The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-07-29
COLONEL URELL
VISITS FORT HUNT
Reserves Man Guns at Fort
WaShington-SkirmiSh
Behind Post.

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! trgct of the Potomac, and Colonel Urell. /
commanding the Second Regiment, Dis
trict National Guard. with the Second
Regiment stan. paid an official visit TO
this post from Fort Washington this
morning They called upon Major Henry
c. Davis. the commanding officer. and
made an inspection Of the post and the
camps They fond everything in ex-
eeIlent order. and Colonel Coffin said
that he was glad 10 see that the militia
men were doing as we'll as they were
at Fort Washington
Again today the regfmental STATS
were in the fire control stations, playing
havoc with the passing river craft To-
/ day they had with them the non-com-
missioned officers of the guard, and they
ran the stations on both sides OF the
river by themselves.
In the fire control station Major
I Davis. with Captain Ballentine. in
structed the militiamen. The militia Of
fCers did not have the assistance of
( the non-commlssioned officers Of the
regular coast artillery as was the case
! yesterday. They worked the station
without the slightest hitch. and with
little practice viii be profeient
At Fort Washington.
At Fort Washington. the reserves Of
the two battalions Of the Second Regi-
ment stationed here manned the guns.
and the battalion stan officers took
| charge OF the fire command station.
| Major Harvey and jOr Stefan, as
sisted by their respective STATS. have
attained a high degree Of proficiency,
! { nd this morning won the commenda-
: ten OF Ma. or Straub, IN command Of
me fire cont -oI station. and Lieutenant
Terrell, the post adjutant, who Is sec
ond officer. They were standing nearby.
with some regular non-cOmmissioned Of
/ fcers, but they were not needed, as
| the miltiamen worked without a hitch.
Tomorrow It is expec- e. that Colonel
/ Crell, assistant &c the ar ~, district
! commander, Will be IN tn 9 com
mand station at Fort W6sba. with
| Colonel Coffin. he viii learn i. 'uties
4 OF the battle commander, a1d - is the
| case in the fire control station. VII. run
it himself with the atd OF his OK Of
| fcers, when they become sufHC-enuy
| we'll trained.
With Captain Mitchell and Lieuten-
| ants Duke and Pix. the outlying sup
/ ports at Fort Washington had a Skin
/ mish on the outside OF the fort this
/ Tr5rning. Lieutenant Duke with one
f QfLdGleTnnl. &hlELeu the LOEL IN one Gl-
rection, and Lieutenant Pike, who is a
/ caValryman, went around in the oppO-
site direction from the liver front They
/ were TO meet just back Of the batteries
! One detachment swung in a wider circle
| than the other and they failed 10 meet
l one another. as was anticipated, and
! they both got some good scouting and
! patrol duty, endea"orlng 20 locate the
i enemy"
! Lieutenant Duke camped MS force
! just back Of me hospital. and used that
I position as a base. Lieutenant Pike
made q wide detour through the woods.
/ and did not get IN until later. Each
| found the others position
! Lieute9ant Pike gave a lecture this
morning on outpost ana reconnaissance
duty. This was the third in the series
20 be delivered by the regular instruc-
! tors.
! Companies I. X. /, and NJ Of the
First Regiment. were also out on patrol
and reconnaissance duty under Lieuten-
ants Gunner and Maghee.
Reserves Act Al Observers.
The various companies acting as re-
serves were at the guns this morning
as observers while tbs coast artillery
went through gun drill with dummy
cartridges. The drill was personally
superintendent in each instance by The
battery commanders. The first period
OF loading. tripping. and aiming, was
gone through with explanations After
that the regular drill vas held. The
militianten were anxious 10 get at the
big guns. but were not permitted. To-
morrow they will be permitted 10 take
entire charge and work them as much
as they desire
Last night printed instructions we're
given 20 the nOn-commissiOncd officers
/ Of all reserve companies TO study. These
| Instructions covered every detail OF the
| operation Of the guns, magazines, and
| everything pertaining 10 the batteries
including the transmission Of orders
| through the field telegraph and tele-
phone, and the other systems classed as
| auXiliaries.
The corps of field music came 70 Fort
Hunt this morning from Fort Wash
1 ingtOn, and throughout the rest of the
! camp will be at this post. ID TO the
| present time there has been but one
sounding of the bugle calls here and in
the outlying camps il was impossible to
hear the calls from the guard house II
was necessary 10 have additional
| trumpeters and musicians, and the corps
/ of field music was bTUered here. This
evening they will finnish guard mount
with all the furbelJws that have marked
1t at Fort Washington. The brigade
| band viii remain It Fort Washington
and will furnish me music for guard
| mount there. in addition TO the concert
on the cOlOneTs lawn.
Tie camp at Fort Hunt is an ideal
vie anu Has every CollN El-lttlCe ana
comfort. The men are not a bit disap-
pointed over their detan to the Virginia
| fort. hut instead are Boosting OF the
! fact that while il may not be 50 i'm
POTtant a post, they have a much bet
ter camping place than the detachment
at Fort Washington.
General Harries with his stan went
On a tour Of inspection Of Fort Wash
! ington this morning. He was accom-
? panied by Colonel Smiley. adiutant
general, and Doth, with their Orderlies,
; were moun-ld. They are tlNe only
mounted officers in either post.