Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-06-15

the Maine Guard officers an interested
and efficient lot of students. 1t is one
continuous round of study and demon
STATIONS. catechising and hiking. hard
| ly moment for diversion. The new
officers in camp are amazed at the
proceedings and often are caught
CHANGING at the older officers for some
| sign of explanation as to what il all
means and the older ones now thor
oughly imbued with the seriousness of
the affair are splendid examples of
eager students with a fun realization
of what interest the National govern
ment is displaying in their behalf by
sending its best men here for their
| benefit when there is such a crying
need of officers in the regular services.
and the desire of our adjutant general
| to have his officers schooled and edu-
Gated for national defense should our
State be called upon in the hour of
need, and maintain the prestige estab-
lished and won on past occasions when
called to defend the country's honor.
During the conference while in the
defensive position at Coombs Mills,
Lieut.. Sandiford took up the subject
of the duties of the signal Corps bear
| ing on the position held at this stage
of the march. On this most interest
| ing and exceedingly important
subject his great intelligence was
manifested explaining in an edify-
ing and entertaining manner the
duties of the Signal Corps and
| the conduct of the advance guard.
The use of the U. S. army field mes
sage blank to be communicated by
buyers, phone. telegraph, wireless,
lantern, Photograph, flag, cyclist, foot
messenger and mounted messenger, on
the back of which is graduated scale
for sketching squared one inch to the
@iles each square representing SO
yards.
After the cavalry had destroyed the
bridges they were dispatched to the
left flank and the main body was held
| in readiness. Here instructions were
given as to the disposition of the main
body to meet the enemy,s advance
from any anticipated direction. The
| men marched back to camp just in
time for splash and answer mess
| call. at which a bountiful repast well
| cooked and well served. consisting of a
| delightful consomo, roast srloin of
1
ishes. lettuce, soft bread, hard bread,
| pie and coffee
| AT 2.3O the session opened with in
str.ct;oii in handling of infantry under
| artillery fire, under the direction of
Capt. Trott, in an able and compre-
| hensive manner, departing new
source of information never before
lrealized by a militia body, which
4 proved a most interesting topic Lieut.
| Standiford took a class for instruction
in correspondence and company ad-
ministration and among the topics dis
cdssed were, those of beneficiary. cas-
ualties in action, duty roster, efficiency
| report. field roster, firing and ciassiii-
| cation, furlough and morning report
Most of the papers are of the reorgani-
| cation plan and are entirely new to, the
Guard, being comprehensive in form
1 and easy of record. Lieut.. Crystal was
assigned to the task of instructihg in
map sketching, which included use OF
scales, contour, interval and direction,
conventional signs, profiling and visi-
Bile problems. and the scale in use IN
the United States army in reconnais-
ance and position sketches.
! Lieut. Houston was assigned to work
of explaining the object of. ard making
Of scale. used in sketching and map
reading. The officers have supplied
themselves with very ingenious arti-
Gle in the form of an Alidade scale,
which measures the strides of men and
horses and is the product of the Army
Service School at Fort Leavenworth
At 81 NJ. the men assembled Tor d
practical talk on outposts. Capt. Irott
conducted this session and brought OUT
in forceful and impressive manner
the practical side of this all-importah'
subject, such as is not contained in the
book and can be acquired only by ex-
PLANTATION from man of his intelll-
/ gence or by actual practice.