The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-25
DEFENDING A
WAGON TRAIN
Teaching Officers and Men
the Art of War at
Golf Hill.
Giving the Lieutenants a Chance
to Show Hlw They Would
Handle Msn.
Yesterday Was Eusy One for the
Soliiers at The Preside 0u-.
post Duty Tomorrow

Yesterday was busy one at the Pre-
sidio post, for there was drill by the
light artillery on the main parade ground,
maneuvers by the cavalry on the north.
ern extension of the parade ground, field
exercise by the infantry at the foot of the
hill and big-gun practice at the fortifica-
tions at Fort Point.
The artillerymen made fine showing
in the handling of the pieces and in firing,
while the cavalry. as usual, made good
display. Tbs big-gun practice was prac-
tical, as was also the work of the infantry,
which was nearer the realistic than can be
attained on the parade ground.
1t was a problem prepared by Captain
O. Connell, the senior captain of the First
Regiment, for the purpose of enabling the
lieutenants Of companies to place their
men, as If in case of battle, 10 the best al
vantage, and to save them from the fire OF
the enemy. The plan is good one and
the CONFORMATION of the country admir-
ably adapted to testing the Judgment of
the officers in the placing of troops,
whether on the offensive or defensive,
with view TO obtaining the best results.
1t gives the officers the best opportunity
to carry out theories, and it gives the
men a chance to understand little out
side OF routine OF the goosestep. The men
carry out the orders of the officers and
the officers, if they make any mistakes,
have the same pointed out 10 them by
superiors, who are able to pass in judg-
ment on the movements and who can adj
wise them.
There were four com panies in the field,
one company forming the attacking party
that had for its mission the capture OF q
wagon train defended By the other three
panies. The attacking company was
under command of Second Lieutenant
Dennis E. Nolan, while the battalion was
under the orders of First Lieutenant
Hiram Mel. Powell. The train and
escort was passing down defile from the
main road north of Mountain Lake. near
the Marine Hospital. on its way to shell
tering woods east and north of Golf Hill.
Suddenly scouts reported the enemy
lying in wait in the lupin and high mus
lard on the south side of fence that runs
east and west. Two companies were sent
forward to attack the enemy, while the
third remained with the train to protect
it from capture. 1t was then the officers
were called upon 10 use their judgment in
distributing their men according 70 tactics
and at the same time save them as much
as possible from the fire OF the enemy.
The men were sent out as a skIrmish line
and when at reasonable distance were
ueplOytu ny Inc center, rlgnI ana lett
flank, and when in the Judgment of the
officers they had advanced far enough one
section engaged the enemy to draw its
attention while the others made move
ments that would tend 10 be advantageous
and save the train from capture.
That ended the first attack and then a
second attack was made, but in this the
men were not so we'll handled as in the
first, for they were too much exposed to
hsaa aol
battle the enemy from under cover would
have picked off the advancing defenders
without trouble. One of the lieutenauts
ordered his men TO kneel and prepare to
FIRE when at distance of fifty or sixty
feet from the fence, and for this the inspec-
Tor drew his Afternoon to The TACT that the
men ought to have been taken as close to
the fence as possible, for" said the in
speclor, "a fence is a great protection,
even if 1t is only three-rail fence. The
point at which you ordered your men to
kEeei and lie down exposed them to the
fire of the enemy AMI had bullets been
flying there would have been great many
killed" One Lieutenant was also given a
re prmand for following too far behind his
command. AS whole the men were
commended for the promptness and cor
rectness in carrying out the commands
given them.
There was one thing lacking to make
the affair realistic and that was few
rounds OF blank cartridges. Had shots
been exchanged the inspector would have
had better opportunity to judge Of the
actions of the men.
Tomorrow there will be outpost duty,
in which all branches of the service will
be engaged. This will be an interesting
sight to those who have never witnessed
it. The outposts have for their object the
guarding of all approaches, the obtaining
OF the earliest information of the enemy $
movements ana TO obstruct and delay his
advance. The outposts cover the entire
front of the main command and extend
we'll beyond the TANKS and toward the
rear. Generally outposts are disposed as
follows: a line OF sentineIs who keep
themselves concealed and watch the
ground in their front and between the M
and the posts right and left, the sentinels
being from 100 to 800 yards apart; then
there is a line of small groups called
pockets posted about 400 yards in the rear
of the center of the line OF sentines, for
which it furnishes reliefs; behind these is
line of larger groups called supports
posted 800 yards in the rear of the line of
pickets and behind this line is the reserve
about 1000 yards in the rear Of the
supports and 1000 yards in front of the
main body. These distances are not arbl-
trary, but may be modified according to
circumstance by the commander of the
SN|PNS'S'