Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-29
ATHLETIC MEET
AT FORT MYER
THIRD BATTERY BORE OFF THE
HoNoRs OF THE OCCASION.

One of the most successful post field
meets in the history of Fort Myer was held
at that post yesterday the troopers OF the
18th Cavalry and the artillerymen Of the
Sd and 4th Field Batteries being the con-
testants. The results were more evenly
divided as to the two branches of the serv-
ice than at any previous field meet, the
cavalry getting four firsts and the artil-
lery four flrsts out of the eight regular
events on the program. There was an adj
ded event to the program, base ball
game between the teams of the Sd Battery
and Troop Fl of the cavalry. but rain pre-
vented the finishing OF the game when the
score stood to 9 in favor of the cavalry
men. 1t was a see-saw game from start
to finish and the score when the game
was stopped does not Indicate anything as
to what the result might have been.
The Sd Battery of Field Artillery bore off
the honors among separate organizations.
1t won all of the four firsts that are credit
ed to the artillery and In addition took one
second and one third. The 4th Battery won
three seconds and one third: Troop II and
Troop each had two firsts and one second
to their credit; Troop G won two seconds.
one third and one fourth and Troop f had
two seconds and two thirds.
The sports at the meet yesterday came
nearer being pure military athletics than
anything that has been held al Fort Myer
since the field meetings were inaugurated
in the army. There was but one event on
the program that did not show any parti-
cuIar result OF military training. The other
seven. however. were all In branches OF
athletics in which II is particularly de-
sired that the soldier shall excel and in
four of the events army training alone
could furnish requisite contestants. 1t is
claimed. The two most interesting features
of the program were the horsemanshlp
contest between members of the cavalry
nd ha net n
sections Of artillery representing the two
field batteries. OF the two contests the
latter was by far the most exciting and
spectacular. although the former was
better exhibition Of pure horsemanship
Section Competition.
The section competition was Of the kind
that made the spectators hold their breath
In wonder and brought out better than any,
thing else could show to what a high de-
gree of efficiency the army system trains
its artillerymen. section OF battery Of
field artillery consists OF a gun and Gals
son. and is commanded by sergeant. Two
sections included in a platoon. and two
or more platoons make a battery. In the
competition between sections of different
batteries 1t is usual to enter one section
from each battery and to 1t with
the best men to be found In the battery
The usual complement of a section con-
sists of the gun carriage and caisson, each
drawn by six horses; a horse for the SER
geant commanding and thirteen men, six
drivers, five cannoneers. one corporal
gunner; one sergeant, chief of section. The
rules of the competition provide that the
competing sections shall be In park behind.
the starting line. the'horses unhitched and
the harness pla eed in position provided by
the drill regulations on the pole of each
carriage.
When the starter fires his pistol the
drivers and cannoneers must hitch the
horses mount, drive at full speed 100 yards,
go into action to the front. fire one shot.
remove a wheel from the gun and replace
II with the spare wheel on the caisson, go
into action to the rear. fire one shot and re-
turn to the starting point and face to the
front. 1t would seem that such contest
would require considerable time, but the
spectators at the exhibition yesterday hard
ly had time to gasp at the quickness with
which the hitching was done, when the
shots were fred and the sections were back
to the starting point. The section of the
Sd Battery won yesterdays contest, and the