The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-12-17
MIMIC WAR IN VERMONT
Campaign viii Be Fought in Green
Mountain State.

According to the Bridgeport, Ct,
Sunday Herald there are rumors
that the coming summer will bring
to the State militia a new order of
things in the line of camp or army
life, different from the doings of
Pine camp or the old time weeks
exercises and drills at Mantle. It is !
whispered that the United States |
government has new surprise all /
mapped out for the militia Of Con- |
nectlcut and Massachusetts, which is |
said to include assignments for the I
regular enlisted men of the army |
stationed along the coast, various
forts and as far north as Fort tt !
conderoga near Burlington, Vt.
This does not by any means even
suggest an invasion of the Cana
warfare. forced marches, retreats,
skirmishes camping amid the Green
mountains, the Berkshires, and In
country districts where the enemy
may be lurking In ambush.
From what the Herald is able to
learn the plan under way calls for
an invasion of Lake Champlain
points, by Connecticut and Massa-
chusetts troops, with Vermonters and
regular enlisted men, with an ar
rangement of three supposed armies
! in the field, instead of two, as here
tofore in order to make more
rigid test OF generalship and real
army tactics.
No announcement has been made
OF this plan, in public way, and If 1t
is passed upon favorably it will be
the first time since the year 1776
that three armies have been In the
field In New England. No details OF
this plan are likely to be disclosed
until official sanction is given Of the
general plans, and it was only
through accident that this general
outline leaked out via the Washing
ton route.
Connecticut troops, while tired Of
Mantle, are not only too enthusiast
tic is a repetition OF the Pine camp
experiences. Forced marches, long
hikes and sore feet are still fresh
in the memories. But real army
tactics are beneficial and the Con.
necticut National Guard unquestion-
ably learned lot OF useful informa'
ton that could not be obtained in
any other way.
The hint that Vermont is likely to
be invaded in this mimic warfare
next summer indicates that the army
tactics referred to will lead up to
real mountain warfare, similar to
that encountered in the past by
United States troops in Cuba and
the Philippines. Vermont is noun
famous and sparsely settled. Cavalry
from Fort "Ti' seldom make more
J than twenty-five miles a day when
: OFF on hikes, owing to the roads and
hills.
Assuming that this disclosed plan
: OF invasion OF Lake Champlain points
were the chief attraction OF this MINI
ic campaign for three armies, one on
the defensive and the remainder on
? the aggressive, It is interesting to
. conjecture Just what journey the var
ious companies OF the Connecticut
National Guard would be called upon
; to make by train. when set down at
!, the destination assigned as the start
. ing point OF the attacking armies.
= With all railroad approaches into
5 Burlington. which is on Lake Cham
= plain, guarded closely by the defen.
e sive army. II is not at all likely that
! troops would be brought TO the lake
border by train, but instead some
/ such town as Middlebry or Brandon
!. and from there throwing out the pick
p ct and advance lines through the ter
|. rltory mapped out Naturally regu
9 lar army officers would be judges Of
II position, advantages, attack, Skin
) mishes and such things as volleyS
hred and charges made
= It is even intimated from the same
source OF information above referred
!. to that the balloon and aeroplane will
be resorted TO for the first time al
army accessories. wherein both med
iums OF reaching high attitudes To-
observations will be utilized.
In referring to these rumors, thu
spokesman OF party Of militia from
Company A OF Waterbury, said; 20
course we would like to go up int
q Vermont. Il would be a change o
scenery and hiking through the Cree
mountains couldn't be any harde
than what the fellows had TO do a
Pine camp. And that Lake Cham
plain region. they tell us. is simpl
immense"
Some folks higher up in the stat
militia don't care to talk much abou
such an invasion. but Is whispere
that IL Lake Champlain points cor
stitute the issue. then there is some
thing significant to the idea--eve
more than appears on the surface.