Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-08-19
WORK LIKE VETERANS
COMPANY HI MAKES FINE SHOW
ING AT AMERICAN LAKE.


Dusty, tired and travel-stained, but
every inch seasoned veterans in ap-
pearence, the officers and men of
Company H. Oregon National Guard,
arrived home Wednesday evening
from the annual encampment at
American Lake. washington. A large
crowd of admirers of the soldier boys
was at the station to bid them well
come Home" After exchanging greet
ings with relatives and friends, the
men were quickly formed in line by
Second Lieutenant Tooze and marched
to the Armory, where suits of khaki
were discarded for civilian raiment.
The following account of the trip to
Washington, the eight days experience
in camp, and the joyous home coming
is kindly contributed to the Observer
by member of the company:
Left Dallas, August 8.
Company II, Fourth Infantry, Ore
gon National Guard, left Dallas on the
morning of August 8 to take part In
the maneuvers to be held at Camp
Cosgrove, near American Lake, and
about IA miles south of Tacoma. Ow-
ing to very severe case of typhoid
fever which he was then treating, DR..
Bollman, Captain Of the company.
was unable to accompany the boys,
and First Lieutenant Conrad Stafrin
and Second Lieutenant Walter L.
Tooze, Jr., were in command.
AS usual on such occasions, the spe-
cial train out Of Portland, carrying
several companies, including Company
H, was late and it was dark when the
camping grounds were reached The
old-timers in the company did not
mind this delay, as they had not ex-
pected anything better. They had been
there before. But the new recruits
the boys who had never attended an
encampment before,-were considera-
bly, worried. However, all went to
work with will, and without word
of complaint, and soon the tents were
pitched and the ehard-tack and cof-
fee" coming up.
The first day in camp, TUESDAY.
August 81, was the hardest day of all,
for upon that day sham battle, on
large scale, took place. About 5000
men were engaged in this battle, In
cluding the infantry regiments of Ore
gon, two infantry regiments of the
United States, several troops of cav
airy, jack-ass battery and the heavy
artillery.
The battle lasted over two hours,
and Company III was on the firing
line the greater part of the time. The
Dallas company was mainly instru-
mental in the capture Of a part of the
jack-ass battery. Unfortunately, how
ever, as was reported in the daily pa
pers. the whole oregon regiment was
killed, (flguratively speaking), al
though these men belonged to the Red
Army, and the Reds were victorious
How Sham Battles Are Fought.
Very few people other than military
men know how these sham battles
are fought and decision given. To
such as are unfamiliar with this meth
cd of training soldiers, brief outline
of the way 1t is done may prove of
interest.
In the first place, a situation or
problem is given to the commanders
of the opposing armies. These COM
manders consult their maps and fol-
low out their solution of the problem.
For instance, the commander of the
Red army is given this situation: A
strong force of Reds Is In camp 10
miles north of Roy, Washington.
Twenty miles southeast of Roy, Blue
army is in camp. The country is hos
tile to the Reds A train of supplies
much needed by the Reds has been
tied up near Roy. because Of the blow
ing out of bridges by hostile inhabit-
ants. You are instructed to proceed
with your command and four wagon
trains to Roy and remove those sup
plies and bring them into camp. You
later get notice that a regiment OF
Blues has left its camp and is march
ing toward Roy.
On the other side, the Blue COM
mander is given practically the same
problem, only he is instructed to cap
ture the supply train and prevent the
Reds from securing It, Neither COM
mander knows the plans Of the other
Each must work out the problem as
II 1t were real warfare. Blank am
munltlon is issued to the men. and the
different commands proceed in the
manner they deem best. Scouts, spies
and advance guards are kept out; also
nankers and rear guards. Finally
the opposing forces encounter and the
battle commences.