The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-11
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER II, 1904.
The Manoeuvres and the Militia.s

The Manoeuvres and the Militia.y
Si Tho nanoeuvres which have Just terni-9
mated at Manassas have accomplished all
that was hoped and vii! be of the ut
most value to both the regulars and the
militia, If the lessons to be learned are
rs properly laid. to heart. No one has ever
doubted the value "a OF the experience
which, the officers get In the tactical
mana cement Of large bodies of troops,
the a full benefit of which was realized
IN the four days of continuous manoeu-S
wiring. To a casual observer the most
striking and encouraging fact was the
volunteer, though exposed to the great
lardships and discomfort through in
efficient management of the conlmissnry=
II department. The volunteers did their
work with such good temper, character
and force as to put beyond \ any doubt
the question Of the. magnificent Qualities
ofsfighting matter from which the United
States can create an army at will.
On Thursday and Friday numbers Of
i.si
men insthe New York and Vermont regi-,
liant thanking movement that finally
routed General Grant, went with only a
cup of coffee and a piece Of bread to
4 stay the pangs of hunger from o'clock
Thursday Va morning until. - o clock Fri
NJ day During this time the mon marched
Il from twelve to eighteen miles and got
AM an average Of about an hour and Il half
# Of sleep. Early in the week Y the; " ir-,
III ginians went practically the same length
81 Of time with similar :rations and IN a d Z.
dition suffered terribly from lack B OF.
" water. AL ofs5tthis shows inexcusable
S#carelessness the commissary depart
nent and lacksofs forethought in choosing
AZ the camps. 3iSts s5 "a
f The writer of$ths article discussed the
breakdown! in the commissary depart
tmentswith several regular army oflic GERS,
$gand the general statement wa that5thc
were plenty Of supplies % be had II only
the militia ofncerssWould see their be-
Ia Ing issued and served ~ i their troops.
In a. special 1t was pointed. Sout that a
captain of a New York icompanytin In pack
ing the company''s Wagon put in every.
thing he could think of except food, and
these same men took part in the flank
FAX ing action on Friday afternoon, having
~ lad nothing since q hursday morning OK
5cept one cup Or ctrfce: and a piece of
bread. OF course, It costs moncy8to feed
troops, but II is only by actual practice
that the difficulty OF Transporting proper
II food In sufficient quantities can be met
and overcome +5
Frederick the Great said century and
p a half ago Al army is like snake 1t
moves on; its belly." and that. is as true
to-day as itaWas then. The most dis
1eartenIng part OF our Cuban war was
the utter break down in the commissary
Il department and the manoeuprcs at Ma
IS nassas have demonstrated to tic COM
teers how necdful 1t is to keep this de-
tnartment efficient. Given intelligent off,
II Gers, Who both know the needs Of their
men and how to supply them, the United
States Of America could without need of
q Increasing It's regular army be constant
~ prepared to put in the field as efficient
and powerful a military force as any ma
8stion on earth II the militia are kept UP
#to.its present high standard. The Japan
s csc have demonstrated that II is not the
bulk OF the soldier that constitutes his
value. and the faces Of the volunteer
~
sufficient proof that the militia OF the
z United States lacks none of those quail
ties of self-reliance, resourcefulncss, for
q tAude and Intelligence. which make the
"A ideal soldier.
1t would be far less costly and very
much more valuable to our country a,
Z large TO hold great annual manoeuvres Of
the volunteer troops than to try 10 create
large standing army. Every purpose
Il which a large standing army can serve
" can be equally well met by SUCH militia
az America can furnish. It,simply need.
that our general staff shall develop &
proper and efficient commlssary depart
nent. and that the general government
shall show the militia OF the seyera
States such attention and honor as vii
make them feel that they are in yer.
truth the support OF our nation.
The rnanoeuyres have been very ex
pensiye. hut there was certainly n
money thrown away in junketing o
friYolity. ,.
General corbin, his staff and the foreg
attaches alike. set down to a breakfas
on Friday morning Of oat meal and bake
N$ beans coffee and rolls large sourc