The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-08
Kansas GuardsmenAre Mustered
at Riley Training Camp.
Infantry, Artillery, Signal and
Hospital Service Represented.
1,5OO STATE TROOPS
Some Unique Contests Are An
nOunced for Closing Days.
One Company Is Going After
Swift Tent Pitching Record.

Fort Riley, Kan, Aug. S.-The kan
sas national guard, about LOO strong,
went into annual camp Monday at Fort
Riley, on the government reservation.
The encampment will continue until
August 16.
The Sunflower militia has 1900 men
in the two regiments of infantry 100
men in the one battery of artillery, 80
men in the signal corps and 80 in the
hospital corps.
The militia began unloading at Paw
nee flats, the reservation station, Mon
day. The battery of artillery, moving
overland from Topeka, win be about
three days on the trip. The battery
has just received 100000 worth of new
equipment 1t has three 3-inch field
pieces, which will shoot shrapnel five
miles. The guns and all the equipment
is of the latest model and is the same
as the most up to date para phernaha
used in the regular army The over
land trip will be for experience ana
marching practice. One hundred horses
will be used.
Feature Contests Planned
The work at the encampment this
year will be devoted during the first
dav to company, battalion and regl-
mental drills and the closing days Will
be given over to maneuver problems
The athletic meets will take place Sat
urday afternoon, August Il. These
there always are many entries. Regu-
lar field day events are on the program
and to these are added features IKE
tent pitching. The record for pitching
q conicaI tent, eight men competing, IS
about three minutes. 1t is eXpecteH
that the worlds record will be broken
in the Kansas contest. One Kansas
company is pitching tent now in two
and a half minutes
The company rifle contests are
scheduled for Tuesday, August 10. -Four
men from each company will compete,
making about 100 in all This is a new
feature in Kansas militia encampmentS
and is expected to be of much AID Ill
stimulating good rifle shooting, TO help
in making up the teams which VIII
represent Kansas at the national rlIls
shoot at Camp Perry, o.
X. U. Ha sa Company.
The University of Kansas is repre-
scented by an infantry company TINS
year. 1t is composed entirely OF uni
versity students and this IS the tlrst
time that the Mount Dread institution
mas had a company in the state guard.
Ten regular army officers and so reg
ular noncommissiOned officers nave
been detailed by the war department
for duty with the guard as instructors
during the encampment. The thlrd
squadron of the Thirteenth cavalry and
Battery F of the Sixth field arullery
will participate in the maneuVerS-
The Kansas national guard ranks at
the TOP of the militia of the country
The adiutant generals department has
been informed that the United states
war department considers the Kansas
national guard the best equipped, best
disciplined and best drilled for field
service in the entire United States.
Much Interest in Militia.
Interest in militia work in the state
always has been right at high pitch.
Whenever a vacancy occurs in a regl-
nent. and a new company must be
chosen. there always are half dozen
or more applicants. The waiting list
always is large.
Brig. Gen. Charles S. Huffman of Co
lu1nbus is in command of the brigade
He is a Spanish-American war veteran,
having served in the famous Twentieth
Kansas. He is state senator from
Cherokee county and a member OF the
Kansas board of health. He has been
a member of the militia ever since the
Spanish-American war.
Veterans in Command.
Col. Perry NJ. Hoisington of Newton
has been a member of the guard 80
years. He has commanded the Second
regiment for II years. He and Col.
Wilder S. NetcaIf of the First regiment
are considered by United States army
officers among the most efficient militia
officers in the United States. Colonel
Metcalf commanded the Twentieth
Kansas in the Philippine campaign
during the Spanisn-American war. He
was brevetted a brigadier general in
the regular service. He formerly was
United States pension commissioner.
At present he is a member of the ma
tional militia board, which consists Of
five members, to advise with the