Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-06-13
WAR PROBLEMS
Racking The Brains Of
Militia Officers
Al The School Of Instruction
On the Muster Field.
Hard Study aud Strict Discipline
Strong Features.

| first days session. The men enjoyed
a good nights slumber under canvas
| after an interesting evenings session
| in the administration building, where
| the work of the day was gone over in
review form, including a general dis
cussien and lecture by Lieut. Butcher.
I After the business of the session was
completed, an election Cor the Office OF
| major in the LIST Battalion, caused
| by the expiration of term of enlist
ment of Maj. George L.NMcL Presson
of Pennington. Major Presson was a
candidate for reelection with no OPP
position ard received the full vote
| for unanimous election. Major Pres
son. who is a good soldier. a good Of
acer and good fellow, received fun
congratulations from his fellow Off
GERS.
The day broke with al beautiful
dawn and first call was sounded at
| $50 and when assembly was blown. 10
| minutes later, nearly every man was
| assembled for roll call. After roll call
Lieut. Butcher put the men through
satting-up exercises-the exercises were
brisk and of uniform precision, which
included march In double time, twice
around the parade ground.
AT mess-call, $50 they filed into the
mess hall and partoek of a palatable
breakfast of cereals and cream. soft
boiled eggs, nice savory deerfoot
. sausages, baked new potatoes, warm
rolls and coffee.
At 730, the men We're assembled for
company drill and manual of arms.
The drill was in close order. Here
the company commanders had an OPP
portunity to observe what the men
under their command had to go
through in confirmation to the new
regulations, and many of them came
in for correction. The manual of
arms was taken up. and nearly all of
the field and staff participated. Here
also many corrections We're made. sur
prising some of them who had coddled
the impression that there was. moth
ing for them to learn; however they
accepted the corrections gracefully
and displayed a remarkable improve
ment at the close of the drill. Lieut..
Butcher is careful not to go into any
lengthy detail, taking everything step
by step and reserving the fine points
until the minor details are mastered.
At $50, recall was sounded.
At 900 o'clock, Lieut.. Butcher. with
detachment of field officers, set out
over the hills in the direction OF
Manchester. 10 take up terrain exer-
cises, formerly called tactical walks.
The exercises consisted in the follow
ing:
General situation: A Blue brigade
is camped at Waterville. The invad=
ing Red brigade is camped at Lewis
ton. The lst and 2nd Battaliens, 1st
Blue Infantry and Machine Gun pla
toon marching from Augusta 20 Man
chester. reached this point at A. M.
There is train load of valuable sup
plies at Augusta. 8 1-2 miles east OF
here, that cannot be moved north 70
Waterville, until 1880 p. NJ. because
| of repairs being made on the Maine
| Central railroad bridge. over the Ken
nebec river. The 3rd Battalion. LIST
| Blue infantry, is guarding the supplies
at Augusta.
Special situation: You are in
| command of the LIST and End Battal-
| ions and the machine guns. At this
| point a spy reports that force OF
| two regiments of Red infantry reach
| ed Winthrop, miles west of here, al
| 500 A. NJ, via the Nj. G. r. X. and
| detrained At this moment, sos A
| NJ, one of the mounted scouts from q
/ patrol on the Manchester Winthrop
| road rides up and reports that a force
| of the enemy, estimated at four bat
| talions of infantry. We're advancing
along the Winthrop misunderstanding
1 no i1n ~
advance guard was just entering East
Winthrop, 8 IL miles west of this
point.
Required: Your intentions. 2
Briefly, your reasons.
1 Here a council of war was insti-
tuted and the officers took the situation
up in detail in the time allotted II
was the general opinion that a scral
| was imminent, but suggested delay
| ing action in order, that they might
| repair the bridge at Augusta.
The men were required to give theii
| positions selected in delaying action
and their dispositions if this vicinity
was selected for resistance. The al
lotted time was creditably consumed
and Lieut. Butcher was much graft
i fled with the manner in which the
problem was so intelligently handled
showing in marked degree thu
| knowledge CLEANED from these instruc
tions of the past. At the completion
of these exercises, they marched bael
to camp and were overtaken on thu
way by a shower, arriving in caml
in time to wash up ond get ready TO
the "Tureen exercises in the mes
hall and replenish some ravenous ap
petites. A warm, we'll cooked AM
well served dinner of beef soup
stewed chicken, roast beef, boiled new
potatoes, other vegetables, biscuits
Ipies buildings. coffee and fruit was In
dulged in.
At 2 p. NJ, call was sounded TO
map problems for field officers, an
practical instruction in road sketch
for company officers.
At this point the regimental staff OF
Ulcers were supplied with war maps o
I.eayenworth. Kansas, and colored pin
representing two opposing forces, tn
pins representing by signs the differ
ent dispositions of etaclments. sucl
as patrols, advance guards and mail
BODIES, colored in red and blue 10 dis
| fi,,o ;ch rlin cit