Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-26
BACK FROM THE WAR
CONTINUED from First Page.)

a better body of militia troops. and after
the review he said that he did not wonder
that the Red forces were successful In
capturing Boston. The acting mayor OF
troops. had equally complimentary re-
marks about the excellent appearance of
the men.
!. At the officers meeting Gen. Harries
pointed out that the officers and men had
learned great deal, even from the mis-
takes that were made.
Lieut.. Col Reichelderfer reported that
the health of the men had been excellent,
despite the extremes of heat and cold to
which they had been exposed and that
most of the cases of disability were due
to blistered feet resulting from badly fit
ting shoes. 1t was pointed out during
the discussion of this subject that the
recent experiences of the brigade will i'm
press upon the men more than anything
else how absolutely essential it is to have
properly fitting shoes when on the march.
and it was predicted by the officers that
none Of the men who had suffered In this
respect in the present field exercises
would allow themselves to get in the
same predicament at the next encamp-
ment Experience, the officers said, is
the best of teachers, and the District
troops had within the last two weeks
about all that it is possible to crowd into
such short space Of time.
Good Spirit of the Troops.
The officers and non-commissioned Off
GERS of the commissary and quartermaster
departments also had much experience.
There was some unavoidable delay and
confusion in these two departments as
in all others, but here, as elsewhere, 1t
was pointed out the District troops dis
played a remarkable ability to look after
themselves in the field as well as on board
transports, railroad trains, or while out
on pass visiting a large city.
In addition to the actual field work, the
troops from the District had more expert
ence than any others engaged in the mat
ter of transportation. by rail and by
water, as they came from greater dis
lance than any of the others. Men,
animals aid impedimenta, the officers
say, were transported almost without a
hitch and in a manner that would have
done credit to any regular troops.
Officers also expressed much apprecia-
ton at the excellent spirits of the men.
who endured considerable hardship with
out murmuring, and entered heartily into
the spirit of every movement During
part of the exercises two meals day
and long hikes were the rule, but the
and were up before daybreak the next
morning to do the same thing over again.
Colored Troops Praised.
Gen. HarrleS was especially PLEASED
with the excellent work done by the 1st
Separate Battalion, and Maj. Brooks,
commanding the colored troops, was COM
plimented on his command by Gen.
Wood The 1st Separate formed the adj
vance guard on the first day of the fight
ing, and captured a large number OF the
Blue forces. In the evening they estab-
iished the outpos 8, and through some
error had to take the field the next
morning without breakfast. After the
engagement was well under way the list
Separate was again thrown into the ad-
vance guard, and on the second day they
performed their duty with as much spirit
as on the first, and captured even more
prisoners from the Blue Army.