The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-08-25

Be caught problems on War, not merely
to iefpate IN sd ctaculpE battles
With blank artridges.A 81 this resp get
H 81 adeparture from the methods
hitherto Undertaken at military en-
eampments fn the United staes and
III foreign countries as wen. II is q
step far in advance Of any that has
syers aIeen. taken heratot6ts by the
armies Of the world. = ! :. . q
4 The selection of a camp Site for the
Department of Tie East was the all
important question that confronted the
war Depaf tment when z Congress- au-
Ethorized this instructions camp, With
routi much hesitation It was decided to
try Mt Gretna aslan experiment, with
Ea.view to selecting permanent camp,
Psu4sylYanta has for several years
fheAd its annual encarp1me4t her.
7 mt. Gretna is hair a nights ride
from New York tGitS, headqurters of
the Department eof theeEast tItits 10.
Gated On the Cornwall and Lebanon
railroad which travelsl through the
decentralization valley Of Pennsyl-
yanfa. One steps from the train and
gets the first glimpse of the camp
through. the dense foliage of great
white oaks land chestnut trees
An Ideal Battle Ground.
AS far as the eye can see the beau
f,tifu1 green hills one lrisIng above the
other like great terraces, are dotted
with tents of khaki brown or canvas
white: II Ragimental flags here and
there matke the headquarters Of regu-
lars andSNational guards alike. Far,
over these camp grounds of the infan-
try, are the long lines of horses on a
slope below theA cavalry and artillery
QUARTERS Just above these on the
summit Of another great terrace-like
Ehillfthe signal corps and engineers are
encamped, and from the top OF a
giant oak tree comes the chatterof the
wireless telegraph. used here; for the
first time in the signal service.
Away above all is the highest point
of the camp General Frederick Dent
Grant and his stan are quartered.
From his threshold he can sweep the
entire camp with field glasses.
General Grant at camp headquarters
gave comprehensive statement as
to the plans, scope and purpose Of the
caRpi n ,ttf
This lis d camp of instruction" he
said .and is the first we have ever
had that brought troops Of the regu-
lar army ana the State troops together
to learn real warfare. 81
There have been, and are now man
.oeuyfe camps in the country,Put they
are not camps of instruction in the
sense I mean. fWeI take up the ad-
Ra1cedl drills here's going just beyond
what troops in garrison are supposed
to learn, and then we make . pro
gressive drill lasting one week, each
phase leading to another phase form
ing what may be termed campaign,
and ending on Friday in problem,
which must be met and fought out by
the opposing forces which we call the
blues and the Crowns
These forces are distinguished by
having some Of the soldiers wear their
blue shirts and the others their brown
biouses. The settlement of the prob
lem at the end of the week, whether
1t be a sham battle five or six miles
from camp, or whether itEbe mit-
night lat4c& upon the camp itself, Is
what INDY Be termed a napoeuvrh.
The IrogFsssise arm during the week
leading UP to the problem Of manoeu
vre. covers field service regulations,
involves all phases of field instruction
and II inithe end what might be,terH-
led "a campaign.
General Grant Praises MT. Gretna.
(; fHIn fmahy respects ;contthted Gen
eraI Grant, ''AItl Gretnafis an ideal
spot for an encampmentt on such vast
plane as, this has been pitched. One
nesds but to look at the rolling hills
shaded as they are here and there
by great, oaks and chestnuts to see
that from q Typographical standpoint
we have here, a perfect place. The
wafer runs on by as pertscIia system
of natural drainage as anybody could
desire, That is, in my opinion, a
great advantage. I'd.
"For, all lines of instruction we are
admirably located here; at Mt. Gretna.
The ground Il fashioned by nature for
a camping place III regard q the
pitching Of tents and fitting UP the set
Element generally. It is much better
to be In q rolling country like this,
than to be on understanding plain.
or to be In d wild, mountainous coun-
try n
When General Grant was. directed
to bring out troops from the yari6us
sarrisons and fort I'M his d apartment,
and gather diem az Mt efetla les
naaTched the infantry the ftst 200
laa