The Washington times., 1906-01-14
OFFICIAL INQUIRY
OF ARTILLERY MARCH
Tramp of 1,10O Miles Hard
on Men and Horses.
GEN. CHAFFEE'S STATEMENT
Reports State That Troops Suffered
on Record Breaking
Trip.

Trip.
While officials in the War Department
IN Washington are gratihed over the
fact that the Sixth Field Battery of
Artillery has marched from Fort Riley.
Kan, TO Fort Houston. Tex, dis
tance of 100 miles. in only fifty-fve
days breaking sll records as to dis
lance and time. they are also greatly
perturhed over reports that persist 10
come from Texas describing the hard
ships the men and animals have suf-
fered
one man died en- route as a result of
exposure and lack of food. several men
are i'll. all are thin. haggard and poorly
fed, while the horses are scarcely more
than skin and bones according to news
paper dispatches.
Investigation Ordered.
While officers of the general staff de-
clared yesterday that there was little
truth of d sensational nature in the
dispatches, denying that there could
have been such Ill treatment of both
men and beasts. il is known that in
quiries were Immediately dispatched TO
Maj. Gen. Jesse NJ. Lee. commander Of
the Department OF the Gulf, instruct
ing that a prompt and thorough in
VestigaUicn OF the reports be made.
Such reports are absolutely Tidicu-
lous," declared Lieutenant General
Chafree. chief of stan. 10 a Times re-
porter. While we have had no official
reports yet. as to the progress or sue
cess Of the march, We have seen num-
erOus press dispatches from points
along the line of march, describing the
fine condition of both men and horses.
'All alorg the way. the entire trip was
marked by practically a continuous ova-
tion, and at every city and town they
were enthusiastically received and wei
coined. At many places brilliant recep-
tiOns were given the officers"
Asked as 10 the original object of
the long march, which is said to he the
longest ever made by artillery, the gem
eral replied:
General Chaffee's Statement.
''That is the only way to send troops
from one fort or post TO another-it is
the proper way. They should always
be sent that way when possible. The
men are hired To be roughened for
the country not only hdrdens them but
makes them better soldiers--better
prepared TO meet an opposing army
1t also saves the cost of railroad
transportation. The men receive their
wages just the same. so they might as
well put In their time marching a few
miles each day. with the object of
reaching the post TO which they are
being sent, as 10 spend the time in
drilling at a post.
No doubt 1t was a rough trip; we
expected that. Possibly it was hard
on the horses; We also expected that
But the men were properly clothed be
fore starting out. and during the trip
they received their regular supply OF
rations,
They were not ordered to cover a
certain number of miles "a day nor to
reach their destination by a certain
day They had all the time they want
ed. and If rough weather was encOunt-
cred. they were expected 10 follow a
program based on weather conditions"
No Official Report Received.
The statement that no official dis
patches have been received, however.
indicates that the officials here do not
know that such conditions as describ-
ed by General Chaffee are really true
lie outlined what they could or should
have been. and. I'm the face Of numer-
GUS reports Of such a sensational ma
ture, thorough investigation of the
cause, II any, giving rise TO the re-
ports, has been ordered
II there were hardships fraught with
exposure and unusual hunger, il was
the fault of the officers OF the battery,
and the War Department has called
them n grfV AaT 4
the trip
Longest Practice March on Record.
This was by far the longest practice
march ever made by artillery in time
of peace, and no forced march in time
of war, except Napoleons retreat from
Moscow with infantry, compares with it
in distance.
Newspaper dispatches from Fort Sam
Dallas, Houston. San Antonio
and other points in Texas agree that the
men were sorry lot when they arrived
at their new quarters. They state that
their clothing was in tatters and so COW F
cred with mud that the color could not
be distinguished. The men We're haggard
and lean and the horses resembled skeI- !
etons. The battery encountered rains and
Hoods, and blizzard swept down upon
them last Monday. The dispatches also
7tate that one man. Arthur Mail, died
during the march from fever contracted
- result of exposure and hardship.
The Texas dispatches differ further
from the statements of the officials here.
IA that they state that the march was
made to test the endurance of the troops
and TO ascertain the nOUrighing proper
ties OF certain condensed foods supplied
as ratiOns.
A San Antonio dispatch states that the
battery marched ninety miles during a
and that the men We're com
PEELED to walk the entire distance to
light off the cold
PASTOR ASKS ADMISSION
Tn RCMTDAI ADnD IINInM