Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-28
ON SOIL OF VIRGINIA
National Guardsmen Are Busy
at Fort Hunt.
HANDLING THE BIG GUNS
Men in Uniform Develop Ravenous
Appetites.
STUDYING THE EMPLACEMENTS
Signal Corps, Battery Of Field Artil-
lery and Ambulance Corps All
Very Active.
STUDYING THE EMPLACEMENTS

the at1Onal guardSmen Of the District
of Columbia at Fort Hunt was strictly
according to Uncle Sans military re-
quirements; and as the men were for
mally mustered into the government serv-
| ice they are beginning to consider them
selves real soldiers. Preliminary instruc-
| tions for offers and men were also start
ed yesterday and will continue today.
These instructions will lead up to the
| maneuvers or whatever Is in store for the
boys. The camp seems to spring into
the swing of military life. After the first
| hard days and the rain the guardsmen
kept little quiet. but by last evening
there was evidence enough of the happy
spirit that always characterizes camp
of this kind.
The day starts early, of course.
| bugler in the vicinity Of headquarters
blows the first call at o'clock. and M
| teen minutes later reveille gun is fred.
Setting up exercises occupy a few min
utes, and by the time mess call is heard
there are ravenous appetites all through
| the tented city.
Inspect the Batteries.
The guardsmen at this post have been
divided into reserves and supports this
division affecting all but the Signal Corps.
field battery and Ambulance Corps. The
reserves. composed of the I'd Battalion.
I'd Regiment, were conducted over the
| batteries today. The emplacements. guns
and equipment were explained to the nehd
and staff officers and non -comm1ssloneo
officers by Maj Davis. Lieut.. Brown OF
the Coast Artillery Corps conducted the
company officers. and the prtvates and
non commissioned officers followed the
privates and commissioned regulars
of the 47th Company of the Coast Ar
tillery Corps.
There are eight-inch, six-inch and
three inch guns at Fort Hunt. the larger
being of the disappearing type
From the parapets several prominent
spots on the landscape were pointed out
as being useful in marking and hnding
ranges. From Battery Mt. Vernon to the
pier at Marshall Hall is $500 yards, and
the men were instructed In general
way what would happen II an enemy
ship should reach that point.
Reach Of the Guns.
It was also explained that no ship would
be able to get that far. as the river would
be mined. and in addition the eight-inch
guns are. destructive at 5000 yards, SO
that long before ships fire would begin
to be felt at the forts the forts guns
would have 1t breathing its last. The
smaller guns are intended to be used on
torpedo boats, fighting tops OF masts and
|
the regular officers that Fort Hunt is
more Of an outpost for Fort Washington
than anything else. and would not be able
to successfully fight an enemy's feet
without the aid Of the guns across the
river.
The supports, composed Of the list Bat
TALON, were being shown around the res
ervation at the same time that the re-
serves were examining the guns. The
military features Of the post were ex-
Mo IN hv oYin III.
GERS and enlisted men acting as the in
structors. The limits Of the reservation
were pointed out, the method of guarding
explained and a preliminary instruction in
Fort Hunt will consist Of sending out
small squads Of men to collect all posi-
BILE information as to the character of the
country around the fort, the bridges. their
number and location. Scouts will recon-
hotter to see whether camp fires show ac-
tual troops or whether they have been
built with a view to fooling the occupants
of the fort.
Field Battery Has Drill.
The field battery went through a short
drill at o'clock and received instructions
from Lieut.. Locke. The battery did not
do much work yesterday. as the men were
well tired after the hard work Of Sunday.
the long march and the tent raising hav-
The Signal Corps got to work early
yesterday and was conversing with Fort
Washington by wigwag signals most of
the forenoon. Lieut.. Putnam. In COM
have the wireless telegraph apparatus
working within day or two. He will
talk to the various boats on the river
which are equipped with the wireless APP
paratus. and also to Fort washington;
from it's position near the reserves to the
highest point overlooking the river. this
| being a more advantageous situation for
the work.
The Ambulance Corps has not done
much work yet. The principal duty so far
| is policing their camp and getting ready
for drills. The ambulance men had one
| wounded soldier to carry around yester-
day morning. A horse kicked Prlvate
Davis Of the light battery on the foot.
Nothing more serious than painful
bruise resulted.
Lecture to the officers.
A lecture to the officers of the reserves
was held at II o'clock. and one to the
officers of the supports took place at the
same hour. The reserves listened to an
explanation of coast artillery duty. while
the supports were instructed in patrol
duty.
Yesterday afternoon was left open and
nothing but the muster In took place. ms
was the formal ceremony of entering the
regular service. Maj. Davis. in COM
mand of the post, personally called every
mans name and saw to it that he was
actually present. and II not. an explana-
ton was given by the company ofifcers
The companies of the list Separate Bat
| talon drew up in front Of headquarters
promptly at 2 o'clock, the hour set for
mastering. AS each mans name was
called he answered Here" and ordered
arms. After the ceremony the battalion
moved back to camp at double time as a
lively shower had begun to fall. Mean
time the LIST and I'd Battalions were
standing on the parade ground. but Maj.
Davis sent them back to camp until after
the rain.
The battery was mustered In at its
camp. and the same took place in the sig
nal and ambulance corps camp.
The field and staff officers at Fort
Hunt went over to Fort Washington to
be mustered in.
Work With Good Spirit.
The men went at the guns this morning
with good spirit and were evidently In
terested. An artillery officer accom-
panied each company of reserves to the