ommanding Officer. I immediately divined
what was in the wind, but kept quiet. In a few minutes "officers'
call" was sounded, and all the officers of the post hastened to the
administration building to learn the news.

When all were assembled the Commanding Officer desired to know of each
company officer how much time he would need to have his company ready
to move from the post to go to a permanent station elsewhere, and from
all officers how much time they would require to have their families
ready to quit the station. The answers generally were that all could
be ready within a week. It was finally agreed, however, to ask for ten
days.

Immediately the work of preparation began, although none knew where
the regiment was to go. At this time the order, so far as it was
understood at the garrison, was, that two companies were to go to Key
West, Florida, and the other companies of the regiment to Dry
Tortugas. One officer, Lieutenant V.A. Caldell, early saw through the
haze and said: "It means that we will all eventually land in Cuba."
While we were packing, rumors flew through the garrison, as indeed
through the country, thick and fast, and our destination was changed
three or four times a day. One hour we would be going to Key West, the
next to St. Augustine, the next to Tortugas. In this confusion I asked
an old frontier officer where he thought we would really go.
Regarding himself as an indicator and always capable of seeing the
amusing side of a subject, he replied: "I p'int toward Texas." Such
was the state of uncertainty as to destination, and yet all the time
the greatest activity prevailed in making ready for departure. Finally
definite orders came that we were to store our furniture in the large
gymnasium hall at the post and prepare to go in camp at Chickamauga
Park, Georgia.

Our regiment was at the time stationed as follows: Headquarters, four
companies and the band at Fort Missoula; two companies at Fort
Harrison, near Helena, and two companies at Fort Assinniboine, all in
Montana. The arrangements contemplated moving the regiment in two
sections, one composed of the Missoula troops to go over the Northern
Pacific Railroad, the other of the Fort Harrison and Fort Assinniboine
troops to go over the Great Northern Railroad, all to arrive in St.
Paul about the same time.

On the 10th of April, Easter Sunday, the battalion at Fort Missoula
marched out of post quite early in the morning, and at Bitter Root