Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-10-07
Third MANASSAS.
Business Side of q Great
Sham Battle.
HOW MILITIA IS TRAINED FOR WAR.

Troops-Interestins Details Of Sol.
dier Life In the Field.
(By Lieut.. ], R. Lindsay.
In all battles the interest centres
around the fighting line and the deeds
performed there by officers and men;
but although there was a. fighting line
at the Third Battle Of Manassas" and
much marching and counter marching,
great deal of hard work done and
lots Of powder burned on the fighting
line, yet since no one was hurt and the
manoeuvers were inaugurated by the
United States government for the pur-
pose of training its soldiers for opera
tions in the field, I have thought your
readers might be interested in hearing
some details Of the man9uvers other
than those connected directly with the
fighting at the front
When it is realized that the United
States government concentrated an
army of say, $4,000 men at or near
Manassas, Va; that that army fought
two battles lasting two days each: that
it was paid off, loaded on the cars and
started for home, and all this within
space of eight days, it will readily ap-.
pear that the problems of transporta-
ton, camp position and equipment,
feeding the troops, ETC., were serious.
1 say eight days because the First
South Carolina regiment, to which /
belonged, reached Manassas late on
the afternoon Of Sept. 4, Sunday and
broke camp for taking train, Sept. H.,
(Sunday) and was the last to take
train.
OF course, no one officer would have
dealings with every department Of the
army, although I believe I came near
er to it than any officer Of our regi-
ment, from the fact that was ordered
to see that pay rolls were made out
and left in charge Of the camp when
the regiment went out to battle on
Tuesday morning at 4 o'clock and re-
mained in charge until Friday even
ing, and during this time had to do
business with numbers Of officials.
OF necessity my narrative must be
more or less personal and when any
criticism Is made 1t Is In the spirit Of
kindness.
BY far the larger part of the troops
taking part in the man9uvers were
militia and 1 could not help comparing
the difference between the treatment
accorded militia now and when 1 was
first a member. In 1876 a military
company was formed in Yorkville for
home protection. I was a charter
member. Because l had recently grad
uated at a military school, was made
a sergeant. The company was named
the Jenkins Rifles after General Micah
Jenkins, and we were armed with guns
taken from the negro company. The
guns were taken from the negroes be-
fore the rifle company was organized
These guns were the only thing fur
nished the rifle company. Uniforms
and everything else were furnished by
the members Of the company, assisted
by public spirited citizens, not men,
bers of the company. No pay was re-
ceived by officers or men. For years
I served as captain of the rifle compa-
ny with no authority over the men ex-
cept what the members of the compa-
ny voluntarily allowed. In my case.
however, this was enough and l never
had any trouble along this line.
What a difference now! The men
are enlisted for two years, furnished
with the latest arms and equipments,
paid for all time spent in encampment
where there is a school of instructions
for officers. In other words the United
States government is behind the mill
tia and the plan Is to have an organ
lied and trained body Of militia In each
community in the United States so that
in case of war, the ranks could be filled
up and large army and put In the field
on short notice, officered by men who
could handle them in action, but more
particularly who could take care OF
them in camp and on the march.
While the armaments and equip
ment of the militia and it's instruc-
ton in annual encampments and man.
nuvers costs a large sum Of money
yet it is beyond question much cheap
er to provide in this way for putting
large army into service than 1t would
be to keep up large standing army.
Some years ago the Jenkins Rifles
was disbanded. Afterward it was re-
organized as the Jasper Light lnfan-
try, now company L, First South Caro-
lima Regiment, and for a number Of
wears l have had no connection with
the military until recently commission
ed as lieutenant and battalion quarter
master of the First South Carolina
Regiment. l was most agreeably sur
prised at the different position occu-
pied by the militia of today and Of
years past.
The camp equipment and quarter
master supplies, belonging to South
Carolina are kept at Columbia, by the
adjutant general and not issued 10 the
troops direct to be kept at company
headquarters. On this occasion camp
equipment and quartermaster supplies
consisted of the following articles:
Tents and tent poles, blankets, shelter
tents. tin cups, knives, forks, spoons,
meat cans, cooking ranges, haversacks,
canteens, ponchos, shovels, picks, axes
and after arrival at camp the govern
ment sent the quartermaster small
number of wire cutters, say four to
each company for the purpose Of cut
ting wire fences while the troops were
in action.
Here l make my first criticism. 1t
Is on the manner in which the sup
plies were turned over to the quarter