Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-08-28
REGULARS AND GUARDSMEN ARE
IN CAMP AT MT. GRETNA.
PENNSYLVANIA
First Military Instruction Camp Estab-
lished-ldeal Site Where Problems
Are Worked Out on Huge Scale
General Grant in Command.

either here or abroad. But Camp
Roosevelt is more than maueuvcS
camp. 1t is camp Of instruction as
well. 1t Is gathering of Federal
troops and National guardsmen from
various states on an equal footing to
be taught problems Of war, not merely
to participate in spectacular battles
with blank cartridges. In this respect
It is departure from the methods
hitherto undertaken at military en-
campments in the United States and
In foreign countries as we'll. 1t is a
step far in advance Of any that has ever
been taken heretofore by the armies
Of the world.
The selection of camp site for the
department Of the east was the, all i'm
portant question that confronted the
war department when congress author.
lied this instruction camp. Without
much hesitation it was decided to try
Mt Gretna as an experiment with a
view to selecting permanent camp.
Pennsylvania has for several years
held It's annual encampments here.
Mt. Gretna is half a nights ride from
New York City, headquarters Of the
department Of the east. 1t is located
on the Cornwall and Lebanon railroad
which travels through the beautiful
Lebanon Valley of Pennsylvania. One
steps from the train and gets the first
glimpse Of the camp through the dense
foliage of great white oaks and chest
nut trees.
An Ideal Battle Ground.
AS far as the eye can see the beau
h ,.srf rcr oh hn
other like great terraces, are dotted
with tents of khaki brown, or canvas
white. Regimental flags here and there
mark the headquarters of regulars and
national guards alike. Far over these
camp grounds of the infantry, are the
long lines Of horses on slope below
the cavalry and artillery quarters. Just
above these on the summit of another
great terrace-like hill the signal corps
and engineers are encamped, and from
the top of giant oak tree comes the
chatter Of the wireless telegraph, used
here for the first time in the signal SER
vice.
Away above all Is the highest point
Of the camp where General Frederick
Dent Grant and his staff are CHARTERED.
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 purposes Of the
camp.
This is a camp of Instruction. he
said "and is the first we have ever had
that brought troops Of the regular
army and the state troops together to
learn real warfare.
Advanced Drills.
There have been, and are now
maneuver camps in the country. but
they are not camps of instruction in
the sense mean We take up the ad.
vanced drills here, going Just beyond
what troops in garrison are supposed
to- learn, and then we make progress
sive drill lasting one week, each phase
leading to another phase, forming 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
browns"
These forces are distinguished by
having some of the soldiers wear theil
blue shirts and the others their BROW
blouses. The settlement of the prob
lem at the end of the week, whether i
be sham battle five or six miles from
camp, or whether 1t be midnight at
tack upon the camp itself, is wha. ma,
betermed a maneuver. The progress
sive drill during the week leading III
to the problem of maneuver, covers
field service regulations, involves al
phases OF field instruction, and is in tn
end what might be termed a campaign
General Grant Praises Mt. Gretna.
I'm many respects" continued Gen
eral Grant, "Mt. Gretna is an idea
spot for an encampment on such vas
plane as this has been pitched On,
needs but to look at the rolling hill
shaded as they are here and there b,
great cakes and chestnuts to see tina
from Typographical standpoint w,
have here perfect place. The waite
runs off by as perfect a system o
natural drainage as anybody could de
sire. That is, in my opinion, <grea
advantage
For all lines of instruction we ar
admirably located here at Mt Gretna
The ground is fashioned by nature TO
a camping place in regard to the pitch
Ing OF tents and fitting up the settle
ment generally. 1t is much better t
be in rolling country like this, tina
to be on understanding plain, Of t
be in wild, mountainous country"
When General Grant was directe
to bring out troops froia the vario'l
garrisons and forts in his department
and gather them at Mt Gretna, h
marched the infantry the first 20
miles of its journey and then the res
of the way by train. The cavalry an
artillery marched 800 miles of the jou
ney before boarding trains for tn
Pennsylvania camp.
Soldiers Are Soft.
Here was something new in the wa
of going from garrison to garrison, an
1t served to reveal the fact that tt
United States soldiers are soft
many Of them falling out Of line {
the long marches, Many horses als