The sun., 1908-06-14
GRANTS ARMY. now IN CAMP
s,000 REGULARS HIT THE CENTRE
EXACTLY ON TIME.

I
h with Every Man and Horse In Good
PINE CAMP, N. Y, June 13--Major Gen.
Frederick Dent Grant stood this morning In
front OF his headquarters on the Hog Back.
overlooking the miles Of sandy waste and
scrub oak and sweet fern which make up
the Pine Plains reservation, watching his
sregulars swing into camp-infantry, yellow
legged cavalry and artillerymen. They hit
tho centre exactly on time. column after
column, fadiating from dozen points Of
tho compass, drawn as straight TO the
odncentration point as il the General, smok
ing his pipe on the humpbacked hill, had
bean pulling them with invisible strings.
Some of them had marched $50 miles some
bad legged it bare twenty. But no matter
how far and how hard they had hiked, it
was their business to rendezvous simul
taneously, and with every man and horse in
gaod shape. bellies ready for grub. feet
ready TO Ambast the toughest army mule
that lifts it's woeful voice against the bull
whip.
10 they made good on the first of the
military problems the General has laid
out on this big war board to play for the
next month, and when he put down his field
glasses after watching the troops start
swiftly to housekeeping he felt that a
pretty big stunt had been pulled off by
the United States Army in these parts.
The problem he had to solve was simple
enough in theory but tough to execute
and liable to 60 all to smash because Of
the all around cussedness Of circumstances.
It was to concentrate an army division
whose units we're widely separated at an
exact time and to get the men and the
mounts there in condition to jump right
in without knocking off the dust and lick
the daylights out Of any old enemy that
might be touring in the neighborhood.
just how well it worked out is indicated
by the fact that squadron OF the Fifteenth
Cavalry from Fort Ethan Allen trotted in at
q few minutes past 10 o'clock this morning
and the last to arrive was a battalion OF
the Twelfth Infantry from Fort Porter at
1887. In less than two hours than 900
men marching through the dust clouds
were on the job and up to their hats in the
work OF pitching tents, transferring stores,
piping the water supply and getting ready
to be clean and healthy and comfortable
-
save sandfies and scrub oaks.
II was the first time in Gen. Grants ex-
perienoe that the problem Of concentration
bad ever been worked out on 50 large a
scale and so neatly. He landed 1000 men
on the ground pat TO the schedule. but the
working out Of the problem showed that he
could have brought 10000 into rendezvous
as expeditiously and in physical condition
Just as good. The only casualty reported
among the troops was a sty on one OF Major
Wren's eyes, but even that could not be
marked against the record. because Major
Wren offered evidence to show that the sty
began business before his command took
Tho road.
The regular army officers who took UP the
task Of converting as dismal q desert as
may he imagined into a living place for
men, have succeeded SO admirably that
to.night when the camp is beginning to
lake form, supplies for horses and men are
stacked high ready for distribution. Roads
have been clawed out Of the shifting weed.
ines have been run for miles from the
springs that nature. in optimistic mood get
iowu among the sand hills, to the centre
u camp; telephone service has been in
stalled and the Signal Corps men. not one
enth as many as so large a force should
nave. are sparkling experimental flashes
,ver 100 miles Of plains.
From the Hog Back, where the division
is located, a curious steep
,lun q quarter Of a mile long. which lifts
To bumped back almost in the dead centre
II this military playground Of $4,000 acres,
here is pretty outlook upon the squadron
rom both sides of the bluff. Away to the
eft Of the Generals headquarters are the
raIne skeletons Of tents the Massachu-
etts guardsmen will occupy. when they get
lsre Tomorrow. Next TO them s the site
No Twenty-third Regiment Of Brooklyn
amp tomorrow afternoon or Monday
norning. Near the centre OF the wide
fan are the cavalry tents, with
heir corrals, and away TO the right are the
stillerymen and the engineers.
BY noon Monday, when all the State troops
lig game Of tag between tho Brown army
md the Blue army will have started under
he critical eye Of the umpires, 1000 men
Esl be in camp. This camp Is TO be "a dry
q q bugs whiskers as far as hard liquor
nd the bottled Juice OF malt go: Any
n6ulged the idea that no is going to make a
,retty thing out of tie thirst Of Uncle Sans
roopers is in for trouble IL he entlres
'ear the reservation. lie will be taken
|rfnly by the back or the neck ana the slack
4 his pants and booted into territory where
he arm of the army may not reach. TITS
fairly long arri, though, and may stretch
ut quite & bit, particularly up here in this
and smitten country, where nobody is
lrking to look.
sPine Camp is 10 be strictly temperance
aid Gen. Graz. to-day. There win be no
quor OF my headquarters. and ] shall not
,err.it drinking on the reservation. Any
fiicer or man who gets drunk will receive
he limit OF punishment. The same dry
Vord goes for tho militia forces. II any
Is caught dallying with tho rum
OWL he will be turned over 70 his command
ng officer by the force Of .he Provost Mar
hal and what will be coming TO him will
q plenty and then some"
Tho most rigid precautions have been
axen to secure the mems health. 4 para
rAph OF general orders forbids drinking
rom the Black River or bathing in it, The |
trean bears an evil name since the paper |
nils have dumped acids in IL and the fish !
led miserable deaths long ago. All water |
orles from half dozen springs which !
ppear capable of supplying the army |
or a month at least. The use Of ice in 4
riulSiug water il tabooedt Sheet iron |
lcinerators have ncen set up to consume |
ffal aud slops, and rubbish and garbage |
fill be burned in large crematories. Not |
drop OF grain or fever breeding dirt will |
o left to the air an instant longer than /
eccssary The General in command wants |
, make record for keeping his mems |
A-1.L a, nall a. for I'm r.ra,y;yx ,ho;,