The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1908-08-13
Injustice to the Soldiers.
Statement That the Encamp-
ment Was a Debauch and
That There Was No Drill or
Practice Untrue-Gen. Arm
field Makes Denial.
Statesville Landmark

Statewide Landmark
The North Carolina Christian Adj
VOcate last week contained the fol-
lowing:
"An eyewitness informs the editor
of the Advocate that the encampment
Of North Carolina troops at More
head, last week, including the trip
home, was one grand debauch. Now
is it not time for the people to have
something to say about spending
their good money once a year for
nothing but the affording of an OPP
portCnity for an annual consumption
of booze on the part Of these military
companies? So far as any drill or
practice is concerned the whole thing
is Il picturesque farce"
This is a grossly exaggerated and
unjust statement. Gen. }. f. Arm
field, of Statesville, who was in COM
mand Of the post during the en-
campment, has given the Landmark
the following facts:
The soldiers arrived at camp Sat
urday and the remainder of the day
and evening was spent in getting the
camp in shape The next day being
Sunday was OF course a rest day.
The four remaining days-Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
were days of hard work. Under
the regulations of the War Depart
ment the soldiers must take what
is known as the marksman's course
and unless this course is taken they
lose their standing at the depart
ment. At this encampment the
course was taken and the entire
course means 30 shots for each man.
TO do the work the men were engage
ed in the broilin9 hot sun from early
morning until evening of each of the
four days.
One battalion shot at a time and
one battalion was required to keep
score and wait on those engaged in
shooting. This left one battalion
in camp for guard and the regular
camp duty. When one battalion fin
ished shooting another took its
place and this was kept up during
the entire four days. SO far as real
and active practice in the duties of
a soldier was concerned, says Gen.
ArmfieId, this encampment far sur
passed any that has been held. Of
course IL visitor to the camp, seeing
Il few idle men, might have concluded
that was all of it, knowing nothing
OF the actual work at the rife range
some distance away.
AS for drunkenness, General Arm
field says he did not see q single man
under the influence of liquor and the
only liquor he heard of was a guam
tity which Col. Gardner. the COM
mander of the regiment, seized from
some civilians, whose purpose it was
to peddle it among the soldiers.
Gen. Armfield is sure, and it is reason
able, that if there had been any
drinking of consequence he would
have heard something of it.
The conduct of soldiers going to
and from encampment, and while in
camp, is by no means always eXem-
plary. Nobody knows that better
than the officers and in former years
there were many outrages. Special
pains have been taken to prevent
this sort of thing and the recent
encampment was notable for the
good conduct of the men and the
work performed. Until the item
above quoted appeared the Land
mark had not seen a single word of
criticism of the conduct of the troops
in any newspaper. The AdvOcate's
informant has evidently made a
very greatly exaggerated statement
and has done the soldiers a serious
injustice.