Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-22
HAYPO|SONS HORSES
Reason Ascribed for Trouble
at Gettysburg Camp.
SHAM BATTLES FEATURES
But Trouble is Experienced in
Locating the Enemy.
MANY INTRUDERs ON AREAS
Clouds of Hungry Flies Float Down
Company Streets-Hooley
Great Mule.
Special From STAFF Correspondent.


Special From STAFF Correspondent
GETTYSBURG, Pa, July 22.-Stirring
times, indeed. have struck the camp of
the organizations belonging to the Dis
trict National Guard Instead Of the
smooth routine Of camp life which the
civilian talks of so much, Washington
soldiers are having serious military train
ing, which is made a problem on account
Of several rather unexpected situations:
one might almost call them mix-ups were
it not for the fact that the District Ma
tional Guard is not especially noted for
being mixed.
First and foremost seems to be the
situation regarding the epidemic among
the horses. 1t is now admitted to be
forage poisoning, and there threatens to
be trouble for some one. All the Dis
trict's horses are fed on government hay,
issued by the United States quarter
master. c. ]. Marshall of Philadelphia.
representing the Pennsylvania state sani-
tary board, was here and told every Off
Ger interested in the horses that In his
opinion the death of the splendid animals
that have had to be shot for so-caIled
meningitis was due to the old and musty
hay. He has told at least one District of
Columbia officer to have all the hay
spread out and summed, SO that what re-
lief is possible from that treatment may
be afforded the annals.
Battery Loses Horse.
One horse belonging to the 1st Battery,
vol
nesday. The Districts horses have been
isolated, as far as possible. from the
horses of other camps where the poison
had taken such ill effect, but if the hay
is poisoned all the isolation in the world
will not make any difference.
Gen. George II. Harries told The Star
correspondent that If the hay is as bad as
all that he is going to stop using it and
go out and buy some.
In addition to the poisoned horse bat
terry horse had to be shot because Of a
broken bone. A regular army inquiry in
to the case to ascertain who is RESPONSE
BILE is being held.
Another thing that vexes the guards
men is the fact that the long-esta blished
reputation which the District Guard has
had in mattersief camp cleanliness seems
to be tottering. No fault attaches to the
guard, however, in the opinion of old
time officers. who know soldering from
the ground up. The camp was filthy
when the Washington troops arrived, and
out in the country to fight sham battles
that there has not been time to clean up
properly.
Gen. Harries' Hobby.
Gen. Harries has made camp cleanli-
ness hobby for years. even before It
got to be such a marked thing in army
camps. The Star correspondent asked
him what was the biggest thing he had
in mind in regard to camps. The general
looked thoughtful moment and said:
What camp looks the cleanest to
you?"
THE Goth, U. s. A. was the reply.
Then the general went on to talk about
the dirt he had found when the District
troops arrived. A dirty camp breeds
flies by the million, and when the WASH
ington outfit arrived the millions Of flies
were all full grown, strong and fat. 1t
was possible to keep from making dirt.
but ii was hard to make camp and do all
the drills required and at the same time
clean up all the other fellows had left.
ut reminds me Of the time we went to
Tampa" said Gen. Harries. "They stuck
US on a field of sand. / said to myself
that sand f1eas were the worst that could
happen to us, but I was wrong. I found
that the regiment ahead of us had been
the LIST Florida and instead of cleaning
up they had just scooped a little sand
over the mess they made and left us
to suffer-
And how the flies do love an army
meal. They are getting lean now be-
cause the District boys are keeping
things clean, but the hungrier the flies
get the harder they bite They know
all the mess calls. and the minute the
trumpeter blows his welcome to supper
blast clouds OF them come down the
company street and almost tear down
the fimsy mosquito nets that some
companies are fortunate In having.
officers Rouse Town.
Gettysburg is small town and there
certainly noisy time in the old town
Wednesday night, when several officers
of the District Guard went to the great
metropolis and stayed around making
loud noises and singing rOllickng army
songs The general heard of it and
was very much annoyed Last night
he sent several officers into town to
reconoiter and report the names of
any District men or officers who tried
to sing too loudly. Fortunately, the
District Guard had been working hard
all day and it was very quiet lot
that went into Gettysburg for a few
minutes recreation last night
The great battle of tag. you're it," Is
being fought here. The first great move
ment started yesterday, when thousands
: of troops armed with five rounds apiece
! of paper-wadded shells. went hiking for
hours into the country The object of
| the game was for army to find the
other, and when discovered to pour hot
| shot into the opposing insurgents.
But il seems no one discovered the
enemy at all. The enemy hid behind the
| hills, the fences, the corn, the rocks and
the trees, while outposts and advance
guards sentries and patrols strained their
eyes lookingy for the pesky varmints with
| fingers itching on the trigger and all that
sort of melodrama stuff-yet no enemy
came. so the army had to walk back to
camp to get something to eat.
! II was bloodless victory.
| Marked off into great areas, the coun-
| try around Gettysburg Is mapped out SO
/ that every officer In the big instruction
camp here ought to be able to tell you
where he Is at any moment. Most OF
them carry little map cases, with charts
prepared by the engineers.
| The charts show the name of every
| farmer, the turns in the roads are all
numbered on the map to correspond
with numbered stakes driven in the
| Continued on Third Page)