Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-21
FORTRILEY MANEUVERS
GEN. CARTER TELLS Of THE CON-
ILLUSIONS REACHED.
Larger Attendance Of Nasional Guards
men Expected in the Future
Expense Involved.

General w. II. Carter has just returned
from the west, wheres,he visited the gem
eral service and staff college at Fort
Leayenworth, and subsequently attended
the maneuvers which were recently carried
out on the reservation at Fort Riley, Kan.
The forces assembled for the maneuvers
consisted of a battalion of engineers, a
brigade composed of three regiments Of in
fantry, a brigade Of infantry of the Ma
tional Guard of the state of Kansas,
regiment Of regular cavalry, six batteries
of field artillery of the regular army, two
batteries of the Kansas National Guard,
separate battalion of Colorado infantry and
a detachment from the hospital corps and
signal corps of the regular army The
maneuvers were attended by a large repre-
sentation Of National Guard officers from
various states.
Scheme Of Maneuvers.
1.-The entire scheme, of maneuvers," said
General Carter today, Contemplated in
struction in field operations, involving work
from that of the simplest outpost and
patrol duty, up to and including the battle
maneuvers of division. The opportunities
afforded for combined operation of the
various arms exceeded those Of any en-
campment since the close of the civil war
During the recent war with Spain the vol
unteers were assembled in large camps
but for want of preliminary training 1t
was not practicable to get the class of IN
struction which obtained during these re-
cent maneuverS. Owing to widely separate Il
posts, with comparatively small garrisons
the regular army has had little opportunity
in the past to work together. This com
bined work is absolutely necessary In order
that the theories evolved In time of oeace
may be put into practical application, in
order that each arm may learn not only
its own powers, but the limitations of the
other arms of the service.
There was no semblance Of sham battle
during the maneuvers at Fort Riley as the
rules governing the operations forbade any
firing at short range. The general theory
upon which all the problems were based is
that the full value of these maneuvers is
obtained when the strategic march and de-
ve1opment for active combat has been COM
pleted; it remains then for the umpire to
decide whether or not a maneuver has
been successful. These rules, together
with the of smokeless powder, have
completely eliminated the theatrical effect
which Is usually supposed to characterize
opera tons Of this sort.
There has been no opportunity during
the war with Spain and subsequent war in
the Philippines to test the value of many
theories concerning modern war between
civilized combatants The regular army a
the present time however, is particularly
fortunate in having very large proper
ton of its officers experienced In minor
warfare to an unusual degree.
A Lesson of the Maneuvers.
1.-THE general consensus of opinion result
ing from the recent maneuyers is that no
effort should be made in this country to
simulate the maneuvers of large bodies of
troops such as prevail in Germany, France
and Russia. These latter maneuvers are
real schools of instruction for generals and
the higher staff officers. In the United
States the urgent need is for instruction of
the smaller units from the squad to the
brigade in the operations CT war and camp
sanitation. In regard to this latter, not
withstanding. the unfavorable weather
which prevailed during much Of the period
covered by the maneuvers, it was remarked
that the percentage Of sick was exceedingly
small, In fact, below the average which
might ordinarily be expected in garrison.
The great expense attendant upon the
transportation of National Guard troops
from a distance prevented a large attend
ance from the different, states. The gen
eral opinion, however, appeared to be favor
sure that when Congress takes final action
looking TO the acquisition Of the necessary
land for the four large maneuver camps
full attendance may be- confidently eX-
pected in,the future. Taken altogether the
maneuvers proved very instructive to all
concerned, including the older officers, and
the success which attended this effort fully
5ustif1es the department in making prepara-
lions for the annual recurrence of maneu-
vers in various parts of the country In
struction obtained in two weeks in an en-
campment of this sort Is better than can
pe obtained by working separately for
months at a time"