New-York tribune., 1908-06-15
MILITIA REACHES CAMP.
Unusual Spectacle Presented at
Pine Plains, n. Y.

Pine Plains N Y June 4-With the arrival OF
the three thousand United States troops by foot
and rail yesterday and the arrival of the national
guard organzati1ns to-day. Pine Plains, the scene
of the army and militia mannuvres for the Depart
rnent of the East under General Frederick Dent
Grant. commanding, presented spectacle rarely
witnessed in times Of peace. The site of the camp
is broad, sandy plateau stretching along the
shores of Black River, the village of Felt's
Mills and halfway between watertown and Car
thage In the centre Of the plateau is high knoll
the Hogs Back, on which is the headquarters OF
General Grant, and from which fine view of the
entire camp be secured.
The camp is 900 yards long and $50 yards wide
and is laid out in the shape of wedge. Within
this wedge have been laid out thirteen separate
camps, for each organization. These sub
divided into camps for each branch Of the service,
six regiments Of infantry, two regiments of cavalry
three batteries of field artillery and two companies
of engineers The quarterna ster's camp Is the
railroad and four switches have been laid for the
IF the department. The bakeshop of the stu
dent bakers is adjacent to the engineers camp. and
all organizations OF regulars have their post ex-
change, where necessities may be purchased.
The tents occupied by the enlisted are
conicaI wall tents accommodate six each
and equipped with the Helen Gould cots. The
officers occupy shaped tents
1t is estimated that there will be at least six
thousand troops at the camp at all times and
about thirty thousand during the encampment.
The regulars will remain throughout the encamp-
ment, and the militia Will take part in three relays
of ten days each.
During the encampnent the troops will be kept
busy with day and night maneuvres. solving va
rious problems of defence and attack. outpost
duty and other activities. such would engage
troops in the field at war. On the hikes" and
drills the militamen and regulars will be mixed.
each company consisting of members Of both or
ganzations. Night nanonuvres and bivouac are
scheduled for the nights of June Is, Il and 30
and July I. and 8. On these days the troops
will leave camp and hike" TO their respective
terrain where they pitch their dog tents and
await orders A feature of the encampment will
be the test Of the utility of the automobile in
times Of war. two being at the camp for that
purpose The exact nature of the automobile
tests is not vet known. but II will decide whether
q first class automobile is useful other
means of military transportation.
All was hustle at the camp to-day, preparatory
m the real work which is to begin o-norrow morn
ing. From early hour until o'clock tonight
trains arrived at the camp at frequent intervals
witnnnilitia, chiefly from New England. The trips
were made without incident.
The 2Sd Regiment and Squadron c left Brooklyn
Yesterday spend ten days at Pine Plains. The
regiment with seven hundred of it's eight hundred
men. left It's arnory at Bedford and Atlantic
nues at O'Clock, marched to the Atlantic avenue
subway station and took for Manhattan,
where the men boarded special trains.
The squadron left its armory, at Bedford avenue
and Eastern Parkway, at 13o o'clock. About
hundred and eighty of the two hundred in
the organization answered rolcall. The squadron
marched over the Williamsburg Bridge and to the
Grand Central Station, where the men and their
horses took special trains for camp.