The evening times., 1898-08-22
SIEGE TRAINS OF The Army.
Pessihssity Of aa ArtsBIery DriIlisx
Post In Wanb1ngtCn.

Possibility Of IN Artillery DRilling
Post In WasbsnGtGn.
| In the early days of the warfthat has
just been suspended with the hope that
perfect peace Is to result from the order
to stop firing there was much talk
| about the siege train that was organized
at Tampa under Gen. John i. Rodgers.
chief of artillery. The OBJECT Of this par
| ticular siege train was to batter down the
walls Of Havana in the fan. II the Amer
lean forces had not before that period rem
rection unnecessary. Much good may re-
suit. from these operations. The work,
begun at Tampa by Gen. Rodgers and
vigorously prosecuted up to the time when
no necessity for rushing matters appeared
on the surface Of events, may possibly be
transferred to this city. The suggestion
has been made to the War Department,
and there may be a siege artiiiery post
established within the District. SO that the
work begun at Tampa willsbe continued
In Washington. II has also been suggest
ed that the siege batteries be distributed
among the coast forts. and there held as
instruction batteries. No matter what
disposition may be made Of the other
batteries, it is known that the batteries
that have been ordered to- Washington
will, upon the recommendation of Gen.
Rodgers, be kept here as instruction bat
teries for some time. and perhaps per-
manently. ae'
Very few people knew what a siege
train was, how 1t was composed, how
many officers were necessary to work it.
or. In fact, anything about 1t. 1t is now
known that the outfit of Gen. Rodgers
was intended to be very formidable
one. 1t was got together with great care,
and, very quietly. one battery after an
other was sent to Tampa. That was the
last that was heard Of the battery. II
possible. the batteries were sent south in
sections, so as to attract as little notice
as possible.
1t was learned yesterday that when
Gen. Rodgers got all his force at Tampa
he had about ten batteries, averaging $50
men each. The arms OF each battery
were either five 5-inch rifles. five 7-inch
howitzers or five finch mortars 1t is
not definitely known how many batteries
of each were in the train, but it is be-
heved there were four batteries of rifles
and three each of howitzers and mortars.
Among the battery commanders were
Capts. Coffin. Sage. Bush, Reed, Lomia,
Whistler. Ennis and Cummins
The guns were shipped by fast express
from different forts all along the Attain
tic coast. The majority, however. went
from the Sandy Hook proving ground.
When they reached Tampa the rifles and
howitzers had to be mounted on car
riages and horses had to be provided.
Then came the work of training the men
and horses. Not since the ciyil war had
there been a siege train in the army. and
it was new work for officers and men,
The field drill each day lasted for six
hours, and then there was target prac-
tice. The horses, in the moving of the
guns, in standing under fire. and in get
ting used TO the bugle calls. got almost
as much drill as the men. -,
The train was ready for active service
by July L The drilling. however. kept up !
just as II had from the beginning. When |
the surrender of Santiago made it i'm |
probable that Havana would be attacked |
Gen. Rodgers and his men. took il for |
granted that they would be. ordered to
Porto Rico Finally the order came 10 |
take transports. The order was rescind-
ed, then renewed, and then rescinded
again. The officers and men packed up
four times to go to Port Tampa One
that of Capt. Lomia. who re-
turned yesterday to Montauk on years
sick leave, was sent to Porto Rico.
Some of the other batteries have been
ordered back TO the posts whence they
came. Capt Whistler. for instance. has
returned to Sandy Hook. A day or two
ago two of the batteries, those OF Capt
Coffin and Capt. Sage. were ordered to
Barracks.