe Irigale embarked in the boats of
the Squadron, landing dry sh:,d onn the h iarf onl1 to get wet through by a
drenching rain which came up soon after they began to pitch the tents, and
it is very mild to say that most of the old ones leaked like sieves, and that
the night was extremely uncomfortable for a large portion of the command.
However, the bright sunshine of the f, 11. i.i;n; days effectually removed all
traces of the late unpleasantness, and the Camp soon settled down to routine
work, and everything about it was the perfection of neatness. The drills, guard
mounting, parades, target firing, and so forth, were regularly carried out, being
varied, whenever circumstances would permit, by occasional baseball matches
and an athletic tournament, which included races of all kinds, a tug-of-war,
and an amusing pie-eating contest. There was also a sham fight, which took
place in the woods, the Second Battalion of Infantry (sailors), forming one-
third of the command, disposing itself along a high bluff, overlooking a bayou,
about two miles from Camp, and the other portion going out to find it. On
the return to Camp Osceola, after the first action, the Camp was defended
by the First Battalion of Infantry (sailors), and was stormed and captured 1by
the remainder of the Brigade, the Irail1 coup de t /i', II taking place before
an admiring audience that packed the grand stand to :.'erll.'wing.
Hlow delightfully enjoyable were the pleasant evenings passed before the
blazing 1i. s of the camp-fire, spinning yarns by the fathom and fighting the
battles of former years again over a favorite meerschaum or a fragrant cigar,
fresh from Havana, while down among the company streets charming mel-
odious voices broke the still night air, or some rousing chorus sent its echoes
ringing far into the woods. The scenes of merriment in the pavilion, where
fun and frolic reigned supreme, were an unending source of amusement,
and alternated with dancing to the inspiriting strains of music from the Rich-
mond's band, which remained ashore tlirnhiil.'nt the encampment.
A visit to the very important features of the Camp proved them to be
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but so sharp was the lookout kept that the culprit was sure of detection, and
was appropriately dealt with by his watchful messmates.
After eight days camping the order came to embark, and the last even-
ing was spent by the men in cheering and serenading the various headquarters;
and then they all gathered around with lighted candles in their hands to
"bury the dead dog," or, in other words, cnii-trnilizig with empty bottles a
funeral pile to the memory of some of those ardent spirits whose names it is
presumed were never heard at roll-call.
On the Igth the Camp was struck, every tent going down at the same
instant, and the command re-embarked in the boats, and were quickly dis-
tributed aboard their respective vessels, officers and men having, without
doubt, gained by their experiences an insight into duties in connection with
a landing force, which will prevent the pleasant memories of their life at
Camp Osceola from fading for a long time to come.
very efficient and ably administered and conduced greatly to the contented
spirit which prevailed-the Commissary Department in charge of Paymaster
Read, and the Brigade Hospital in general charge of Passed-Assistant Surgeon
Anderson. The daily scenes throughout the Camp bore evidence of how agree- I
able a change such experiences make from the confined life on ship-board,
and the -ingenuity displayed in making their quarters comfortable brought
strangely to the front the individual characteristics of the men, and proved how
easily Jack ashore can adapt himself to his surroundings, and how very handy
are some of the kinks and wrinkles picked up while knocking about the
-various quarters of the globe.
The standard time of the Camp was indicated by a sun-dial improvised
for the occasion, and very amusing were the remarks as old Sol's antics about
the pole were watched by those anxious for scouse time to hurry along. An
occasional sly moving of the base board would be made to hurry on the hour,
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