The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-09-29
Fine Problems of Tactics Will Be
Determined at the Kan
sas Maneuvers.
BUSY SCENES AT THE CAMP.
Army's Practical instruction in the
Field Will Close on October s,
When ''the Battle of Fort
Riley" Will Be Fought.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.

'sNNS AACh Will Nll5dEt EOuDlCl
among the hills of Kansas during the hext
ten days. Half of them will represent an
enemy and half an American defending
force. There Will be the dashing charge Of
cavalry. the laborious construction OF pom
toon bridges. the exhaustiEg march of in
fantry and the rumble of artillery. over
all will hang cloud of dust and smoke ana
from it will shoot the flame OK rap.u-:iiIns;
gun and magazine rifle and The noise OF
battle will deafen the participants. The
Battle OF Fort Riley will be on
The concentration camp at Fort Riley has
been busy scene for the last week. Troops
have arrived nearly eyer= hour Of every
day and now all the regular troops To take
part in the army maneuvers there. begin
ming Monday, are in camp.
Tine Union Pacific Railroad has built two
switches mile in length at the camp and
these have been kept well nlled during the
week with freight and passenger cars. which
Besides the troops tnat have come by
train from forts all over the country, 1-loS
men from Fort Ieayenworth. kas-. have
arrived, having made the march overland
The concentration camp extends from the
hospital at the post to the old Statehouse
on Pawnee Flats The camp headquarters
next TO the hospital and camps OF the
various organizations string out Tor several
miles TO the northeast
IMPORTANT PROBLEMS.
Important are the problems which the
DOdrG OF OTllCNTS recently COUNcIcu
Omaha has prepared 10 be worked out by
the troops participating in the Fort Riley
maneuveTs. The report OF this board has
been kept secret. in view OF the fact that
the troops engaged are to be divided into
hostile and defensive force. and II Is, there
fore. incumbent on the War Department to
maintain an entirely neutral attitude and
see. to IL that no Information leaks out
that could be advantageously employed by
either side
In actual war. OF the many knotted prob
lens that present themselves to the COM
mander for solution few are OF more I'M
portance than that Of communicanon- spe-
ing exercises TO this subject. and one or
the maneuyers recommended in the report
of the board calls for the attacking Of
wagon train.
The defense force will send out a wagon
train and the enemy will be given so many
hours in which TO oyertake and capture or
destroy IL. The maneuver. which will take
place on Tuesday. Will be the occasion OF
warm fighting on both sides The convoy
will of course. be guarded by the defense
troops. and theirs will be the work OF ward
ing off the attack of the enemy and land
ing the wagon in safety at It's destination; n,
the convoy will be the maneuver set for
October 6. 1t involves the defense and at
tack OF an imaginary position hill on
the reservation will be fortified by earth
works and a force OF volunteers and regu-
lars will be charged with Its defense An
equal force will constitute the attack
UMPIRES TO AWARD VICTORY
Observers win be stationed outside, the
earthworks as umpires. When a battery of
artillery has been under IRE for certain
abIed and the observers will signal for
them to retire. Unless the fort Is taken
within certain time the attacking force
will have been retired by the umpires ana
the enemy defeated.
The battalions Of engineers have been
provided with ample work by the board.
which in its report. recommends that they
be called upon to construct a modern field
bridge on October and pontoon bridge
on the day following in addition. OF course.
to their joint maneuvers with the other
branches OF the service.
The regular forces that are to engage in
the Riley maneuvers began their exercises
two or three days ago with series Of
drills They will be kept constantly In the
field until October 5. when the maneuyers
Riley" In which all the troops will en-
gage. divided into a hostile and a cefense
force.
The National Guard troops will not arrive
at Fort Riley until Monday. but they will
be given eight days of field service. and VIII
play an important part IN the M nnaI n,rs-s battle
TO be held at Fort Riley will be as i'm
portant as those which occurred on the
ter the coast artillery. the engineers. Signal
Corps and Ordnance Department engaged
hostile feet. and the lessons derived from
the operations have been taken to heart
In the closing exercises infantry. cavalry
and light artillery and the commissory quar-
termaster's and medical departments. as
well as the engineer. signal and ordnance
CORPS will take part
Strategical and tactical problems will be
worked out on the field. The former are
intended to teach officers and men the best
method of coming up with an enemy. and
the latter the formation and the manner in
which the attack shall be made or the de-
fense be offered
The tactical exercises will relate to the
drilling of the men in the use of their guns
and rifles In company. battalion and regi-
mental operations, and in giving support TO
a section of the attacking or defending
force.
The details OF the projected operations
were planned by board consisting OF
Colonel c. c. Carr. Fourth Cavalry: Colonel
George B. Rodney. Artillery Corps: Colonel
Arthur l.. Wagner Assistant Adjutant Gen.
erai. and Major ]. ". McCleernsnd. Adju-
tant Generals Department.