Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-04
FIRING REAL POWDER
National Guardsmen at Fort
Hunt Go After Enemy.
GUNS ROAR TREMENDOUSLY
Exercises Afford Picture of Real
Cannonading.
PREPARATIONS FOR BIG NOISE
Detachment of the LIST Separate Bat
talon Has Boat Drill on
the River.
Special From a Staff Correspondent by The Stars
Dspatch Boat Fairbanks.

Special From a Staff Correspondent by The Stars
Dispatch Boat Fairbanks
FORT HUNT. Va. August 4.-With
tremendous roar the first actual charge
of gunpowder was fired this morning
from the guns of Battery Mount Vernon.
At the same moment that No. gun.
manned by Company F. I'd Battalian. I'd
Regiment. belched forth with terrific con-
cussion a great cloud of smoke and flame
an eight-inch gun in one of the batteries
at Fort Washington came into action. and
from among the trees little cloud grew
into a large one and a moment later
the roar of its firing was heard. 1t was a
picture of actual cannonading with the
great guns and the men seemed to jump
to the work with a new energy.
Since the news of the intention to use
powder was spread through the camp
last night the eight-inch guns took on a
new aspect. Lying couched on their car
riages they were like great gray live
monsters. conscious of the terrible power
within their mouths. And this morning,
when the battery commands were heard.
In battery trip. gun No .. ready. fire..
the mechanism worked so smoothly as TO
carry out the impression that the guns
are actually endowed with brains.
In warfare. with heavy charges of
smokeless powder the guns would peep
above the parapets. be fired and settle
back like an old man, com Portable and
calm on their disappea airing carriages. In
this play war the twenty five pound
charges of black powder make a cloud
of smoke that sweeps through the camp,
and which is not of sufficient power to
send the gun backward. So the recoil
feature will not appear during these
maneuvers The guns are brought back
by ropes. the men hauling.
Preparations for Big Noise.
Preparations for the big noise were
begun last night. when the regulars got
out the primers and inspected the maya
zines. A few primers were fired last
night at battery drill to give the men
little advance knowledge on the subject of
real charges. The primers make consider
able noise. about as much as A large can
non cracker. but bear as much relation to
the twenty pound charge of black
powder as humming birds dainty
sound bears to the rustic of locomotive.
From now on the work a the forts will
lead up to the much expected maneuHers.
a great deal of talking has been done
about attacks by boats. horrible Slaugh-
tiers, sham battles and other war horrors.
but the regular officers in charge are
thinking more of the drills in field work
and at the guns than Of the spectacular
features of the two weeks encampment.
and the list Separate Battalion continued
their work in the field this morning. Their
officers instructed the men In the forma-
ton of Outposts which was relief after
the hard work in digging trenches yes
terday. The outpoSts were formed or
sections of companies reporting to COM
mon base The theory of the outpOsts
was to spread out in fanlike formation.
making d half circle I'm front of the main
body of the army. to collect information.
no SUPPOSED
unless assured of success. They occupied
a large section of country. and as far as
possible each outpost held point of more
or less strategic value. such as cross
road or a bridge across stream A de-
tachment of the 1st Separate Battalion
had drill with small boats.
Signal Corps Very Busy.
The Signal Corps worked with the field
telegraph, Photograph and wigwag signals
this morning Its field telephones and
teIegraphs were strung along the ground.
and they used invisible wire. With the
heliograph instruments the Signal Corps
has been practicing the Meyer code and
this morning flashed signals several miles.
The drills last night with the search
lights and the Signal Corps work with
smoke bombs and signal rockets gave the
two banks of the river appearance as
If a celebration Of some kind was in
progress. Three tremendous shafts Of
lights hunted the ark streak of the river
trying to locate the Gushing, which steam
ed down stream to be used a target.
Finally. two or more miles down, lucky
shaft of light brought the little steamer
into view with jump. and then all three
lights were brought to bear on the
enemy.
Although the heat today was tremen-
dous the men lost none of their enthusi-
asm in the work. Yesterday was scorch-
ing day also but the afternoon. which
was given over to play, brought out
the base ball enthusiasts. The regulars
Of the 47th Company. Coast Artillery Corps
played the ID Battalion. I'd Regiment. and
won with a score of to q. The batting
order was as follows: Regulars-ROth,
second base; McCracken. catcher; f. Mill
err pitcher: Null. center field: Douglas
right Rowe. third base: Bell. short
stop: S. Miller, first base: Monteith. left
field ID Battalion-Gilman. ss,ortstop;
Duffy and Keliher. catcher; e. Hubbard
pitcher: Woodward. first base; Sohlos-
ser. second base: White. center field:
Marrow and Deggs. left field: Lawson,
right field: Sayer. third base.
An Expedition That Failed.
About the time the temperature reached
95 degrees yesterday the officers of the
I'd Battalion. I'd Regiment. got out IN
their company streets, much to the dis