The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-09-13

Va, September 10.-With their fight
ing at an end, the contesting Blue and
Brown armies were on dress parade
today. They lined UP in columns on
an expanse of sloping ground at We'll
lington, Va, midway between Manas-
sas and Gainesville. Lieutenant Cen
eral Chaffee, chief of staff, was the re-
viewing officer. He took up a position
facing the column in it's center and on
the crest of the slope. To his left was
the Blue army, and to his right the
Brown. General Corbin, commander
of both forces, sat on his horse beside
General Chaffee. Back of them were
the foreign military attaches visiting
governors and other distinguished visi-
tors. Still further back was a review
ing stand filled with spectators, and
along the whole front of the line,
which extended over a mile, were
other sightseers.
The infantry, in four columns to
each brigade, was arranged, one be-
hind the other. Behind them was the
cavalry, artillery. hospitaf and signal
corps, an engineers brigade train,
army supply wagons, etc. The troops
were in line by 10 o'clock, and a half
hour later the reviewing officer rode Oh
to the field with General Corbin, his
staff and guests. The men presented
d surprisingly good appearance after
their four days of night and day cam
paigning. This was accounted for by
the fact that all Of those IN poth camps
who were in any way indisposed were
examined by surgeons and given GER
tificates excusing them from the re-
view. 1t is estimated that more than
1O, 600 men were excused in this man
ner.
AS soon as General Chaffee took his
place, the right of the Blue column
moved to the front and marched past
the reviewing party, and then off the
field to the rear. The. formation was
in close columns and the entire first
division passed before the troops of
General Bell came forward.
The review occupied nearly three
hours, and was terminated by lively
sabre drill by the Seventh cavalry.
Not since the Spanish war have so
many regulars and militia troops been
in review.
The victory of the Brown army yes
| terday was still fresh in the minds or
the troops of the second division, and
when General Bell and his staff rode
between the columns of his men, he
was given hearty cheers. When he
headed his army in the review and
wheeled off to join the reviewing par
| ty with his staff, the populace joined
| IN the ovation. Dixie" was the tune
| played most as the bands passed the
| reviewing point. The Fifth Massachu-
setts band played Yankee Doodle, y
two New York regiments played ON
ward, Christian Soldiers and another
| marched to "Thc Bowery.'
The manoeuvering has Deen of bril-
liant order, and the movements of each
side have been executed with great
| military precision. Although troops
and officers are tired out, they have a
| very vivid idea of actual campaigning,
| which is one OF the objects sought.
The entrainment problem, which also
| is one of the present lessons of the
manoeuvers. has already begun. The
| Maine and Massachusetts, troops are
| on their way home, having been en-
trained in front of the review at Wei
lington, Va. This work will continue
| Tomorrow at each camp, and the mill
tia will all be out OF camp by Monday
morning, if not earlier. The large
number of tracks supplied by the
Southern railway at Thoroughfare and
| Manassas makes the cntrainment a
| speedy operation. The line Of the
Southern railway between Manassas
and Washington already is filed with
troop trains, and the soldiers are sing
ing and firing their remaining blank
cartridges as they ride home