The Washington herald., 1909-08-08
MILITIAS TO TEST
COAST DEFENSES
Will Attempt to ROut In
vaderS from the Sea.
BOSTON TO BE THE OBJECTIVE
Effort Will he Made to Take the
City by Attacking FOrde on Sea in
to Be I'm Charge OF the Regular
Officers OF the Federal Army.

Whether or not the Massachusetts, coast
defenses would be efficient in projecting
that State from sea attack by an invad-
ing force Will be demonstrated a week
hence. when the District National Guard.
with 1000 other militiamen, representing
the States OF New York. Connecticut, and
Rhode Island. and known collectively as
the Reds or attacking army. VIII wage
mimic warfare against the regular Mas
sachusetts Coast Artillery and the State
militia, collectively known as the Blues"
or defending army.
The. invading force will endeavor TO
take Boston, and II the RED" army sue
ceeds in breaking through the chain OF
coast defenses and getting inland, Il is
likely the whole coast defense system
Will be revolutionized. In fact, one OF
the main objects Of this extensive man
euver is TO find the weak spots IN the
present mode OF protecting the coast
lines and to eliminate them
The Underlying Plan.
In addition. and this is the larger plan
underlying these tests OF, the coast de-
fences. II is thought the maneuvers VII
be the means of building up a capable
citizen soldiery. such as Germany has,
one that will be able TO cope success
fully with any wartime emergency
To possess such a standard and we'll
trained citizen militia has long been the
aim OF the Federal and State govern
ments. and in order to better effect This
the citizen soldiers will. during these ma
neuvers. be the companions OF war with
the regulars. and will do battle under
the command Of the regular officers, as
well as their own citizen chiefs. Ac-
cording TO officials this actual experience
In the regular tactics and life OF the
standing army will result IN raising the
standing Of the militia to but a fraction
below that Of the regular army, and OF
making them capable Of rendering valu-
able services in time Of war.
Arrangements for the maneuVers, which
will be on a more elaborate and extern
sive scale than any heretofore, have been
announced by Brig. Gen. George II.
HarTies through his adjutant general.
Lieut.. Col. Smiley. 1t has been definitely
settled that the army transports, Sumner
and Mcclellan, will convey the District
guardsmen to the scene Of the conflict
The transports will arrive here from
Norfolk on the morning Of Wednesday.
August II, and that day will be spent
in loading them with the militia property.
The troops will embark the following
morning. Gen. Harries and his staff,
with the First Separate Battalion, the
Division Filed Hospital and the First In
fantry Band, will embark on the McClel-
Ian. Lieut.. Col. William Z. Harvey, OF
the Second Infantry. viii command the
troops on this transport. and Capt. Ed
win II. Neumeyer. jr., Will have charge
OF the officers mess.
The Sumner will be used to transport
the First Infantry and the Second In
fantry. while the First Battalion OF Field
Artillery, consisting OF two detachments
with gatling guns. and the Signal Corps.
will leave Washington. by rail for New
York, and will embark there. The de-
partment Of the quartermaster will be
m charge OF MAJ. p Robbins, quarter
master general. while Maj Edwin H
Neumeyer, cOmmissaTy general, will look
after the feeding OF the entire command.
The Medical Corps will be in charge
OF Maj. Clarence A. Weaver, with Mai.
Francis j. Woodman In charge OF the
First Battery. Field Artillery. and Capt.
Warren D. Fales field hospital, as prop
erty officer.
In the Medical Department.
The officers assigned to the regimental
medical departments are Maj. r. A.
Foster and Capt. c. r. Luce First In
fantry; Capt. A. 3. Bennett, jr., and
Lieut.. Charles II. Bowl1er. Second In
fantry; Lieut.. Albert Ridgely. First Sep
arate Battalion.
The maneuvers will be under the gen
eral supervision OF Maj. Gen. Leonard
Wood. commanding the Department Of
the East. He wilk have with him Brig.
Gen. Tasker bliss. who will make a de-
tailed report to the War Department at
the conclusion Of the meneuvers. Gen.
Wood has also detailed Lieut.. Col. Da-
vid ]. Rumbough as bis aid.