Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1903-12-03
FROM FORT RILEY
(Continued)

ing approximately 10 about louU men !
1900 horses, Is situated on an eminence
considerable higher than, and over :
looking the camp site which stretched
out to the east TO distance OF prob
ably three miles.
There were about 10000 troops par
ticipating In the maoeuvers represent
Ing all branches OF the army, namely:
infantry, cavalry, field artillery, en-
gineer corps, signal corps, and hospital
corps.
The entire maneuvering division was
commanded by Major General John c.
Bates and assisted lay four Brigadier
Generals and their respective staff,
There were also representatives from
foreign armies called military attach
ces who were sent there for the pur-
pose of witr e-sing the maDeuvers and |
for collecting data of same They were |
army officers attired in their re- active
army uniforms according TO Their rank
Each branch of the s. rvice perform
I'd is sp, cial duties for which it, bad
been drilled, for instance, the Infantry
) for charging the enemy Is trenche
for making forced marches, for Il ,nk-
ng an opponents position and for all
field work where heavily mounted
FOODS dare not venture. The cavalry
does scouting duty on horse back at
tacks wagon trains and unprotected
conveys ard their services are also
valuable in making rap d q INK move
nents on the enemy and finally the,
IRE used in making short rapid charg'
n batteries ( field artillery. The field
rtillery is used for shell ing an On
my's enches at long range. The
ignal corps ereots telephone end tell
,raph lines and the rapidly In which
they do it Ia marvellous
Signaling by this method can he
done for maximum distance OF thirty
miles. A similar instrument has re.
emily been invented for signaling a
hight, done by a shutter apparatus and
a patent light. 1t can be used TO ad.
l. antage regardless OF the d arkneSs OF
j, night. and during night attacks while
s. he maneuvers we're In progress, H. was
L put to practical use. When tele grapb
: ing or heliograpbing is not practica
D signaling is done with flags.
;, The engineer corps construct bridges
:, build roads, survey the land for suit
/, able camp sites and permanent en-
trenchments. they also are supplied
y with pontoon trains consisting Of pom
: toon bridges in sections which are use'
n for crossing streams Boats for ~
purpose are put at regular interval
across stream each being held u
posItion and In line by heavy anchor
Dsc s. SzS thai , Tonne red. VII,
/, Tor the pN3 bse then ."ese .o"'s =
= lid plasrISs sat are fastened to tn
timbers with WOO en- pins and rope
10 and when completed these BRIDGES ar
capable of bearing tremendous load
On one occasion the entire force n
~ troop including heavy escort wagons
field artillery, cavalry and hundreds q
N o'her rigs crossed one OF these bridge
10 continuation.
The hospital corps 10 the field OF PC
I. ion, erect field hospitals and care ia
the sick and W. unded. They also or
ganize ambulance companies that con
II vey the wound from be field to the
dressing station and from there to tn,
- fed hospital
The daily routine OF the maouever,
we're, battle formations. scouting for
i the enemy. digging trenches, marches
attacks, repulses. retreats and practi.
cally the same work that would occur
d n the field II actual war existed.
Pack trains are used on long marches
, where wagon trains are impraeticabl,
md consist OF number OF pack mules
20 called from the fact that they ha, e
Q provisions and ammunition strapppd
upon their backs by n cans of pack sad.
dies espec ally constructed and devised
: for the pui pose These trains vary in
number anywhere from twen'v Eve 10
, two hundred mules according to the
strength o. the command with whom
they are travelling
When a pack train starts GU, on a
line OF march they are always led ny
bell mare, so called because the animal
has bell attached around its neck
They follow the tukling OF the bell and
seldom go astray.
Mountain field guns are carr ed this
way and can he taken up very steep
hills and across country that would be
impossible for ordinary field pieces.
being carried 10 sections on different
mules.
The tents used for our hahitatiop
we're the conical wall or Sibley tent,
they are about sixteen feet In diameter
10 the center Of The tent was placed
stove with the pipe going THROUGH the