The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-03
THE MIMIC WAR AT BULL RUN.
FIRST OF THE MANY PROBLEMS
TO he WORKED OUT TO-DAY.

mi. VIII Be the DetrsininE Of the 49, GOO
NiIitia, which WIN BE Accomplished
as II, in Actual War, the Troops Were
TO BE Assembled at Given Place.
Corps HEADQUARTERS, Gainesville, Va,
Cant 2.-To-morrow the first and not the
last important OF the many problems tn
VA worked out on the historic Bull Run
battle-ground during the September manoeu-
yres will begin with the arrival at Camp
g, at Thoroughfare, Va, OF the New
York troops that will participate In the
war games. Although the actual man
nuvres will not bgein until next Tuesday,
when the opposing armies OF the Blues
and the Browns" will be drawn up on the
R,ll Run field, fifteen miles apart, for hostile
operations. the detraining OF the $4,000
militia troops which are due to arrive to-
morrow at Camps 1 and 2 at Manassas and
Thoroughfare Is considered as Of almost
as great importance as the actual solving
of the war problems having TO do with the
defence OF Washington from invasion.
Tonight the 5000 regular troops detailed
TO the maneuvres are all in camp. Most
OF them arrived during the past day or
two, and already they have settled down
to the routine of camp life as II they had
been on the spot for a month or more. 1t
is their business, however, and the de-
training problem had practically nothing
TO do with them. But the manner in which
the 5000 militia will be detrained and en-
camped will attract the undivided atten-
ton OF Major-Gen. Corbin, commanding
the maneuvres corps, and of every high
officer OF the army on the ground, In
order that every detail OF the detraiping
operations may approximate as nearly
as possible the conditions that would OBJ
tain in time of war were. it desired to as
semble 80 900 troops in given spot within
the shortest possible time.
Army officers point out that in former
days, although the plans Of the Quarter
masters Department might have been
perfect, the railroads themselves were not
competent. through lack of facilities and
the necessary experience, to cooperate
with the Government in detraining opera.
tons. 1t is consequently believed that
the manRuvres this month will not only
be valuable from military standpoint,
but will be particularly effective also from
a transportation standpoint. Over twenty
miles OF spur tracks have been laid at Man;
assas and Thoroughfare, and it Is believed
that within the estimated fOrty-eight hours
the IS 600 militia can be detrained and en-
camped without hurry or confusion. The
correctness of this belief remains to be
proved.
1t is an interesting fact that up to the
present time not a single case Of depreda-
ton on the part Of the Regular soldiers at
the mannuvre camps has been reported
to Lieut-CoL John A. Hull Of Gen. Corbin's
staff, who is chief Of the corps of "Obser-
vers, and whose duty 1t is to keep track
of the damages done by the troops through
the unavoidable destruction OF fences or
crops or through raids by enlisted men.
Az experience has shown that farmers
in the vicinity Of maneuvre camps usually
report on such matters about as soon as
they can reach the proper authorities, this
record is considered exceptionally good.
The army officers at headquarters, however,
have never been particularly worried over
the probable conduct OF the regular troops
soldier, they say. who prefers chicken,
lifted by. the light Of the moon, and unripe
watermelons, borrowed during the tenn
porary absence Of the owner, to good SUBJ
stantial roast beef and baked beans pre-
pared by his company cook.
In view Of this II probably won't be long
after the $4,000 militia are settled In their
respective camps before Col. Hill is flooded
with reports Of raids and depredations
on chicken roosts, watermelon patches,
corn fields and wine cellars.
Army officers now at the manPuvre
camps are finding considerable amusement
o ~ sSe full ss 1s ,S of the
gance of Gen. Corbin's headquarters. As
a matter OF fact the officers Of the head
quarters wear the simplest uniforms Of the
seven now prescribed by army regulations
and the mess bills are paid out OF their own
pockets. Congress at its last session made
an appropriation for subsistence" during
the man9uvres. but this was for the sub
sistence OF the enlisted fopce and did not
take into account the commissioned per-
t1.r- - r. -. Il.
hundred invited guests, including about
dozen military attaches of foreign en-
hassies and legations in Washington. will
be at Gainesville during the maneuvres
and that every officer of the headquarters
mess will probably leave the camp at the
close Of the operations considerably poorer
In pocket than when he came the state
ments " it'll regard to the waste of Gov ern-
ment money and the social side Of the war
games are furnishing lot OF fun without
hurt
To-day was practically a day OF rest
In both the big manBuvre camps and at Gen.
COrbin's headquarters and in preparation
for the hard work that will begin to-mor-
row. Gen Corbin and his staff rode over
the ground in the vicinity of Gainesville
this afternoon, inspecting the area on
which some of the hardest battles OF the
mimic war will be fought, and late to-
night Col. Wagner, chief umpire. of the
operations, issued final instructions to
umpires. twenty-five with the Blues"
and twenty-five with the BROWNS" and
they will be charged with the duty Of de-
termining the victory or defeat OF COM
panies regiments and brigades and thus
deciding the status of the two divisions
at the conclusion of each war problem.
Between now and next Tuesday the UNI
plres will familiarize themselves with the
ground to be fought over and with the de-
tails of the man1uvre problems in order
hair Hn al l,-
and accurately and that the operations
may proceed without delay.
OFF FOR THE MANEUVRES.