The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-09-29
SEVEN THOUSAND MEN
IN FORT RILEY BATTLE
Initial Work of the Western
Army Maneuvers,
UNIQUE FEATURE OF GAME
Sharp Conflict Among the Hills Of Kan
sas During Next Two Weeks Be
tween Americans and Enemy.

JUNCTION CITY. Kan Sept 29-Near-
ly 1000 men will engage in sharp con
fict among the Mills of Kansas during the
next two weeks. IN fact, the army
maneuvers have already begun Half Of
them will represent al enemy and half
an American defending force. There will
be the dashing charge Of cavalry, the
laborious construction Of pOntO0n
bridges, the exhausting march of in
fantTy, and the rumble OF artillery Over
all will hang a cloud OF dust and smoke
and from it will shoot the fame of
rapid firing guns and magazine rife. and
the noise of battle will deafen the par
Elephants The Battle OF Fort Riley
viii be or
The concentration camp at Fort Riley
has been a busy scene for a week. Troops
have arrived nearly every hour during
The day. and all the regular troops TO
take part in the army maneuveTs, which
begin Monday. are IN camp Besides the
troops that came by train from forts all
over the country. 1,16S men from Fort
Leavenworth. Kan. have arrived hav-
ing made the march overland The con-
centraJion camp extends from the hos
piral At the post to the old State House
on Pawnee Flats. The camp headquar-
ters next 10 the hospital and campus
of the various organizations string out
tor several miles 10 the northeast.
OmceTs have selected important prob
lens to be worked out in the maneuvers.
The report of the board of officers has
been kept secret. as the troops engaged
are TO be divided into a hostile and de-
fensiFe force, and it is therefore incum-
bent OF the War Department to maintain
an entirely neutral attitude
Some Interesting Problems.
Special attention is to be directed in
the coming exercises 10 communication.
and one OF the maneurers viii include
the attacking Of q wagon train. The
defense will send out wagon train and
the enemy will be given so many hours
in which to overtake and capture OF de-
stroy IL This maneuVer, which will
take place on Tuesday. will be the oc-
casion OF warm fighting. The convoy
viii be guarded BY the defense troops.
and theirs win be the work Of warding
on the attacks Of the enemy and landing
the wagon in safety at its destination
More spectacular than the attacking
OF the convoy viii be the maneuver set
Tor October g. Il involves the defense
and attack OF an imaginary position A
hiH on the reservation Will be fortified
by earthwOrks and q force Of volunteers
and regulars viii be charged with its
defense An equal force will constitute
he
outside the eaTthworks as umpires-
When q battery OF artillery has been
under fire for a certain length of time
they will be adj8dged disabled and the
observers will signal for them to retire.
Unless the fort Is taken within a Ger
tain time the attacking force will there
fore have been retired by the unDires
and the enemy defeated
Engineers have been provided with
ample work by the board. which rec
commended they be called upon to con
struct a modern field bridge on &C.
tobeT and pontoon bridge on the
day following, in addition 10 their joins
maneuveTs with the other branches OF
the service
The regular forces that are to engage
in the Fort Riley maneuyers began their
exercises two or three days ago with q
series OF drills They viii be kept con
stantly in the field until October s, when
the maneuvers are 10 be closed with the
battle of Fort Riley" in which all the
troops viii engage, divided into an az
lacking and g defending force.
StrategicaI and tactical problems viii
be worked out on the field. The former
are intended 10 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 defense be offered.
The details Of projected operations
were planned by a board consisting OF
Col. c. c. Carr. Fourth Cavalry; Col.
George B. Rodney. Artillery Corps: Col
Arthur L. Wagner. assistant adtutanI
general, and Major J. W McCIernand.
adjutant generals department
Troops Engaged in the Game.
The regular troops that viii be en-
gagged in working out the problems under
consideration viii include the First Bat
talon Of Engineers. Headquarters Band.
First and Second Squadrons. Fourth
Cavalry: Third Squadron. Eighth Cav
airy; Sixth. Seventh, Nineteenth. Tweu-