Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1903-07-23

tlCed Tor a week at time until the
commanding officer is satisfied with
the way his orders are carried out.
The maneuvers generally start with
battalion movements on the parade
ground. A piece of rough country
near the fort is selected and the bat
talon Is marched TO it. The soldiers
are loaded with all the equipments
for long march. Their haversack
containing the cooking utensils and
rations for one day, is strapped on the
left side. A roll containing two blan-
kets. half of a shelter tent with the
poles and pegs, is slung across the
other shoulder. The tramp Is usually
through country that will afford an
opportunity to train the soldiers in
ditch jumping, wall scaling and fence
Jumping. The officers demonstrate
the adopted methods of taking the OBJ
stacles. Each soldier is made to jump
the obstacle until he can do il with
grace and ease. When level spot is
found the soldiers are trained in pitch
ing tents. Then the men are lined
up in battalion formation and upon
the first order the guns are stacked in
long row which is considered bat
talon line. The haversacks, canteens
and blanket rolls are taken off and I'M
| folded. On the next orders from the
colonel the companies wheel back in
to parallel line to the battalion line,
after taking their distance by each
man extending his arm with a peg in
his hand until it touches the next
mans shoulder. In this position the
tents are dropped on the ground in
front of the mat.
A peg is set in the ground which
makes the rear pole of the shelter
tent. The two halves are buttoned
together and the poles joined, while
one holds the poles in place the other
drives the pegs into the ground with
his bayonet. AS soon as the tent is up
the men put their blankets and equip.
ment into them and take their posi-
ton in the battalion line.
The guns are taken up and practice
in firing is conducted for while.
A man is sent out across the coun-
try to a point where he can be seen
by all the men in the battalion. When
he stops and faces about, all the men
are asked TO estimate how many
yards he is away from them so that if
he was to be shot at, the range would
be known. The men calculate the
distance and report it to their officers.
The man is called in by signal corps
and having paced the distance both
ways, makes it known to the officers.
The men are told so they may know
how far away he was. They soon be-
come so experienced that they can
guess within fifty yards of the dis
lance of man standing a mile away.
If there are no other maneuvers to
be made during that day the tents are
taken up and rolled into the blanket
roll again. On the march back to the
fort scouting parties are sent ahead
on bicycles. Flankers are put out on
both sides of the column to prevent
the imaginary enemy from ambush
ing the line.
The signal corps is out with the COM
panies and all modern methods of sig
mailing are taught to the soldiers.
Guard mount takes place at 1900
o'clock when the guard for the day is
changed The old guard that has
been on duty during the previous day
and night forms in line and marches
up in front of the commanding officers
quarters. The regimental band takes
a positionn in the band stand and
plays a concert of four pieces In the
meantime the officer of the day in
spects the old guard and dismisses it
while the new guard is being selected
The new guard is also inspected and
goes on duty at once. A guard num-
bers twenty FIVE men, two sergents,
four corporals and a commissioned
officer.
After dinner the soldiers have the
greater. part of the time to them
selves. Some are out for special drills
but most of them can be found at the
ball grounds where the companies
have their teams, playing series of
league games.
At forty minutes before sunset the
entire regiment is out on parade.
The band marches at the head of the
regiment and the regiment is march
ed around the grounds until sunset.
The soldiers time is then his own
again until taps unless he has pass
which permits him to stay out until
midnight or what ever time his pass
calls for.
The hospital detachment is drilled
once week. g. A. KNAPP.