The Great Fourth of July Camp-Out Fiasco
When Seattle’s local militia attempted to prep for a military parade, their poor planning and lack of supplies resulted in a humiliating, mud-soaked retreat.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The event was the talk of the town, and excited many inquiries. It was admitted that the men were in camp at the park designated for the Fourth of July, the tour of camp duty to continue for three days. The militia had to admit why the camp was broken up in less than four hours of the time allowed to be there. Those who were at the camp were Governor Semple, Adjutant-General O’Brien, Colonel Haines, standing the first inspection, Col. Judson of the second regiment, Major White, Lt. C. J. Fife, and other officers. The militia complained of the conditions. Col. Haines stated that the mud made the maintenance of the camp entirely impracticable. The regiment had determined to take part in the parade and gain some experience, but the camp grew out of the parade rather than the reverse. When they found they couldn't complete the formation, equip the camp, and engage in the street parade, they determined to strike camp and go to town. They were just thirty minutes in striking tents, getting all equipment aboard the cars, and leaving the scene in the most terrible muddiness they had ever experienced. The camp was a failure: a small stove had to cook for three companies, and they found but very little to cook upon it—a little coffee and a few crackers—all of which lasted just ten minutes. One load of hay had been hauled in to serve for bedding; that had been trampled by a few men, and the majority were left to sleep on the cold, cold ground.
“They were just thirty minutes in striking tents... and leaving the scene of the most terrible muddiness they had ever experienced.”
Logistics and infrastructure have always been the Achilles' heel of Seattle's growth. Just as 19th-century militias struggled to coordinate basic resources for a public event, modern Seattleites often find public infrastructure and planning to be the frequent subject of civic frustration and 'fiascos'.
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