The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-20
ECHOES.
A Denial of the Charge That the Indianap-
oils Batteries Were Allowed Unfair
Advantages.

The Columbus Republican says in reference to
the artillery drill at the late encampment;
''1he printed programme was furnished each
section one hour before going on drin and they
were in honor bound not to use 1t, but in the
free-for-all contest Section B, which took the
second prize, had it twenty-four hours in adj
vance and practiced on 1t until midnight the
night before and also the LeXt morning. Our
boys might not have carried off the prize in any
event, but they do object to being cheated in this
outrageous manner and then have 1T said they
were fairly beaten"
In connection with this charge the Journal
ispleased to give the following complete refuta-
ton:
INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 10, 1888.
ain justice to General Carnahan. who fur
nished the programmes for the artillery drills,
and to Lieutenant Curtis whose untiring work
and ability brought Section B to it's high stand
ard, and TO Section B, who by an intelligent con-
struction of the artillery tactics, a practical ap-
pllcatlOn and very. hard work, made such a
good record in their first competitive drill, the
above article l wish to stamp as false in every
accusation. The free-fOr-an programme was
handed Lieutenant Curtis one hour before the
time for drill and not before; and the five judges,
competent army officers detailed by the secre-
tary OF War to cone here and mark our drills,
were so conscientious about their work that
they refused to be introduced to any officer in
the camp until after the award of the prizes,
and did not even remain in the camp fearing
they might he accused of unfair play but stopped
at a hotel in the city. Some months ago Lieu
tenant Stansifer, commanding the Columbus
battery, asked ne to send him two sections of
my battery to give an exhibition drill at his city
on the 4th of July. This entertainment was for
the benefit of his battery. My men went there
with their guns at there own expense. Several
hundred dollars were Melted by this entertain
ment which, in addition, gave the Columbus boys
many points in our drill and which, taken ad-
vantage of, Increased their score at the eneamp-
ment drill very much. Under the circumstances
it is in bad taste for any friend of the Columbus
battery to publish the above statement, with
the marks OF falsehood stamped all over it.
"GEo. W. JOHNSON, Capt. !. L. A."
NOTES.
1t has been ascertained that the battle was
fought on the scale of ten feet TO the mile. With
this in mind the distances were all right,
Eugene Wagner, hugler of the indianapolis
Light Artillery, was much disguised with the
action of his horse on the field OF battle, which,
instead of dashing about in fine style when the
fight was at its height, quietly grazed near a
cannon which was in a violent state Of erup-
ton.
The fOllOwingorder has been issued:
"The executive committee of the .Inilitary en-
campment Will be in session at 3 % ock p. NJ, on
Tuesday, Aug. 81, for the purpose of auditing all
unpaid encampmentb bills. All parties to whom
we are indebted must file their bills with Hor-
ace Mckay, treasurer, by that time, in order
that they may be promptly paid.
"ELI LILLY, Chairman.
"S. K. FLETCHER, Secretary.