Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-08
FINISH THE WAR GAME
Guardsmen Complete Coast
Defense Exercises.
PREPARE TO RETURN HOME
Payment of the Troops Feature of
Interest Today.
FINAL ATTACK SPECTACULAR
Citizen Soldiery at Fort Washington
Clean Rifles and Take Steps
to Break Camp.
PREPARE TO RETURN HOME
FINAL ATTACK SPECTACULAR

FORT WASHINGTON. Md August s.
The finish Of the game in which the
National Guard Of tho District Of Column
mia has been participating for two weeks
is practically reached. The military eX-
ercises are ended and the instruction
over. To-day is being devoted to the pre-
lminaries for breaking camp tomorrow
All the National Guard troops here were
formed on the general parade ground al 5
O'Clock this morning for formal muster
out of the service Of the United States.
When the last company had complied with
the requirements the time had almost ar
rived for the paymasters to begin dis
bursting funds TO the guardsmen in set
Element for services rendered. The army
paymaster. Capt. c. f. n. Howard. had
allotted to him funds sufficient to pay
only portion of the brigade. When his
purse had been emptied Maj. William S.
Hodges, acting paymaster. d. c. militia,
proceeded with the payment out of funds
provided by another appropriation. Maj.
Hodges was assisted by Capt. Boyd Tay-
lor. The rnymasters brought the money
from Washington this morning aboard the
L. s. 8. Oneida. they being accompanied
by an armed guard About $4,000 was
(fisburSed.
The guardsmen this afternoon are busy
cleaning and oiling rifles. doing what they
can in the way of packing and otherwise
getting ready for breaking camp early
tomorrow morning, in accordance with
the orders heretofore published.
Battery on the Road.
The LIST Battery, Field Artillery, which
departed from Fort Hunt this afternoon
with the ambulance and the Signal Corps
wagon. is to camp near Alexandria to-
night. The battery is ordered to reach
a nj mott al or hefn ole fnr
row morning carrying cooked monday
meal. The batterymen are to remain at
the armory tomorrow until the guns. har
ness and the entire equipment are cleaned
and placed in proper condition for storing
until the resumption of drills next Octo-
Der.
The brigade band is to give it's final con-
cert of the encampment. beginning at
o'clock this evening the lawn near the
headquarters of the LIST and I'd Regiments.
program of special excellence has been
prepared by Director Macleod. The usual
concert by the band preceded the land
and naval attack last evening.
The principal social event this evening
will be the reception and dance at the
manor house. arranged by Gen. Harries
and staff in honor of the regular officers
on duty here members of their families
and house guests. The affair is announced
for o'clock The brigade band orchestra
will furnish music.
Brigade Rife Team Departs.
The members of the brigade rife team
s. were excused from camp this morning.
They departed for Washington aboard the
Gushing at O'Clock with their baggage
and equipment Mai Alfred p. Robbins,
inspector general District of Columbia
Militia. team captain. was in charge A
large number of fellow soldiers were at
members and express hope for success in
the competitions.
The brigade team will depart from
Washington al $40 o'clock this evening
and is scheduled to reach the Ohio range
at ) o'clock tomorrow afternoon.
Lieut.. Col. William H. Coffin command
ec of the artillery district of the Poto-
mac. and Mrs. Coffin entertained at din
ner last evening. the guests being Col.
Crell. commanding the I'd Regiment. and
Col Ourand. commanding the LIST Regi-
ment. and the officers of their stats.
Receive Call to Arms.
The climax of the exercises occurred
late last night in the form of a naval
attack. Theoretically. large feet of
warshps of the enemy. moving against
the National capital. was sunk Only the
companies assigned as coast artillery re-
serves Inquired in the exercises. the sup
ports not being called out
Heavy rain for several hours yesterday
afternoon resulted in a radical change in
the program. 1t rendered tie ground
along the river shore muddy and the
woods and other growth so soaking wet
that Col Coffin decided it would be I'M
wise to put the guardsmen assigned as
supports to work there at night The de-
cision caused sorrow only to Can't Will
liam Mitchell of the army. the chief in
structor. who had carefully planned the
most elaborate maneuver of the camn
period
Many thought the reserves would also
he free of problem duty last night. espe-
eialiy when O'Clock arrived and departed
without a call to the batteries There
was a rumor, however. that the trooDs
would be routed out 10 repel an attack
later. the time suggested being 3 o'clock
this morning. Color was added 70 the
rumor when it was learned that the T..
, p. ., oneida. the Gushing and the tug
Bernard had quietly and separately moved
away from Fort Washington A large
number of the men who heard the rumor
: ma not undress. 1t was also noticed that
Keen Watchers were In the obs arvation
towers
The camp was quiet and apparently set
tied for the night. when. promptly at 1O:I Il
clock. from The highest point on this
= reservation roc9et was sent up. II
was followed by another
Enemy Is Discovered.
According to the code. this was a sig
nah that vessels of the enemy were in
sight and notification to the enemy that
he Was seen. Almost Immediately two
similar rockets were fired at Fort Hunt
Instantaneously. it seemed three mann
moth searchlights. Two here and one at
Fort Hunt. flashed their RAYS down
stream At the same moment trumDeters
everywhere were sounding TO arms
AS though operated by clockwork the
gaardsmen sprang from their cots Two
req nght bombs conveyed the informa ton
mat the enemy was approaching and the
"roer 10 man stations and batteries at
once In moment the battle command
ana communication stations were in full
operation and the men were at the guns
y delay occurred. blu. finally vessel.
presumed 10 be battleship. was In range
and the order TO fire was given The bie
guns on both sides of the river belched
forth volumes of flame and everything
for miles around vibrated The search
lights were concentrated on the enemy
and the cannonading continued the aim
ing of the guns being based on calcula-
lions as carefully made as though the
enemy were real and the safety of this
Capital city of the nation depended on the
accuracy of the troops manning the bat.
teres.
Cessation in the firing occurred as the
individual ships were put out of commits.
sion The appearance of another vessel
after one had been destroyed, was fol
lowed by more bombs and a resumption
of the firing. AT precisely sd o'cloci
II was realized that the enemy had beer
annihilated. and one red bomb announced
that the action was over. The guardsmer
returned to their tents and the final en-.
xagement of the war of 1908 in the ar
tillery district of the Potomac was a mat