Omaha daily bee., 1910-10-05
WAR GAME GIVES
THRILL ON THRILL
United States Regulars Stage Real
istio Exposition of Skirmish and
Battle at Fort Omaha.
FIGHT FOR BRIDGE SHARP
Engineers Lay Solid Structure Under
Heavy Fire,
GENERAL REVIEWS TROOPS
Imposing Parade Passes General
Frederick A, Smith.
SABERS CLEAN IN SUNLIGHT
wall Sealing, Horseback wrestling,
Dress Parade and Heavy Artil-
Iery Drill Among other
Features OF Day.
Imposing Parade Passes General
Frederick A, Smith.
sABERs CLEAN IN SUNLIGHT

Most realistic OF all the limitations OF
war ever put on in Omaha was that OF
yesterday afternoon at Fort Omaha parade
ground For thirty minutes the related
functions Of every branch of the United
States army on the field of war; were
given in a composite and highly exciting
picture At times while the thrilling
panorama was beng enacted, even army
officers were stirred TO enthusiastic APP
plause The great audience surrounding
the field on all sides simply held It's
breath or burst forth in vociferous ap-
proval.
A fair estimate of the crowd present
put 1t between 1900 and 10000
No. on the program was bridge build
ing and demolition, Company X. Third
battalion engineers" The engineers were
the central feature of the number. but
during its presentation infantry, cavalry,
artillery, field hospital field telegraphers,
the wireless outfit to be used In time OF
battle all were on the field and In active
service
On an open field cut by a creek or river
with skirmishers of two armies firing at
each other, appeared two lone men of the
engineers. They made some measurements
hastily, showing they must have a bridge
eighty-two feet long in order to make 1t
DOS1Dle IOr the army 10 CTOHb W WhClo
the enemy held position. Soon a trio
of wagons came galloping across the
field, loaded with heavy tlmbers and
planks These wagons were followed by
the comapny of engineers on dead run.
skirmisBers Rush for bridge.
The wagons were being unloaded rapidly
as the men arrived, and in trice stand
ards were raised, neavy underpinnlng
vlaa aat ini tharRnn
and planks put in position. Like a swarm
of bees the men Of the engineer company
seized the timbers and Uoards laid them.
drove pins and spikes all under hot
!, fire. II was quick. accurate and astonish-
ingly Elective work, The structure being
ready in less than fifteen minutes.
No sooner had the engineers began to re-
turn over the bridge from the end nearest
the enemy, to take position at their own
end, than a rush of skirnishers was made
for it. They went over on run and at
once reopened fire on the enemy. being fol-
lowed rapidly by the cavalry and artillery,
and they in turn by the hospital corps men.
This all followed sharp skirmish frie from
both sides, the engineers being protected by
one bunch of infantrymen, and this unch
another line Of skirmishers they went
| forward in turn. In the meantime field
| hospital had cen set up somewhat to the
rear, into which were being carried
wounded men, who had been given first
aid to the injured on the field, and had
either been carried to the hospital On the
backs of the corps men, or in stretchers
and on travois Each man was ticketed
with a diagnosis card showing just what
the nature of his hurt was, and at the field
hospital these cards were carefully ex-
amined by the surgeons, thus saving time
! had aI tha, n
fire was blazing away and hot water was
available before the first man was brought
| ip.
Fighting Grows Red-HOt.
With the four six-inch field pieces shatter-
ing the atmosphere, the incessant infantry
| firing, as they pleased and volley, the
| sharp revolver work of the cavalry. the
dashlng backward and forward of fast
driven horses and mounted officers and or
derlies, the shifting movements of the varl-
GUS bodies Of troops, the yelling and ap-
plause of the tremendous crowd IL was a
half hour to be remembered by those who
have never seen war, and probaly never
will see It.
shortly the enemy appeared in force and
the troops were compelled to retreat over
the bridge, with the hospital men bring
ing the wounded along Hardly had the
|
before the engineers were again swarmlng
about the structure. They demolished IL
even more quickly thRn they had put IL
up and when their wagons galloped away
not piece of material Of any kind was TO
be seen about the place where the bridge
had stood. Such work of this was not
thought of In the days Of war when the
Grand Army had its lesson OF blood
II was a scientific demonstration, carry
ing an impressive lesson~so every thought
ful pedson, and its accompaniments were
spectacular and heart-stirring enough 10
make wooden man warm up a bit
Promptly at o clock salute was fired
for General Smith by the battery, and then
the bLglc called to the parade ground all
the troops in camp. by reason OF the fact
that but one squadron OF the Seventh
cavalry was at Des Moines and four
squadrons are in Omaha. delay Of five
minutes occurred beyond the stated time
for the cavalrymen TO appear; and It was
five minutes, never made up after the
exercises began. This fact shows more
strikingly than anything else could the
exact figuring OF the tournament mana
gers.
General Reviews Command.
All the organizations marched by the
commanding general IN this order:
Fourth infantry, Colonel Bolton, with
machine gun platoon.
/, Thirteenth inTantry, Colonel Loughbor-
ough.
\ Company A. hospital corps from Fort
Hussell. captain Taloot IN command, The
company carries cots ana was ready for
service and Mas followed by It's wagons.
! Company X, engineer battalion.
Battery Fifth field aruliery Captain
Wight Smith comma nding, with four D.. .nch
, iield pieces and ammunition cdissons.
. Company 1 OF the signal corps, Captain
Hartman commanding. The. signalmen had
with them their wire reels and wireless
telegraphy equipment In wagons.
Seventh cavalry, Colonel Hunter COM
manding, mounted band aud bugle corps.
Fifteen cavalry, Captain Lltterbrand In
; command.
The infantry and cavalry organizations