Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-04
ARTILLERY RETURNS
Fourth Field Battery Again at
Fort Myer.
AWAY TWO MONTHS
TARGET PRACTICE WITH THE
FIELD GUNS.
Organization Has Been in the Field
Ten Weeks-History of
the Command.

The 4th Field Battery. Artillery Corps,
u S. A. which has been absent from its
station at Fort Myer. Va, for two months,
Is expected to return this afternoon. The
battery has covered over 800 miles of good.
bad and Indifferent roads during its alb
sence of ten weeks in the field and has put
in over six weeks of target practice with it's
six field guns on the range of the National
Guard of Pennsylvania at Mt. Gretna. Its
itinerary has taken it through the state of
Maryland and the lower portion of Penn
sylvania and during the entire time 1t has
been out of barracks the officers and men
have lived in the field. with nothing but
canvass to shelter them. Both officers and
men improved in health and in. that indie
scribable something that goes to make up
the perfect soldier. Their work on the
range was good throughout. The recruits
who had never shot a rifled cannon before
showed wonderful knowledge of their pieces
and became good gunners. This is due to
the training given the men by the officers
of the battery during the winter months,
both on the drill field with the guns and in
the theoretical work Captain stephen NJ.
Foote, the battery commander. received
high praise from Brigader General p.
Goblin commanding the third brigade of the
Pennsylvania National Guard. for his work
with the battery in connection with the an
nual encampment of that brigade at Mt.
Gretna.
The Journey to Mt. Gretna.
The battery left Fort Myer on it's journey
to Mount Gretna on the morning of July
last at o'clock. 1t included in its MEM
bership five officers 115 non-cOmmissioned
officers and privates, four civilian team
sters, 113 horses Two mules, six guns. six
caissons, one battery wagon, one artillery
wagon, one ambulance and four escort or
baggage wagons. On the outward march
the battery passed through Washington by
way of NJ street, New Hampshire avenue,
Florida avenue, 14th street and Brightwood
avenue The first days march brought the
battery to Brookville, Md, twenty-five
miles from Washington, after short stop
at Wheaton, Md, for lunch. The march
taken up the next morning after
veille at 4:30 o'clock, and the next stop
was at Dorsey's Cross Roads. about twenty
two miles further on. On Wednesday, July
Z, the command passed through the quiet
little town of Westminster Nd, where it
attracted unusual attention, and pitched
camp at about o'clock in the afternoon
at Union Mills, Md. The officers and men
were handsomely entertained here. At 8
o'clock Wednesday night the command was
ordered to move again, and by a forced
march proceeded through the northern sec
ton of Maryland and over the state line
into Pennsylvania, stopping for short
rest at o'clock in the morning one mile
northeast of Hanover, Pa. Promptly at
4:3O o'clock reveille was sounded and the
command again moved on, the objective
point being York. Pa, about sixteen miles
distant, which was reached about o'clock
In the afternoon. Camp was pitched for
the night at York, and the next morning
the march was taken up again. After a
short stop to rest the horses at Columbia
Pa, ten miles from York, the command
reached Marietta, where it camped for the
night on Friday. Saturday at 2 o'clock in
the afternoon the organization pulled into
the National Guard camp at Mount Gretna
through a pouring rain wet to the skin.
During the ten days the National Guard
was encamped at this place the battery
gave several exhibition drills, one of which
was in honor of Governor Pennypacker.
Target Practice Commenced.
After the National Guard had departed
the battery settled down to the work 1t had
come to perform target practice. A range
Of about 400 yards was secured and the