Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-05-03

Some Madison young men with mil
itary aspirations have been impressed
on perusal of circulars issued by G. d.
Gurley, secretary and treasurer of the
National Rough-rider's military en-
campment.
This institution is touted as a sort
of outdoor military college, not under
government supervision but estab-
ished with the approval of the war
office. The students of military
rough-riding and tactics will live in
encampments distributed over 1,000,-
600 acres of territory in the Shenan-
doah valley Colorado, and they are
to be taught all the military science
obtainable at West Point with less OF
the irksomeness of discipline prevail
ing in that institution. The pros
pectus announces an eminently respect
able board of governors including
Charles S. Thomas, governor of Colo
RADIO; General e. V. Sumner, U. S. A..
commanding; General Irving Hale, U.
S. A, Chas. S. Thomas, governor of Col
orado; General E. V. Sumner, U. S.
A.; Colonel S. K. Hooper of Denver;
David H. Moffat, president of the First
National bank of Denver; and c. ID.
GurIey, secretary and treasurer.
Under the supervision of this board
Of directors will be several prominent
officers of the regular army as in
structors. 1t is announced that the
object is to give young men a thor
ouSh military training for the cavalry
service and to make the rough riders
turned out in this school second to
none in ability for military service
whenever called upon. The men are
to be given competent instruction in
riding, trailing, scouting on the noun
tains, plains and valleys, and in adapt
ing themselves to camp life. COntinu-
Gus amps will be formed and i'm
mense Instances are 20 be utilized in
developing the new signal service sys-
tenn of wireless telegraphy. An limo
walton connected with the plan is put
ting in the field a mounted red cross
auxiliary.
The student of this encampment
will lead an outdoor life the whole
year round. He will live in a tent,
and his round of duties will largely be
such as if he were actually member
of scouting party or some similar
body of rough riders in the field.
He will ride, he will hunt, he will
study, he will drill, all under the ST.
perVlsion of competent and we'll
known officers of the United States
arms.
Restraint in any respect unreason-
able Will not be placed upon the stu
dent. As service in a rough-rider reg
lm%nt is characterized by individual
freodom OF action just SO the life OF
the student at the encampment will be
so characterized, but under control
and direction Of the cOmmander-iu-
chies.
The encampment will open June |
and the term of enlistment will be for
one year. The length of service of
course will be optional with the re-
crult, as there will be no way to en-
force compliance with the literal
terms of enlistment as to time 1t is
believed, however. that there will be
cruit viii he one of such freedom and
charm as 10 render him 10th to change
lt. Man. applications, it is said, have
come from the graduating classes Of
Harvard and Yale universities Mill
tary discipline will be enforced to pre-
serve good order, but more latitude
than is observed in the regular service
VIII he allowed
regulations will be enforced. Anv
4 able to sit on a horse will be &C
cepted, and the privilege of withdraw
ing at any time on application for dis
charge will be allowed Regulations
governing the forces of the United
States army will be the guide for all
officers and enlisted men.
It is further pointed out that the
need of mounted troops was never so
torclbly emphasized as now, since the
success OF the mobile mounted forces
OF the beers in south Africa has so
plainly demonstrated the superiority
OF light horse over infantry in all sorts
or military maneuvering 1t is beside
the mark that if the United States de-
sires to increase its regular mounted
FORCES or to establish auxiliary regi-
ments of mounted men it has an i'm
mense field to draw from in which
nine men out of ten are rough riders
oy force of circumstances. This fact
Will perhaps detract nothing from the
usefulness of such rough riding mate
rial as may be turned out in the Shen-
andOah encampment