The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-09-15

the men and baggage were unlOaded an
other system of spurs was built, and, by
the careful work of the Quartermasters
system was evolved which seems to defy
any element to cause confusion of the
slightest kind. The system was put to
a most severe test at Thoroughfare when
eight troops of the 18th u. S. Cav. horses
and men, on FIVE trains were rolled into
the sidings. 1t required just exactly II
minutes TO detrain every one of those men
and horses, the quickest time for such
work on record. Gen. Bell, a cavalry Off
Ger of many years experience, was amazed
at the performance and stated openly that
he had never seen or heard of such COM
plete work in his life.
WOOD AND WATER.
Two things most necessary to a good
camp from the Quartermaster' point of
view are wood and water. 1t was neces-
sary for the officers Of this Department to
provide these necessary commodities for
their men, the Ordnance Department being
expected to furnish the tents and the
COmmissary the food supply. But if there
was no wood or water and no camp laid
out. neither of these two Departments
could do anything for the troops. There
fore the Quartermasters were put to it to
provide these three necessaries. They dug
wells, piped every section Of the camp and
have erected MIGRANTS: they measured off
the space to be occupied by each company,
troop and battery, and by each regiment,
brigade and division. 1t required the hard
est kind of hard work to complete all these
arrangements, and there has never been
moment when the officers assigned to this
duty have been idle. After the regiments
were camped they still had their duties
10 perform, and when the last soldier ha
departed they were required to undo all
they had done with the same dispatch and
IN as thorough manner as the original
task was accomplished. The duties of the
nmpires are manifold I'm exercises of this
kind. AS defined in the preliminary in
structions for umpires issued by the War
Department they represent the ''impres-
sions and consequences Of actual war"
THE UMPIREs
The force of umpires numbers 81 officers
| ranking from Colonel to Captain. No of
ficer lower than the rank of Captain has
been chosen, and it was the desire to Sc
cure field officers Officers ranking as
duty. but the limited number of those
available made it necessary to go to the
| list Of Captain. The reason given for Sc
| Letting officers of the higher grades for
| service as umpires was that the work re-
| qulres men Of wide experience and long
| acquaintance with military methods. The
officers are selected from among the best
Il
army and the fact of their selection is a
testimonial of the high estimate placed
upon their abilities by their snperiors. The
force was divided into two sections. One
section was with the Blue army and one
with the Brown. The Chief Umpire was
with neither army and was the supreme
authority of the maneuver field. With each
army the senior officer was senior umpire
and was supreme in his army, the other
officers were subordinate to these three
The Chief Umpire, as has been previously
stated was Col. Arthur l.. Wagner, Of the
General Staff, who was Chief Umpire nj
West Point and Fort Riley last year, and
command at the General Service and STAFF
College at Fort Leayenworth, Kans Col
Jacob A. Augur 10th Cav, was the Sc
Nor Umpire with Gen. Grants army and
Col. Edgar r. Steeyer, 4th Cav, was thu
Senior Umpire with the Brown. All the Of
ficers detailed for this duty wore the uni
form of the divisions to which they are
attached and are distinguished from tn,
other troops by a white cap or helmet
The Chief Umpire is permitted to weal
| either the blue or brown uniform and /.
accompanied by a mounted orderly car
rying his flag, white ensign with larg,
red \ in the center.
OBJECTS TO BE ATTAINED.
All of the officers concerned In the or
ganiZation of the maneuver corps desire /
to be fully understood that In the condi
tions that are to be brought about ther,
is 10 De no attempt to work over any his
torical tactical problems, such as the bat
ties OF the civil war that have been Tough
out on the fields surrounding the maneu
| yer zone. They declare that Il cannot b,
too often explained and reiterated tina
army field exercises Of this character ar,
but elements In the education Of the sol