The Indianapolis journal., 1902-09-22
ARMY MANEUvERS.
The Coming AssembIage VIII he the
Largest i'm American History.

Largest i'm American History.
New York Times.
Beginning with this fall we are TO have
annual military msneuvers. participated In
by the various corps OF the regular army
and the National Guard of such States as
choose TO be represented.
Manifestly our operations cannot be con-
Quoted on the gigantic scale OF their Euro
pean counterparts. but they will be quite
as thorough and the problems worked out
equally as important Great as viii be the
value of the maneuvers to the regular serv-
ice. they will be of far greater value to the
National Guard who will thus be afforded
an opportunity for emulating the perfection
OF training of our regular troops, and eacn
service VIII learn TO work In harmony
with the other. as must always be the case
in any war OF magnitude in which the
United States may become engaged
This years programme contemplates the
mobilization of not less than division un-
der the command of Major General John g
Bates. the commander of the Department.
of the Missouri. assisted by full divisional
staff. The adjutant general of the army
has addressed a letter TO the Governors or
the States inviting them to assign such
portions OF their troops as can be arranged
for, and suggests that such States as ma
ii inconveneient to be represented by con-
tingent of the organized militia detail an
officer to attend the maneuvers. in the
hope that his observations may lead TO In
creased interest hereafter.
The regular troops are TO assemble at
Fort Riley, Kan, Sept. 20, and go into
camp, and will be followed by the State
| troops between that time and the 18th,
when the actual exercises will commence
| Up to date four States have accepted the
| departments invitation TO send bodies or
| troops, and many other States will be rep
resented by more officers or their
National Guard.
| Kansas viii send two regiments. each 200
strong. and a light battery: the Nebraska
| National Guard will be the next best repre-
| sented State, and the last State heard froms
| Colorado. will send go men.
| The total number of troops, including reg
| ulars and militia, participating In the op-
| erations will between 5000 and 10000 men.
This number seems insignificant when COM
| pared with the $1,000 men now being led by
| Emperor William in the German maneu-
vers, and while owing to the deep-rooted
\ hostility in this country to a large standing
| army, our operations will always be namer-
| ically inferior to those of the great conti-
nenental powers. il is safe to predict that
| the record for proficiency which Will be es-
| tablished by the different departments or
| our military establishment VIII set stand
| ard for the Europeans TO work up 10.
| The heavy expenses entailed by transport
/ ing troops from distant States and proyis-
/ Joining them during the period of the ma
neuvers has made the militia representa-
| ton this year smaller than had been an
| ticipated, but ii is expected that before the
/ fall of 1903 Congress will have enacted
government to the National Guard
Not the least important of the many val
! liable experiences 10 be gained from the
maneuvers will be the practice marches or
the batteries of artillery. troops OF cavalry
| and regiments of infantry from their reg
ular posts TO the camp at Fort Riley; IN
| stead of being transported by railroad, the
| regular troops will make the march under
| the conditions TO which they would be sub
| jected in hostile country devoid OF all
| means OF communication save ordinary
wagon roads.
Fort Leavenworth will furnish detach-
ments frcm all branches OF the service,
| with the exception. OF course, Of the coast
artillery. The troops from the post viii
| first march to Topeka. and from that point
the route will follow the line of the Unicn
| Pacific Railway. Some OF the more distant
| infantry regiments have now been on the
road for more than week. the Twenty
second Infantry, stationed at Fort Crook,
| Neb., having started Sept. s. accompanied
by a wagon train or twenty wagons.
These extended marches, covering a d.
versified country and under varying
weather conditions. serve to thoroughly
test both the personnel and the material,
and partially compensate for the compara-
lively restricted area In which the man
Riley reservation, possessing an area OF
several square miles. plentiful supply OF
water. and abundant forage. is the best
equipped government reservation for
mobilizing large numbers OF troops IL does
| not. however, present the opportunities for
4
| cities.
1t is with problems of this sort that our
land forces would have 10 deal should we
| become involved in a war with England or
| Mexico. a continental power with a suf-
| fciently powerful navy TO cover a landing
| of troops upon our coast, or, what Is more
| remote, should there be attempted in
| vasion OF our land by forces Of some trans
| atlantic state. The problem TO be solved
and the general plan OF campaign for the
| coming maneuvers have been prepared by
| board OF officers composed OF Colonels
| Wagner, Carr. McClernand and Rodney.
which has been I'm session at Omaha. the
headquarters Of the Department Of the Mis-
| souri,, during the past week.
| The present maneuvers are OF greater
magnitude than any previously held in this
| country, and are the first since those In
| Oklahoma under command OF General Mer-
| ritt I'm 1858 Since that date many changes
have occurred. particularly in the increased
| rate of fire and greater range of our artil-
| lery and small arms. and in the use Of
| smokeless powder. But the most recent
| advance affecting all troops in the field has
| been I'm the means OF communication,
| whereby the commander OF a division OF
| corps Is enabled TO keep In touch at all
| | times with the men on the firing line.
The field telegraph system has been de-
, | veloped 10 a high state OF efficiency. and
the excellence OF our signal corps Is one OF
the distinguishing features OF our army.