Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-31
MENACE TO SHIPPING
District National Guardsmen
Control Potomac.
MAN DEFENSE BATTERIES
Citizen Soldiery, However, Use
Dummy Ammunition.
GETTING RANGE OF TARGETS
Work in the Towers-Supports
Scour Country in Quest Of
the Enemy.
GETTING RANGE OF TARGET

Special From Staf Correspondent by The STAR
Dispatch Boat Fairbanks.
FORT WASHINGTON, Md, July 81
This is practically the final day Of work
by the National Guard of the District OF
Columbia of the first week of joint coast
defense exercises with regular troops al
the Potomac forts. Infantry inspection Is
scheduled for tomorrow morning. with
first call at S:45 O'Clock and assembly al
8 o'clock. Aside from that there will be
little expected Of the men, except guard
and fatigue duty
The guardsmen today are very busy, al
though the sky is overcast and threaten
ing Notwithstanding. they were astir al
o'clock in the morning. No one will
have any leisure worth mentioning until
night The companies assigned as re-
serves Friday spend several hours at the
big guns and mortars, which are SO To-
Gated that it is impossible for even those
permenantly stationed here to find them
when approaching from the river. The
observation towers are now being used
with the battle commander. assistant bat
tie commander and others stationed there
in, communicating with distant batteries
by telephone and giving directions for the
aiming of the guns, as described In The
Stars correspondence today from Fort
Hunt.
Having Strenuous Outing.
The companies assigned as supports are
having an exceptionally strenuous outing
They are doing infantry work in the rear
of the fort with the view of protecting II
from possible attack by land. The coun-
try is thickly wooded and the patrols and
advance and rear guards are having hard
work operating against the enemy. The
latter is to all intents real, inasmuch as
the force is divided into hostile parties
Capt. Mitchell, instructor, believes In hav-
ing the conditions as near real as possible
and in that manner adds to the interest OF
the guardsmen in the work. The com
mander Of one patrol excitedly sent oacH
a message from the front tooay, SUD-
stantally as follows:
"a company, strength about thlrty-hVe
men. ran directly into the muzzles of my
rifles All the enemy are dead.
The companies, both reserves and sup
camps pretty well tired out at the enc
of the morning exercises: There follow
lectures, schools and rec1tatlons Tor the
officers and non-commlssioned omcers
After all, the private soldier proodpiy mas
the best Of the situation, so lar as con
tinuity of work is concerned.
No Tin Soldering Now.
Those citizens who recall the days Of
the Tin soldier prior to the war witt
Spain, and hold to the idea that an en-.
campment of the National Guard in any
way resembles picnic or pleasure trip
officers here say, should pay visit t.
Fort Washington or Fort Hunt and note
how surprisingly hard the citizen soldiery
is working to attain results in very Sc
rious undertaking.
Even visiting the various camps is {
| fatiguing proceeding. Capt. j. Harry
Bean, Company G, list Regiment. who i!
camped near brigade headquarters. wa!
asked today by an officer of the genera
staff to convey a message to Capt: T. P
Heap, Company A, I'd Regiment, IF yo,
| should happen to see him.
Il don't expect to see Heap till we ge
back TO Washington" Capt. Bean re
marked. He is camped somewhere wa!
| off in the underbrush.'
The reservation IS indeed one OF more
or less magnificent distances.
Regulars on Guard.
Reference has been made heretofore t.
| the length Of the posts covered by Ma
| tional Guard sentinels. 1t requires on
hour and fifteen minutes for the corpora
! c. the interior guard to make the rounds
! of his sentinels. The regulars also hav'
their troubles in that line. Ordered L
| leave their comfortabl barracks the coas
artillery men went into camp two day
before the arrival here of the guardsmen
Their camps, too, are scattered, the ter
ritory covered extending from the bluff
| near the steaboat wharf in front of tn
old fort to a position far back in tn
woods somewhere of near MOntsomer.
county," as a tired guardman expresse,
| it,
Regular troops constitute the post guard
composed of three non-commissioned Off
| GERS, one musician and seven privates, on
| of whom is the commanding officers or
derby. 1t guards prisoners during the day
| and the post proper at night. the groun,
| covered being divided into two parts On
post extends from the crossroads in from
| of the guardhouse, along the road II
rear of the officers quarters. between
headquarters and the 18th Company bar
racks. returning by the concrete walk II
trent of officers. quarters to the cross
| roads.
The other post extends from headquar
| tiers along the road in rear of the 17tl