New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-18
A LIVELY SHAM BATTLE.
ooMPANf c. 18TH REGIMENT DIVIDED
AGAINST ITSELF.
CAPTAIN Settlers MEN vIcronror-s OVER LIEU
TENANT MINTURY's SQUAD AT THE
STATE cAMP-A MOUSE THAT
LEARNS 80 WISDOM.

STATE CAMP-A MOUSE THAT
LEARNS 40 WISDOM.
State Camp, Peeksk1 v Y 1n,, -. ospecian
company c Of the 10Th Regiment finished the weeks
"orA az camp with a lively sham battle on the noun
'sils ths aitern on. Captain C. J. setter called for
NOu''eers lot shrmsh dril in the woods and every
man except those on guard came forward. After
l'"s oieir cahteens with oatmeal water and being
| suppned with eighteen rounds OF Ammunition each
the men started cut over tho Ncco, -,ad AZ o 10
O'CLOCK After marching half milo n that direction
inc company was divided into two squads. one
commander by Captain Setter and the other by
First Lieutenant Robert s Anturn. Lieutenant Min
turn went ahead to find position in which to rcpel
the advance OF Captain Settlers men, A march Of ten
minutes Drought him to stone wall running at right
angles Win the road on the north side Of It, on the
south side Of the road was steep hill and another
stone wall, also running parallel with the road.
Lieutenant Mluturn took position behind the first
named wall, which commanded a view Of the road
Tor short distance. The position would have been
strong one provided the attacking party had come
along the road. But il didn't Two or three Skin.
mishers came up that way, but when CAPTAIN setter
discovered the enemys position he depoyed his men
up on the hill directly the left flank and opened
cross hre Minturn was bedged In on the right and
left and rear by an impossible swamp and the enemy
was on his left and In front. The only thing left TO
do was to form on the left In the face OF hot fire. and
himself from the enemy the hi he was open 10 the
fire of the men who would then be on his right flank
and he tried 10 rcpel the attack from the front Of
the original position then he would be nanked on the
left. SO his forces retreated In some Disorder They
swung around the point Of the hill and up over the
mountain, back in the direction Of camp They made
Or two stands but were again outlanked and they
retreated half mile without hating
Then position was taken behind another stone.
wall 10 the ard the right and left Of which
there wa dense growth Of underbrlsh. Directly
in front cleared field OF twenty or thirty acres
once more. "if" the attacking party had come No
In front, they would undoubtedly have been amt
hIlated But they wisely made detolrs 70 the right
and left, leaving only few men 10 draw the fire
from in front. Lieutenant Mintmn evidently did
not think that Captain Setter wonld be so mean
as 10 attack him the TANKS until three or four
shots in close proximity from the light. left rca
explained the situation to him. Then he had t.
tumble stone wall under the fire Of the men
In front Of him and to retreat toward the direction
from which he had come through an open field, with
the enemy all around him.
II was after this brilliant movement had been
performed that q truce was patched up. The real
fighting began. however, when the sham battle wa
over. But II was only of words. and wa,
soon over. II was about the question OF who won
the fight, but Lieutenant Mmturns men had not
enough patriotism to contend for any length Of time
that they III it, at all they gracefully &C.
knowledged that they had been defeated.
Colonel Story has new plan for making The electric
lights effective In preventing the men from run
ming the guards on dark nights. Under the old plan
the lights hung down side Of the pole, and the
pole naturally cast shadow, which became broader |
further away from the I.e. This shadow was lust |
enough to allow a to slip past sentry when h. |
was at the other end OF his beat without being |
observed. The pole also cast shadow out tho |
parade ground. and It was in these shadows that
the accustomed TO sneak Up from the |
bluff to a position close TO the sentry line before
making dash across the Hne The lights, accord |
ing to Colonel Storys plan. Will now be stuck IL |
top Of the poles and held there by Of Il |
small iron rod. Ii is simple thing but the men |
who have heretofore in the habit Of running the
guard viii find to their sorrow that the new arrange
ment will effectively prevent them from continuing
their favorite paStirue.
Two regiments will occupy the camp again for the
week beginning tomorrow. They will be the 9Th. Of
New-York aud the 74th. Of Buffalo. Tie 9th sep |
arate Company, Of Whitehall, will home at IL As
tomorrow, and the LIST Of Rochester and the eth OF
Troy will start at Q 80. The 4th, of Yonkers, viii |
wait and go with the 18th Regiment, after the 9Th
Regiment arrives here
Colonel Thomas Ii. McGnth, the Assistant In
spectorGenera Of the State, has hit upon a plan
by which he thinks considerable time could be saved
in camp. 1t is to have tort with all camp
coutremeDts at each arnory month so before
the at Peekskiu opens, to teach the
police duty in the tents. 1t takes from two To
three days for the men 10 learn 10 do this duty
rectly after they arrive In camp, and this time could
be saved II they taught IN their armories. The
could also give their undivided attention things
which cannot be taught in armOres under any ctr
cumstances Colonel McGrath would have q complete
outfit Of cots blankets etc, and Instructor could
make tour nstructing IN this branch OF soldiers
duties at camp, just the guard instructor goes
around lie thinks IL practicable scheme and
the probabilities that IL viii be carried next
season.
Captain peggy" ThurstOn has a much-caught
mouse IL Of his choice cheese one
night three four weeks ago, and Peggy b0ught
trap catch Mr.. Mouse. The animal a. caught the
first night but the head Of the guard department
too tender-hearted 10 XIII II. ne let Il go. He has
caught the same mouse every night since. He lets
20 IN the morning. because, he SAYS, charges
have been preferred aglus il, and everything at |
camp has to be according T. General Orders No l6.