Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-08-05

war department are sadly disappoint-
/ ed, as the program mapped out for
the troops is severe in the extreme.
The reservation at Sparta, which
has only recently been purchased by
the government, is to be converted
; into a permanent maneuver camp for
regular and militia forces. The reser-
walton is seven miles square and con.
,, tains about $4,000 acres. There are
at present about five thousand sold.
iers encamped here. There are the
9th U. S. infantry from Fort Sher-
idan, ILL.,; 2Sth U. S. infantry from
Fort Smelling, Minn.; 4th U. S. ca.
valry from Fort Sheridan; 9Th U. S.
artillery from Fort Smelling; LIST in
fantry North Dakota national guard,
and one regiment and a separate bat
talon of militia from South Dakota.
The artillery camp is called Camp
Robinson and is about three miles
west of Camp Mccoy.
The government is sparing no ex.
pense to make this camp as modern
and sanitary as possible. Shower
baths arc provided for every com.
pany, and incinerators are provided
for the purpose of burning all the re-
fuse. This is done morning and even
ing and does away with the danger of
flies which would otherwise carry
disease to the camp. The buildings
containing the shower baths and the
lncinerattons have been built sub
stantially so that they will last for
many years to come.
The camp is new one as this is
the first year for the use of it for
joint maneuver purposes. The drill
grounds have been cleared of under
brush and shrubbery only two weeks
and for this reason are very poor for
drill purposes. They will be tramp
led down hard and smooth before
many months of maneuvers however,
and in time will be an ideal place
for service. The sand is fierce. 1t
is said that the sand strata which
underlies the camp is eighty feet deep.
There are no dwellings or farm
houses on the reservation, and for a
distance OF seven miles in either di.
rection, the territory is in it's natural
state.
The camp site is protected on all
sides by high, steep hills, and it is
over these same high, rocky hills that |
the troops mus hike on their sham |
battles.
The boys have settled down to hard
work and realize that they have a
hard week ahead of them.
This being the first camp for the
militia troops since the Dick bill went
into effect, it is to all intents as
near like actual service as it is pos
sible to make.
If North Dakotans could see the
way their regiment is deporting It.
self on the field would have no fear
hat their state would not be able to
send competent regiment into the
ield within twenty-four hours in case
war should happen to break out.
The town of Sparta is nearly ten
niles from Camp Mccoy and there
S little chance for the boys to go up |,
own, so most of them spend their
eisure time in strolling about the :
egular camps. The situation of the {
vancouver reservation is as near an -,
pproach to giving the boys feeling
hat they have been thrown into hos. 9
lie country that the government is
bic to provide for them.
According to general orders No. 6,
ssued August / from the headquar-i
ers of the camp of instructions, the
blowing program has been prescrib-
d for the troops of the organized
lilitia curing their stay in the camp:
August 1.
Arrival and establishment of the
amp. =:
August z. I
Forenoon-Close order drills, COM 4
any and battalion. Z
Afternoon-Extended order drills, =