Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1910-09-15
UNCLE SANS ARMY
SHOW AT DIES MONIES
Exhibition Thousands VIII
Go Miles to Witness
Five Thousand Soldiers. Half as Many
Horses, Pack Trains, Artillery. War
Balloons, Field Telegraph Corps = A
Veritable War Camp, Sept. to Oct.
2, in Des moines.

2, in Des Moines.
The United States government, FOL
the purpose of advertising the army
and of permitting the public gener
ally to know its character. the du.
ties of the officers and men the kline
of subsistence provided-in short Il
populariZe tie service and correct the
impression prevalent in many quar-
ters that the soldiers are idlers anG
irresponsible, is putting on at a num-
Der Of points throughout the country,
great military tournaments. These
are participated in only by regular
troops
One of these great tournaments
will be held in Des MOines, Septem
Der 26 to October l inclusive. A
great camp in which will be quar-,
tered over 5000 soldiers, half as
many horses, pack trains, artinery,
mountain batteries, field wireless
telegraph paraphenalia, war balloons,
flying machines, great field bakeries
and kitchens, will be established and
will be conducted exactly as would be
such a camp in war time. This camp
will be open to the public at all times
and details of soldiers kept on duty
TO escort parties through the camps
and to explain to them every detail
of camp life, sanitation, provision
ing, etc.
On each afternoon a program OF
two and one-half hours duration in
which the troops Will participate VIA
be held Admission to both the camp
and the tournament grounds Will be
free The only fee will be for seats
The total net proceeds over and above
the cost of ground rentals, bill post
ing and erection of seats, will go to
the troops. The officers are not per-
mitted to participate in this benefit
only the enlisted men getting the ben
eft. The payments except about
$4,000 in prize money made to the
individuals actually participating In
the contests, are made to the mess
funds of the troops to be used fol-
providing comforts not purchased
and furnished by the government and
the relief fund.
The programs are replete with re-
alistic reproductions OF the things
that are bound to occur in warfare
and are given for the purpose OF
showing the efficiency to which the
troors are brought in time Of peace
One of the interesting numbers
will depict a struggle between oppos-
ing forces for the control of a river
crossing. IN this contest every army
OF the service will be seen in action
Directly opposite the grand stand
the course of an unfOrdable stream
will be indicated by flags. Cavalry
scouts come up to the stream and are
fired upon by the enemy who are en-
trcnched along the river. These re-
tire and come up with the Blue army
comprised Of cavalry, artillery, infan-
try, bridge train, signal corps, hospi-
tai corps. rapid fire guns, etc. Under
rover of an infantry fire the engineers
build a bridge 100 feet long across
the stream. The entire column
crosses the stream and artillery, ra-
pid fire platoons, infantry and caval-
ry engage the enemy. In the mean
time the signal corps maintains COM
munication from the firing line to the
headquarters at the rear and the hos
pital corps erect field hospitals and
demonstrate the method for caring
for the wounded. The attacking
army is finally repulsed and retire
back across the bridge with TIE en-
llIC COluIhh IL NofCi IhS ASsASAs
the bridge is destroyed with bombs.
In this engagement half the troops in
camp will participate.
A feature of this number Is the
rapidity with which the engineers
work. The bridge is unloaded from
wagons, put in position and the at
lacking column sent over in less
than 10 minutes time from the start.
MI ,,t, IF froi nin in
horsemanship called Monkey Rid
ing is one of the features. Hundreds
of cavalry men riding bare back fill
the arena and these go through all of
the wild west stunts, pick up wound
ed comrades while their horses are on
the gallop, ride Roman standing
races over hurdles at break neck
pace and conclude the number by
forming squads of ten men. these
men building up human pyramids,
each pyramid on four horses, while
the horses are taking hurdles at top
speed.
One of the pleasing drills is known
as The Shelter Tent" drill. Infan-
try troops come into the arena in
heavy marching order, break ranks,
stack arms and at a signal pace in
teryals and set about it pitching
tents from the equipment carried
with them In almost as little time
as it takes to tell of it the great
arena is converted into camp with
tents enough to shelter a regiment,
two men to each tent. Taps are
sounded on the bugles and the army
disappears into the tents, excepting
only those told off for sentry duty.
Suddenly a picket fires a shot, calls
for the officer of the guard, the
bugles ring out the call to arms, an
attacking army appears from behind
specially provided obstacles and in a
jiffy the entire camp is not only
awake, but engaging the attackers,
firing volley after yolley in their di-
rection. Machine guns are belching
forth 1000 rounds a minute. The
enemy is repulsed and retires to
protected position back of the obsta-
cles. Gradually the camp forces ap-
proach when the bugles sound the
charge and with yell the men rush
the walls which are ten to fifteen
feet in height, form pyramids over
which their comrades pass to the top
and drop on the other side. In the
meantime the rapid fire platoons have
rome up anu Win liipouS puilt from
rifles, hoist their guns to the top OF
the wall. drop them over 1t and open
IRE from the advanced position. In
this action over .000 troops partici-
pate and the encamped party of 500
men and four field pieces are put over
the wall in from six to ten minutes
time. To complete the maneuvers
the army. after driving of the at
hackers. return to the camp. at a sig
nal break camp and in two to four
minutes time are off on the pursuit
20 double time with the tents and