Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-06
ARMY MANEUVERS
On the Old Battlefield at
Bull Run.
TROOPS TO BE ENGAGED
EVERY ARM OF THE SERVICE TO
PARTICIPATE.
essons to Be Learned From the Pro-
grams Followed Out Each Day
Regulars and Militia.
TROOPS TO BE ENGAGED

beginning August 27-2s, the forty second
anniversary of the day when the soldiers
of the Union and the confederacy fought
savagely on the field of Manassas the new
generation of soldiers of the north and
the south will camp again within sight of
historic Bull run, this time for the pur-
pose of perfecting themselves in the art of
war by more peaceful means than those
adopted by their fathers. Again the hills
and valleys about Centerville, Gainesville,
Thoroughfare and Manassas will rever-
berate with the crack of the rifle and the
boom of cannon, the tramp of marching
feet and the thunder of the charge But
the will be in theory only. OF noise
and smoke there will be plenty, but no bull
let will find target in human form, nor
will shell or shrapnel again scatter death
over the green valleys and hills. From
nine states that gave of their best to the
Union viii come their best of today, and
from ten of those states represented in the
army of the ConfederaCy will come men to
swell this modern army. The occasion for
this asSemblage Of soldiery on the spot
made sacred by two of the great battles of
the rebellion is the annual field maneu-
vers of the regular army and militia, and
the site of the battles of Manassas was Sc
leCted because it the most central
point where sufficient land could be Sc
cured by the government for the proper
performance of the duties laid out in the
prearranged programs.
Between 20,O0 and 10000 troops will be
assembled on the field for the fifteen days
the soldiers are to indulge In field exer
cises, and these will represent the cavalry,
artillery, infantry, signal, engineer and
hospital branches OF the regular establish
ment and the militia of Maine, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York,
New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia,
West Virginia North Carolina South Car
0lipn GnOrptn Florida Alabama. Texas
and Tennessee. The troops will begin to
assemble August q. and will remain in the
field until about September IA.
The purpose of assembling such large
body of troops at Manassas this year is
not. as has been stated, to fight over the
battles of Bull Run. Neither has the af-
fair been arranged as an outing or picnic
for the several thousand militiamen or
regulars. The expense of maneuvers on
such large scale is enormous, larger than
people of an economical turn of mind like
to contemplate and Uncle Sam foots all
the bills. The government cannot do
things OF this kind unless there Is some
thing in IL for the people OF the country
And the officers of the army and OF the
militia who have been connected with the
maneuvers previously held are witnesses
to the fact that the people get great deal
out of II. Army maneuvers OF modern
times are not to be COMPOUNDED with the
so-called sham battles which formerly
formed so important a part of the Fourth
of July celebrations in New England VII
lagos or signaliZed the breaking up of the
summer militia encampments. During the
ten or fifteen days of the maneuvers the
troops are put TO the hardest sort Of tasks
and are taught how to perform them.
A POSTGRADUATE Course.
The maneuvers serve as a postgraduate
course to the drills that are held In garri-
son by the regular troops and In the drill
halls by the militia. In such places with
limited field only instruction OF the most
elementary kind is given in the more i'm
portant branches OF military science Ex-
tended order outpost and advance guard
formations can only be had under difficult
ties and sometimes not at all. The militia
suffers more In this respect than the regular
army. 1t has been found by experience that
In time OF war II takes from three to six
months to get volunteer regiments into
anything like the shape that actual service
demands OF them. 1t is for the purpose Of
giving much needed instruction and OF get
ting together q force of volunteers who will
not require long preliminary training for
service In case of war that the maneuvers
have been established supplementary TO
the regular drill course OF regular and
militia troops. In addition to the benefits
obtained by the individual soldier through
practical study OF these especial points OF
military science worked out In practice the
assembling of an army corps OF 10000 men
gives general officers practically their only
chance to handle large bodies of men In the
Geld and II also gives the commanders OF
the units OF this great body their only
chance TO work with other units In sc
large an organization. most valuable ele-
ment military men say. In the District OF
Columbia. for instance. II Is almost impos-
sinle for the militiamen to have regi-
mental formation except when in camp In
the summer, and in the regular army, ex-
cept at some of the large posts In the west
a regimental drill would be an impossibility
for physical reasons. without taking into
consideration the fact that at but one OF
two places in the United States is whole
regiment of regulars stationed together
The army Is so small that IL Is scattered
throughout the country In small detach-
mcnts where Its presence seems to be need
ed the most.
What the Maneuvers Mean.
The provinces of the field maneuver anf
the military picnic far removed. II
the general rules governing maneuvers tho
whole number of troops engaged Is divided
into two forces. supposed to represent TIVE
opposing armies. One IS called the Blue
and the other the Brown" These TIVE
s"rnAs are supposed to renresent large