Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-08-11
Bv Tribune Staff Correspondent.

Camp Bruce E. Mccoy. U. S. Man.
euver Reservation, Sparta. Wis, Aug.
S.-The First Regiment of the North
Dakota National Guard is preparing
now for the final windup of the ten
days moneuvers. The final cOnsum-
nation of the joint drill with the reg
ular army troops occurs this after
noon and Tuesday, in the tWo-day
sham battle, in which all OF the 5000
soldiers encamped here will partici'
pate. The different armies will leave
camp Immediately after dinner today
and will probably engage in minor
skirmishes toward evening. Tuesday
will occur the combat proper. The
boys will march in heavy marching
order and will carry two days rations
in their haversacks. They will sleep
in their shelter tents, and the ensuing
two days will be as near an approach
to actual field service as it Is pos
sible to provide in time of peace.
The maneuver reservation is we'll
adapted for the battle, as there Is no
human habitation thereon, and the
country lies in it's natural state. There
are hills and valleys, meadows and
plains. Altogether the land furnishes
all of the varying physical features
that would be encountered In an en-
emy's country.
The past week has been very
strenuous one and the boys Of the
various national guard organizations
are realizing that modern instruction
in military subjects is nothing like
what it used to be, even very few
, years ago. The time when the an
nual encampment meant nothing more
than q good time and pleasant sum-
mer outing is past, and the militia
companies are becoming more and
more efficient each year. 1t Is the
, opinion of the regular army officers
attached to the North Dakota regi-
/ ment that in case war should hap
pen to break out the various cOmpan-
! les could be assembled in some camp
of instruction similar to the one here
/ at Sparta, and that it could be whip
ped into shape within two or three
weeks at the most. And this is maxi
ing allowance for whatever new re-
cruits might be enlisted therein.
The first week has been a ahrd
one, and the boys were only too glad
when Sunday came around. Monday
was devoted to preparing the camp
for the ten days stay. Tuesday was
the first drill day. The morning was
spent in company andba ttalion drill
and the afternoon to company and
battalion extended order drill. The
parade ground is very rough and un'
even and is hard for drill purposes
this year, at it is the first season that
it has been used.
1t Is the intention of the war de-
partment to make this a permanent
camp for joint maneuvers, and the
authorities are even now planning on
some means to fix up clean place
for the tents in the sand. 1t is prob
able that the camp sites will be oiled
and everything possible done to make
the dust as minus quantity as can
be. At present the dust, dirt and sand
| is fierce, and there is general COM
plant among regulars and miliamen'
officers and enlisted men alike. 1t is
the dirtiest place that could be found
in the country. Just five minutes OF
a breeze sweeping down the company
streets will coat all of the tents and
sleeping outfits, the cooking quarters
and the grub, the rifles and the men
that shoot them with a fine coat of
dust and sand, and it is absolutely i'm
possible to keep anything clean. But
| the military authorities will find some
means to combat this evil before an
other maneuver season. In time 1t Is
expected that this will be one Of the
best camps in the country, but for the
present year all of the troops sent
here, regulars and national guardsmen
alike, are suffering hardships that they
had no idea they would be obliged to
undergo.
The nraneuvers have been interest
ing, although they have required hard
work on the part of the officers and
men. The brigade commander, Cen
eral Howe, detailed regular army SER
geants, one With each guard organ
izeti6n, for the purpose of instruction.
They were a very capable lot and COM
pany A was particularly fortunate in
securing the services OF Sergeant
Wooden of the Twenty.eighth United
States infantry. He is a clean cut
young chap, thoroughly versed in mill
tary affairs, and rendered valuable aid
to the company and it's officers during
the drills.
Sergeant Chauncey Wade. formerly
stationed with the North Dakota regl-
ment, with headquarters at the adj
iutant generals office at Bismarck,
but who was promoted to post com
missary sergeant at Fort Worden,
Wash, a few weeks ago, secured a
further delay of ten days before re-
porting to his new station, and has
been with the North Dakota boys at
Sparta. He was able to give them
much assistance and information and
has been a big help during the man.
euvers.
Friday morning the second and third
battalions were given wide strips OF
red cloth for hat abnds and were sent
out as the red army. The first bat
talon comprised the blue army. Com
pany A is a member of the second
battalion and was with the red forces.
The red army was in bivouac four
miles east of camp. The blues were
u