Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-23

railroad tracks and the huge sign board
that extends along the side of the range.
The site is about ten feet above the level
of the railroad grade and slopes gradually
from the range house. The men are using
the conical "Sibley'' tents which are pitch
ed in two long rows Troop e on the right
and Troop H on the left. The officers tents
are placed at right angles to the rows Of
tents for the enlisted men, at the highest
point in the camp There are five tents
for officers. all of the large hospital pat
tern. The guard tent Is placed at the end
of the rows of enlisted mems tents.
AS continuation of the rows of tents
the picket lines for the horses have been
set. The beginning of the line is about
fifty feet from the last tent in each row,
the horses Of each troop being placed on
line with the tents of the troop to which
they belong. The horses are carefully
groomed and looked after twice each day
and the ground about the picket line is
carefully cleansed. The space between the
rows of tents is kept in as good order as
is the floor of a house, and all the surround
ings Of the camp are cleansed daily. The
kitchen and mess tents of the two troops
are kept separate and their messes are
separate. The officers mess together.
Under New Regulations.
The purpose that brings the cavalry to
Ordway is to complete it's regular target
practice on the range for the present year.
The practice is being done under the new
a great disadvantage. The new regula
lions have several features that are en-
tirely different from the old. but which are
conceded to be improvements over the old
style of shooting. That which the men
find the hardest to learn is to fire the
shots in. the time limit score within the
time allowed. Under the new regulations
target on each range is reserved for rapid
fire practice. The magazines of the car
bines are loaded to their capacity, five
shots, and the target reserved for the rapid
fire is raised for thirty seconds. The men
are required to fire all five shots in the thir
ty seconds. The figure on the target Is
silhouette of a man of natural size At
600 yards the figure becomes very small
indeed. and 1t is good shot who can hit
the target with all Of his five bullets.
The time allowed for the shooting re-
quires quick aim and sure eye, and to de-
velop this is the special object. AS yet
only few Of the men have been able to
acquire the proficiency that Is necessary
for such work. but they are all improving
and will continue to improve This new
feature of the firing regulations is regarded
as one of the most valuable of the new
order of things, and 1t is predicted that in
time 1t will make the men in the army all
crack shots. as many Of them are today.
Such work requires considerable practice.
however. and 1t will be some time before
the highest state of efficiency can be reach
ed.
Pistol Practice Deferred.
The pistol practice will not be taken
at Ordway. as was first intended. 1t was
found that the troops could get their pistol
practice at Fort Myer with greater con-
venience than would result from the fitting
up of a range at Ordway. and consequently
a range has been fitted up there. Another
feature that decided In favor of Fort Myer
as the place for pistol practice was that
it would require at least two weeks for the
two troops to complete all their pistol
scores. and this would put the regulars
on the range a month longer than it is
convenient for them to remain there. The
range has been secured to the LIST of
August, but the members of the two COM
panies of engineers stationed at the Wash
ingtOn barracks are to be given oppor-
tunity for target practice at the range.
and consequently the cavalry will not o.
cupy the reservation longer than the two
months all told.
Troops e and H will be relieved about
June / by troops F and G. under the COM
mand Of Capts. Brett and kochersperger
In the meantime the camp is open for the
inspection of the guardsmen every day.
and they are taking advantage of the OPP
portunity to learn what they can from the
regulars of the real life of the soldier in
the field.