The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-06-05
| The Embryo Of n Grand Cnmp--A School
| for Sixty Thousand Soldiers.

The citizens Of New York will soon be able to
view spectacle such as has never before been
presented on this continent Weare about to have
within easy reach grand entrenched camp OF
reserve, greater than that at Aldershott and as
great as that at ChalOns. The campaign has
| fairly opened before u.s. and to provide for IFS
eXigenCes IL Is necessary GOV eTuInenJ keep
in reserve ali army of recruits, who, as fast as
they are properly drilled and equipped, can be
| sent1Sorward to fill the gaps made by battle and
pestilence. In all our there have been
these camps of reserve, but never on scale OF
magnitude at all approaching that of the one we
| are about to see formed. In the War of the
Revolution our army occasionally large, and,
| perhaps, throughout the whole struggle We may
| have had over 200, 900 troops in the field, but,
| great as the odds against us then were, We new
| er had a reserve of more than fifteen thousand
men ut depot at one time. The rebellion OF the
| Southern traitors has attained such formidable
character, and their military preparations so
| extensive, tina: We are compelled to organize
grand army, to meet and vauquish them. As
we have had no standing army, thoroughly dis
| ciplined and ready 10 take the field on the ap
pearance of an outbreak, We are forced to create
armies out of the material which is furnished by
the hosts of volunteers who have rushed to the
defense of the Government and flag. This pro-
/
ling and brave volunteers may be, they are
totally unfit for active service until they have
passed through thorough discipline. and been
suitably armed and equipped. To turn these
raw recruits, then, into good soldiers they must
he placed in camps OF instruction, whence, soon
as possible, and whenever needed, they can be
drafted into the army. 1t was rumored some
time ago, that Government contemplated the
formation Of three such grand camps, one of
which was to be in Ohio. one in Pennsylvania,
and one near this city Whether the former two
are to be created or hot We cannot say the lat
ter has been commenced. Ground was broken
for il on the Goth inst, on Staten Island, and
the work is being rapidly pushed forward. The
location Is the extensive plateau mile south
eastery from Fort Richmond, extentending from
the line of Doctor Posts house to New Dorp
Lane, and running with a gradual slope TO the
waters OF the Lower Bay. The tract is nearly
square. comprises about 10000 acres, is vel
furnished with wood and water, and ia in every
respect well adapted to the purpose in view
On this great natural parade-ground there is am
pie space for the evolutions OF $4,000 men, while
, the depth OF water along shore is such that the
transports necessary TO convey them 10 any des.
ignated point, can lie az anchor, and at a sigma
come TO the wharf at any state of tide, aud re
ceive the troops on board.
Since the Goth inst some 200 sappers and mi
ners, under command of Capt. W. Okell, have
been occupied in clearing the ground of stones
stumps, weeds and rubbish, and have made sat
isiactory progress iu the work. An old ruined
house and barn are being repaired, the former
being intended for reading room, post-office, anC
Offices and the lstter for the accommodation o
\ cavalry horses. The old fences and hedge-rows or
t the whole tract ate to De removed, and fou
feet ditch is to be dug all round the boundaries
and the bank is to be mounted with artillery =,
t as to make the camp thoroughly entrenched AMI
T fortified. The natural slope Of the ground from
the Railroad TO the waters edge is to the south
least. Towards the railroad q thick belt OF tim