Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-06-14

put the men in excellent mood for this
strenuous task, and they went at it
with the zest of Il class Of Seniors on
final exams. so thoroughly imbued are
these men with the work at hand, they
carry the spirit To their quarters ami
scatter about the camp. in small gath
e,ines they discuss among themselves
the different problems and some
healthy and interesting discussions are
indulgca in. The map problem taken
up was an interesting one from many
points Of view and contained the fol-
lowing:
Situations: Major A, 1st Blue Infan-
try. with his battalion and a machine
gun platoon and six mounted scouts
arrived at Littletown in friendly ter
ritarv, late on the evening of June 6.
He heard that Red detachment of
about 2 battalion had gathered "A large
quantity of supplies at Gettysburg and
is To ship them to their army, near
Harrisburg, by the Gettysburg & Har-
risbure Il. Il. tSame as Philadelphia &
Reading r. R.)
Major A learned during the night
that due to break in the railroad. the
tives IN time to load and move these
supplies before noon of June e He.
therefore, marched from Littletown by
the Baltimore turnpike at $50 A. NJ.
to prevent the shipment of supplies.
BY $50 A. NJ, Mai. a, with his
support has reached the junction of
the farm road 50o yards southeast of
st. Mary'ss church and has obtained
the following information:
THE enemy kept part of its force
in Gettysburg to guard and load the
supplies and has marched the remain
der out on the Baltimore Turnpike
where they are now in position across
the road on the line of the east edge
of the orchard 200 yards south of S.
Horn. No hostile machine guns have
been observed. The Red line extends
about $50 yards on each side of the
Baltimore Turnpike and the enemy
has small parties with signal flags on
hill 567 teast of Wolf hiID and on
hills 484 and ass (south of s. Horn.
The support of Maj AS battalion
is Co. A, less the patrols now out.
amounting to one officer, y. C. O's.
and is men. The remainder of Mai.
AS force is nov closed up near 525.
White Run is nearly dry.
Small hostile spatrols are active in
watching Blue forces.
Required: Maj. AS estimate of the
situation, decision and orders.
The regulation war maps of Gettys-
burg Were used in the problem.
While the field and staff officers
were wrestling with their situation,
the company officers were plodding
the ins0aked roads in the direction
of Winthrop. taking up Terrain exer-
cises. dealing with the problem of
Advance Guard. This is one of the
most interesting studies in the regu-
lations and one in which our hardy
Maine boys are particularly adapted
to. They set about their work with
enthusiasm and zeal knowing well
tnat they are getting a fund of knowl-
edge that has cost this government
great deal, and they are getting at
the fundamental principles of the
theory without the formality of the
preliminaries attending these studies
in the Army schools.
The problem taken up and the sit
uation given is as follows.
THE Kennebee river separates two
countries at war. A Blue brigade is
camped at Togus with one regiment
of Infantry at the muster field. A Red
brigade is camped at Lewiston. A spy
reported to the Brigade commander at
Togus, that one battalion of Red In
fantrY was eamped at Winthrop and
had gathered large quantity Of sup
plies. The Brigade commander order
ed Col. y. in command of the Blue
regiment at the muster field to pro-
coed on the morning of June 13 to
Winthrop with his command and
capture the supplies. Major a, in
command of the LIST battalion. with
so mounted scouts. is detailed TO
act as advance guard of the regiment
You are Maj. A. Required. Your dis
positions for the advance guard. in
Guiding the use of the mounted scouts
At this point what further patrols
have YOU sent out? When the point
of the advance guard reaches this
cross road you receive Il message
from the Colonel that the regiment
will halt for half-hour. What action
do YOU take2
When YOU reach this point you re-
ceive word from the commander of
the support that the point received