The Washington times., 1911-08-15
MOUNTED MILITIA
LEAVES FOR CAMP
NEAR FREDERICK
Guardsmen Leave on Hard
Trip-To Spend Night
Ia at Rockville.

Riding in stin new saddles and bump
Ing along On the cumbersome army
cIissonS, the mounted members of the
District National Guard and the First
Battery, Field Artillery, at 10 O'Clock
this morning started on their forty-siX-
mile overland trip from Washington to
Frederick. Nd. Even before the smooth
city Davements were left. and the trip
over the rocky country roads was en-
tered upon. many of the officers. being
unaccustoE1ed to riding. realized that
before the first nights camp at Rock
Vile was esta blished they would be a
tired lot. The first leg of the trip is
twenty-five miles.
Because the gUardsmcn were two
hours late in getting started. II was not
expected there would be anv stop for
lunch. Sergt. c. Williams, of the Sig
nal Corps, had made allowance for
such contingency, but the commissary
department Of the battery had not. and
as a result those in the battery. will
probably not get rations issued to them
until they have established camp to-
night
What They Eat.
The lunch provided for each man in
the Signal Corps consists of two boiled
eggs, two ham sandwiches, sweet
pickles and coffee. The supper tonight
will consist principally of corned beef
hash, hot biscuits and coffee
The Government allows % cents a day
for food for each man, but many of the
mesSes. like that of the Signal Corps.
have arranged for better food than that
will buy BY making personal contribu-
tions In the Artillery. however. there
is no company fund. The Government
allows cents a man extra for every
day of the overland trip.
At o'clock this morning the officers
and enlisted men in the Signal Corps
appeared at the armory. al MissOuri
avenue northwest, harnessed and sad
died the horses and mules. and made
ready for the trip. Hundreds of curious
persons gathered around the field guns
Snd horses. and lined Pennsylvania ave
nue. as The khaki-clad guardsmen pro-
C6eded up the avenue toward George
town.
Horses Delayed.
Considerable difculty was encountered
by reason of the fact that the man
with whom the contract was made for
the horses was two hours late in deliv-
ering thirty of them. Thirty horses
brought out yesterday wcto rejected
Those selected are of generally uniform
size and dark in color. White horses
arc no longer used, the only white ami
mad being one mule on the conmissary
wagon.
Because the -Guardsmen are travelling
under heavy marching order they do
not expect to make more than three
miles an hour over the rough country
roads. The trip today is expected to
be the easiest part of the journey. Roads
the other side of Gaithersburg are re-
ported to be particularly bad.
Three ambulance wagons are being
taken in case any of the officers and
men should suffer accidents or be un-
able to Withstand the unusual tests Of
strength. The signal corps is to play
ap unusually important part in this
years camp. For the first time two
reel carts with twelve miles of field
wire are being taken.
There are twenty-five mounted men
in the corps; There are eight tele-
operators. New riding saddles and
brides have been provided for them
Some Of the men had never been
astride horse before. One OF these
was Sergt. William Rink who reQui-
sitioned for the slowest moving, most
docile animal obtainable.
When the journey was begun this
morning nose bag filled with grain
was strapped to the side OF each horse
and rations for three days were pack
ed in the wagons OF the quartermas-
ter's department for the men
tomorrow night the open-air war COL
lege that has been maintained this
week for the commissioned officers near
FIT. Myer will be abandoned. The tents
and equipment will be packed I'D and
transported to Washington In order
that they may be placed aboard the
special National Guard trains and taken
to Camp Ordway, near Frederick, FRI
day.
With war charts, the commissioned
ontcers in camp near TT. Myer are
leading theoretical armies into theoreti-
cal batteries. Within the next few
days the war will become more re-
alistic when real armies are led into
theoretical battles.
The officers at Ft Myer are being
given a hard grilling. They are maxi
Ing long hikes in the mornings and
studying beneath the trees in the after |
noon. Regular army officers and those |
Of the guard who received training In
the maneuvers along the Mexican |
borders are giving lectures
Yesterday the horses used by the |
regular army stationed at Ft. Myer, |
were loaned TO the officers of the Ma |
tonal Guard.