New-York tribune., 1903-06-28
WET DAYS FOR MILITIA.
GOOD TINE ROUGHING 1T.
Plenty Of Experience -ScUenths
lHdnOeuTres.

,~ssr che Of the shortest and. in the recollection
~ colonel Y. 3. Thurston. which extends over the
enry-tyvo years Of the State camps existence. the
rsiriest camp season came 10 end. Only once
- those twenty-five years Colonel Thurston says,
was there a protracted spell Of bad weather.
e. far ss he remembers. That during a tour
- duty Of the s7th Regiment Of Brooklyn The
week they were in camp il raiued every day. eN-
,eut the Gay they went home, and they had only
o7e driu and one dress parade throughout the week
The rainy weather OF this season and up TO
Thursday evening before the breaking Of camp il
-stred every day. not. however, without ITS eN-
,e-ence and its benefits and time was not neces-
sarily lost because Of days too stormy for drills
The regiments that had 10 endure il learned some
rbin- Of camp drainage the ditchinE o. tents ano
,-ta- Vet weather precautions. which, unpleasant
though they were viii be knowledge worth having
a. rbe future The 9Th from its experiences OF
-or-E weather in the Croton Dam strike some
--ssrs aEo showed 81 already was posted in many
zass hz the manner the men dtched tents and
drained The water
Rr- while weather conditions were not favorable
- I'll times fer drills. the enthusiasm of the regi-
-,e-fs frequently took them into the field, when
longer period Of camp service might nave leo TO
nostponenent Of plans. With only seven days In
INN and every hour planned FOR weeks, if not
orrhs in ADVANCE. officers and men, unwilling TO
see hours lost which might defer anticipated work
fa- TWO years nave drilled or worked IN some very
s-rieraent weather. In order 10 complete the con-
e--f--ion o. an earthwork line OF defence the I'd
,-l-a5 ir rain which in years gone by would
ra,e undoubtedly proved sufficient 10 put Of pre-
rribed drills and this regiment was not only Will
i-z bur asked ouJ in The afternoon that 'he
z-7-l- might not be left unfinished The same
sr-it Vas manifested by the 7th which never lacks
a. Willingness and is ever ready for any duty, and
,-'-. the r7osl severe rains kept the regiment IN
rsrp inactive OF these storms the 7th had more
-ka- the 22d but i was compensated Tor py l"o
ss-s Of clear weather and sunshine
771a r7snoa11Vre between the West Point cadets
.r5 -h4 III Regiment on Thursday not without
material benefit for both it should not be con-
@gsed with sham battle. in which the victorious
army is selected beforehand the entire attack ana
-ertlee rlanred in advance. with touch OF the
dramatic ana realism thrown in in the way OF
.e-l, ammunition and plenty Of it. TO add 10 the
interest. A manRuvre Is simply game OF strategy
s-d does not require smoke and powder TO make II
eeac-i1e and Interesting in fact there is more Of
the real in il than in the sham fights. for neither
sa knows Of the position force OF the other.
cert as it is secured through scouts or developed
m ftnts or attacks in force That was true OF the
Thursday mauTuvre.
The army officers with the cadets held up civil
fans pedestrians or carriage parties coming from
the camps direction inquire II the 9TH had been
seen while the 7th was just as eager 10 secure
similar information regarding the cadets from
civilians coming from their direction.
INNOCENTLY BETRAYED THEM
The experience Of a woman who. with some
relatives vas on her way back 10 a summer cot
-sae A. Lake Oscawaua. eight miles north or
E,eaksE5Il Is amusing. When she arrived at the
cottage she SAID TO her husband ''0h, VIII. I'm a
traitor. ard It never dawned on me until a mo-
1nerr ago"
.ezzhv. what have you done?" ne asked. with
concern.
Mother and were driving out from the village
a75 v-a met some officers on horseback with the
West Point cadets. one Of the officers rode up and
es+= Pardon ne madam have you travelled far
Yes. I SAID from PeeHskII' Did you see the
II Regiment You drove along" Yes sad
and -aen he laughed Where were they-down by
: little Village about miles from here? Yes.
s-iz Grain and then he laughed harder than ever
II asked me how many / saw and some other
rrez-iors like that and raising his hat thanked
n and rode back laughing 10 the other officers.
II never occurred 10 me until was almost here
that had betrayed the 7th into the hands Of the
enemy
TIE manpgvre has already been fully described
II Ire Tribune. and il was Of much value 10 Off
GERS and men in the 7th and 10 the cadets. The
larter have frequent engagements Of the kind al
te Point the cadet battalion being divided for the
rurro=e but Colonel Treat said Thursday they
were not SO alert with their brother cadets as they
are with q strange force of unknown strength and
position. They also gained knowledge and expert
encs in developing enemy on the defensive.
though 70 have dislodged the eth and taken the
camp would have required days and very superior
ru-r- Bozh officers and men of the 7th Regiment
gained a knowledge Of the country and Of topog-
-spsy which they utilized 70 the fullest degree;
= three miles from man 10 man not by courier @
that The enemy was seen. was advancing was
making an attack moving to the right or left
ken constantly Informed 10 what was taking
place along has line From ne furtnesJ point
6is-a-cl m his manner. and those received were
preserved for future reference.
VALUE OF MANOEUVRE.
The alertness Of the cadets was exemplihed in
1he instance cf an officer OF camp who was riding
along the road beyond the 7th's line Of outposts
SvI ev1-- def o.
Of him and along the road. and leveng his carbine
e. him SAID. Halt, Il is too 10 shoot, but
you car see what I could do SIR The cadet
orders had been not 10 shoot within one hundred
YARDS
Such u1anpuv-es as these give instruction which
Is lacking in q sham battle. and when the West
Point cadets, in command Of experienced army
officers are the opposing force the National Guard
Regiment participating benefits more than II the
opposing force was also q National Guard organ
zaton ard the regiment VIII have food for renec-
uon for winter
The cadets are always delighted 10 meet with the
n Regiment. ana the 9Th is equally pleased 10
TIE IN pigments discipline is thorough and
ne loyalty of its raenbers Is unbounoec frlNates
and commissioned officers have gone out IN
ne service cf their country unoeT c9IlIlIsslpl'
q the expiration Cf their national service tney
have returned 10 ra-enlfst privates in the 7tp
mere are many in the regiment VINO nave @ ~on
Ih0ulder straps out of the regiment who are now
G.iforu ~ the private. Color Sergeant Olsen. who
Federated his birthday In camp this last week
his birthday IN camp but Il al Camp Black
5rd captain Of Company Of the 25lst New
There arc also men who have seen long service
r] ] c9rs lut to1lf 5lfi W. o'l1 nT1srtbafeb a
private q Company 4, and detailed The fact while
Ct special duty al the ad5utant's quarters regi
reural clerk he served. first. three years in the
United States Navy, then six years IL the Infantry
1Tee in Company J. 9Th United States Infantry
and three in Company =, 2lst United States In
1sntrE. The next three years he served in Troop
: ~ the I'd United States Cavalry. and during the
sTanisH-s rlericau War be was a sergeant IN me