The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-03
ID CADETS FINE SHOWING
Annual Sham Battle by High School
Lads on the White Lot.
The Spectacle Viewed by Thousands
Military Experts Inspect the Reg
fment A Drill and Dress Parade
Held After the Engagement.

Z.
Almost all Washington, and especially
Washington's school girls, gathered
around the great green oval behind the
Executive Mansion yesterday afternoon
to witness the annual parade. review. and
sham battle Of the High School Cadets.
Misses in dainty dimities and Powered
muslins, their faces radiant with enthu-
siasm, pressed around the parade ground,
waved their cOlored banners and made
the air ring with their school cheers. The
onlookers were many rows deep, and at
he fringe of the crowd society matrons in
their carriages, business men in their au-
tomobiles, sat viewing the mimic game
of war. 1t was a gathering fully 5000
strong, and it made the complete circle
of the plot of ground, thinly packed to-
ward the south. but a perfect jam of
humanity at the north.
The youngsters made the day an occa-
sion, and took every opportunity to show
their class spirit. In the cheering there
were few masculine voices; 1t was all in
the vibrant soprano Of the girl enthu-
siasts. The day meant as much for them
as it did for the boys and they were
not backward in showing that they own
ed at least part of it. They came early,
prepared to make much noise as posi-
BILE. They WED with each other in cheer
ing during the half hour of waiting be-
fore the soldier boys arrived. At one side
the representatives of the Central High
School held aloft their banners of dark
blue and white. Farther on down The
line was the yellow and blue of the Bust
ness High School delegates. The Western
girls waved their red and green pennants
at the other side of the oval and near
them group of Eastern girls made them
selves known by their light blue and white
flags. as well as by their yells, which
broke out at every conceivable opportuni-
ty.
The interest in the exhibition given by
the boys centred in the sham battle. II
was given with most exciting realism
and fully came up to the expectation of
everyone, except in one respect-no one
was shot or injured. AS the result of the
fiercely-contested conflict, lasting over
half an hour, neither side could show even
a sprained wrist. Yet about 5000 rounds
of ammunition were fired and over 400
men We're engaged. All the features of
the display began on time. The crowd
did not have to wait moment beyond
the hour set, and the organization showed
the greatest respect for the military viz
tue of promptness.
Promptly at 1870 the parade moved from
the place of rendezvous, headed by the
Marine Band. In less than a quarter of
an hour it made its way through the
crowd that was packed around the oval
and entered the green parade ground. As
they marched in the members of each
company were cheered by their school
mates. The organization made a fine ap-
pearance in their neat uniforms of blue,
their fatigue caps. and white gloves. The
companies were halted in the middle Of
the grounds, and then inspection began,
conducted by Major Ourand, Inspector
General of the National Guard, who was
accompanied by Adjutant General Mosher
and G. Z. Harries. The inspection over,
the cadets marched in review, the review
ing party consisting of G. H. HRrries. Ad-
jutant General Mosher Major NJ. V. Tier
ney, Major ourand, Major Parmenter,
Capt. z. F. Riggs, Capt. A P. Robbins,
Major Davidge, Major Lowell, and Major
]. Z. Bell. At the end Of the review
the sham battle began.
From a spectacular points of view il
was most successful. and the military ex-
perts who watched it said that it was ex-
cellent also from a point of military tao
tics. 1t was exciting, thrilling, and in
spring, trimming with a real war spirit
which overfowed in the last wild chr ge
of the victorious companies. They swept
down upon the vanquished with the same
triumphant zen sounding high above the
cracking 1nuskets that must have rung in
tiie ears of the defeated Spaniards on San
Juan Hill. When the engagement was at
its hottest there was audible something
Similar TO the roar of musketryr spoken
of in modern novels of romance, and when
the scouts and skirmishers were at work,
the 'desultory rattle of musketry'' de-
scribed IN histories could be distinguished
There was lacking only the ping of the
BALI to make the battle picture complete
The chief feature after the noise was the
smoke, which, however. did not cover
from sight the mangled bodies OF the