Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-12
MANEUVERS ARE ENDED
Finished With a Grand Re-
view Saturday.
MILITIA Is PRAISED
GOOD WORK PERFORMED DURING
THE ENTIRE TIME.
Came to the Field Raw Recruits and
Went Home Seasoned Veterans
Lessons Learned.
MILITIA Is PRAISED
epecial From Stsfr Correspondent.

n
PRESS CAMP. Gainesville, Va. Septem-
Der lIth-With the hauling down of the
great yellow corps flag from the front OF
the commanding officers tent. signalizins
the departure of General Corbin, the army
maneuvers for 1904 became thing of the
past. General Corbin left camp this morn
ing and will take a trip to Washington in an
automobile, accompanied by Mrs. Corbin
and Mrs. Grant 1t is expected that the trip
will take about four hours. the big white
steamer having made 1t in less time than
that twice since the encampment opened
here two weeks ago. General Barry moved
into the tents left vacant by the departure
of the corps commander and his staff, ana
he will have charge of the regular troops
now in camp until the sites of the three
camps have been thoroughly cleaned ana
made as nearly as possible what they were
before the troops came. one or the re-
markable things about the maneuver camps
has been the little damage done the prop
erty by the troops. Only when it was aoso-
luteIy necessary to get through field were
the fences disturbed and then only panel
or two were removed. The orchards and
corn fields which were expected to sustain
great damage have been practically UNI
touched and the farmers are all much IN
pocket as a result of the lossso their chick
ems. 1t Is not to be supposed that these
chickens were stolen by the troops Up TO
date only two fowls have been reported as
missing. The wise tillers of the soil in this
vicinity used their chickens themselves
made them into tempting dishes. which they
disposed Of to their boarders or the troops
at prices far beyond what they would have
fetched in the regular course OF events.
The members of the board which was APP
pointed to take charge of the claims TOT
damages will remain In the vicinity OF
g. .Aaly ar mr. n
rive every one who has claim to prose-
cute to present 1t and receive remunera-
ton.
Entraining of the Troops.
The entraining of the troops. which be-
gan at the end of the review yesterday
afternoon. is still progressing rapidly. The
experience gained on the arrival of the
troops has shown for one thing the ex-
celIent effect of the maneuvers Some OF
the men that were not expected to get
away before midnight, were on their trains
nv 10 O'Clock, and many companies were
able to get into the cars assigned them and
away before the time set for them 10 de-
mart AS was the case last week. the reg
mar schedule of the Southern railroad
was unset seriously the short line be-
tween Manassas and Harrisonburg and
little attempt was made to run trains on
time. Two or three hours behind the
schedule was the usual thing. However
officers of the quartermaster'S department
of the army declare that the railroad OFF,
Gals are doing well to get any of their
local trains through. Had an actual state
of war existed in this section. 1t Is con-
tended the government would have seized
the railroad and would probably not
have permitted passenger trains to run
over ii at all.
All Of the officers connected with the
vancouver corps from the corps command
err down are highly pleased at the results
that have been obtained Yesterday there
was rather a small percentage Of the mill
tia in the line at the review, at least fifty
per cent OF the men being in camp re-
covering from the effects of the hard work
of the four days previous but, 1t Is de-
clared the men did well IT every sense of
the word and despite the many troubles
and discomforts. great majority of them.
all Of them possibly. will vote unanimously
to participate in the exercises when they
are held again. 1t Is pointed out that the
faults that have been developed In the sys-
tenn OF organizat ton are but what was ex
pected and II is to a great extent to dis
cover and correct these that the maneuvers
are held.
AS has been pointed out In The Star dur
ing the last two weeks. the problems Of
marching and maneuvering troops in war
like array were but small parts of the real
problems presented. The supply depart
ments of the army and militia had their
own problems. and those faults which have
been found have been caused through lack
OF experience. II was noted that each day
tHe men remained IN the neIC lneFe was a
decided improvement in their appearance
and In the work Of the departments referred
to- While the troops In the field during the
first two days had trouble in securing their
commissary supplies. little of this trouble
occurred during the next two days, result
ing. ii is declared, entirely from the ex-
perience gained. Militia officers, it Is
further stated. cannot be expected to have
exact knowledge as to the management of
the affairs of their departments in the
field. because they have never been in the
field under precisely the same conditions be-
fore. Even the commissary officers of the
regular army. with their almost perfect sys-
tenn OF supply. had difficulty in locating the
regiments to which they were attached
during the nights of bivouac in the field,
80 1t is not to be expected that the militia
officers would do better until they had been
faced with the actual conditions.
Praise for the Militia.
Those who have been In a position to OBJ
serve the work OF the militia during the
past week are very decided In their praise
OF both the officers and the men, The
troops came here raw and unused to the
work OF the soldier in the sort of field duty
they were called upon to perform and left
1t almost seasoned veterans. Aside from
the fatigue of marching. produced almost
entirely by the inexperience of the troops,
the officers and men are In much better con-
dition today than they were week ago
when they arrived at their camps The
value of the maneuvers is apparent that
there has ceased to be any question as to
the wisdom of the expenditure of the money
appropriated for this set OF exercises. and
becomes only a question of how much can
be properly asked for next year
None but the officers OF the militia knew
just what their troops could do when they
arrived and 1t Is debatatle matter In the
minds OF some Of the officers in comma nd
here as to whe Their they really knew. Their
value now IL a known quantity, however.
They have learned some most valuable les
sons during the past six days and every one
leaves the camp tof1y satisfied that the
maneuyers OF 1904 were an investment on
which the government vii; realize returns
far in excess of the expenditure.
The review of the "a oops Saturday was
success in every particular. The broad
acres OF the Wheeler farm at Wellington
were thronged with spectators from early
In the morning. Train leads of people from
Washington. Richmond and other nearb,
points rolled into tho Wellington station
long before the hour set for the movement
of the troops A grandstand erected at the
northern end of the field of review was
filled to OVERLOOKING by 10 O'Clock and every
point Of vantage in the vicinity was occu-
pied by noon Fence pests hay stacks
barns dwellings. hen houses and pig stys al
held their quota OF visitors and thousands
were satisfied to stand throughout the cere-
mony The crowd was part of the show
ana a most interesting part. Hundreds OF
W ct n1 10,