The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-02
NOT DONE IN a JIFFY.
1t Takes Time To Equip an Army for
Service in the Field.

~ IN INV W st"'P
Service in the Field.
1t is related of Won Moltke that, when
awakened in the dead of night with the
announcement that France had de-
clared war against Germany, he re-
marked:
Look in my cabinet, file A. drawer
%; send off the kilograms you find
Then he turned over and went to
sleep again.
An army is like a snake: ii has
great length of body and a small head.
The head is the fighting part, and one
of its most important duties is to pro-
tect the body. which consists of wagon
trains and lines of supplies; for If the
body is injured the head becomes pow
erless.
In time of war, or in preparing an
army to take the field, a vast amount
of supplies. forage and equipment must
be constantly on hand or in easy reach.
While the provisions of a company,
battalion or regiment of 1000 men is
perhaps not a difficult task, the supply
ing of a meal for 0 10000 men rs a far
different matter: and 1t is absolutely
essential that transportation from the
base of supplies should at all times be
uninterrupted and subject to no delays.
For this reason the government would
assume control of such railroads and
vessels as might be necessary, and they
would be run temporarily as an adjunct
VI lht by IliN"NN 81 'N'' -
mitted only as far as it did not conflict
with military necessities.
If war should be suddenly declared
and il became necessary to put an
army in condition to take the field, the
general in command, upon an order
from the secretary of war, would at
once recruit the regular military es-
tablishment up to its full limit of Ell
iciency.
These men, together with the volun-
teers who had been requisitioned from
the governors of the various states, or
had been raised by direct enlistment,
would be assembled at some convent
; ent point, where they would be formed
into regiments, brigades, and divisions
under officers of sufficient rank in the
: regular army. Most of the volunteers,
! when they cache the rendezvous,
, would be found to be imperfectly
clothed and shod. and also in many
r cases. entirely ignorant of the simplest
features of the life of a soldier in the
| field. These men must be taught to
| know what is expected Of them on the
r march and i'm camp, and what they
= must do to preserve their health.
g With an army in the field hardly
e one day in thirty is given to fighting
= The other twenty-nine days of wait
ing must be lived through in order tina
. everything may be in readiness for th'
f one day of work. 1t is not the one day
n Of fighting which turns the hair of al
o officer gray, but the tw~enty-nine day
of anxiety for his men, the supply o
a their food and clothing, and the main
- tenance of health and good spirits
; among them. Men do not fight well il
:. battle on empty stomachs, and yet tn
ordinary soldier rarely takes care o
the provisions which are issued to hin
= for forced marches. He eats them al
"a at once or throws them away on &C
- count of their weight. and at the en-
10 Of a 1ppp da vs. march he is hungry
ie with nothing to appease his hunger
Is Then comes the trouble. He does no
20 reason: he grumbles and expects to b
e supplied with more.
lie In outftting an army other thing
Q. must be looked to besides the mel
y Horses and mules for carting. artiller
T, and transport service have to be sur
II piled and trained. A cavalry hors
p differs i'm weight and character froi
e one which is to serve with the arti
he lery, and as much knowledge is re
a quired in choosing animal for mil
n tary service as in selecting men.
ee Medical officers also have to be CON
s. missioned and instructed in the peel
ne liar duties which Will deVolVe upo
al them, and supplies of drugs. med
cines, hospital equipment and ten
must be arranged for. Where mar
bv new and unseasoned men are gathert
ed there is sure to be more or less call f
he the services of a doctor. Al that pc
ad tains to the medical department of Il
a army is under the charge of the su
"A geon general. The drugs are all su'
"a piled by contract.
II, Soldiers expect to be paid. no matt
how much they are fired by patrio
ism. SO the paymaster general ana 4
officers Of his department mu'
through requisition on the treasury
al the United States. see that the priva
he soldier receives his s13 every month,
as In short. every department and g
T. cry officer fulflls certain duties. a.
Ne IL is on the prompt and accurate a
NJ iustment of all the wheels of the col
m plicated machine that it goes and pc
an forms the duties for which ii was CT
no 80