The Washington herald., 1908-07-30

FroG ssaa Ccr-esToaaeut-
Fort Washington. Nd July 2-Break-
ing through Ii1e dense forest and under-
growth surrounding Fort Washington on
the land side. the Third Battalion. First
Regiment. Of the District National Guard.
got a taste Of the hardships CT patrol
duty under conditions OF actual warfare
this morning. So strenuous was The work
that a number Of the soldiers lost their
way in The dense underbrush. and IL was
some time before they came back 10 bat
talon headquarters
This was the hardest work the men
have yet been put Up against and they
came II tired Two other patrols started
out al the same time and these. 100. had
difficulty.
The first real problem IN the war games
10 come was worked out to-day. and the
: defending forces were successful
Another feature OF the day was placing
| in operation the wireless telegraph be-
tween the two forts and Washington.
Lieut. Putnam, in command OF the Sig
nal Corps. has worked ceaselessly with
his men 70 get the wireless IN operation.
and the first message sent 10 Fort Wash
ington was received by The Washington
Herald correspondent The system is al
ready working in excellent shape. The
! first message after the call was answered
TO the effect that everything was in work
| ing order
Can Talk with Capital.
The antennae al Fort washington are
strung between the hagpole and stake
on the wall Of the old fort, and the re-
[ ceiving station IS on the inside At Fort
Hunt a station was erected from the
ground Both stations can communicate
with Washington and with passing YES
! sells that have equipment The Washing
Z ton station is at the navy yard
This has been an ideal day in camp.
/ Basking in the hot July sun. with gen.
4 tie but cooling breeze blowing. the two
armed camps appeared 10 be the haven
I Of perpetual peace. and 1t was hard TO
associate the scene with one even Of con-
I structive bloodshed-
Again the militiamsn were at the guns.
but only as Observers The regular coast
/ artillerymen had gun drill, under the di-
rection of their battery commanders. and
| each period OF loading. tripping. and aim
| ing was gone through slowly. so that the
u
Of how It was done. To-day they will
I be permitted to handle the guns They
are looking forward 70 this with great
| glee. They VIII have regular gun drill
with the regulars looking on. ready 70
assist them. and viii in their enthusiasm
annihilate everything in the river except
the water.
Play Hide and Seek.
At S O'Clock this morning Companies z
and F. under the instruction Of Lieut..
Pike. and Companies I and X. under in
struction Of Lieut. Duke continued their
instruction in outpost and patrol duty.
/ They started from opposite sides OF the
reservation on the water front. and each
secuted for the opposing" force. Lieut..
Duke declares that lieut. Pike. with his
two companies. got lost but Lieut.. Pike
denies the allegation. and says that they
skirted the fort. some OF his men. how
ever. did get lost, and had time finding
their way in This was also the case
with some Of the others
At the same time Companies and x.
as a defending force. started out 10 do
patrol duty at the northeast end Of the
/ reservation. with Lieut.. Miller in com
mand. and Lieut. Nlaghee as instructor.
and Companies L and " made a detour
| through the country as an attacking
! force. The patrols went through the IN
! derbrush. deDloying in several lines. The
defending force moved along the north
line Of the reservation. covering a wide
strip Of country. They advanced about
100 yards past the pumping station. when
I they came upon the enemy.
Lieuts Miller and Maghee were with
few noncommissioned officers far out
Nc, Cyprcs. shingles. s. Per 1.oOo-