Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-09
\ MILITIA E.NcAMPMENT

The labor OF several officers is required
for some months in advance Of the day
when the troops actually get together
-
I'm addition to the details that have al
ready been mentioned. the troops must
be concentrated by train from their
home stations in distant states. and this
must b., done In very short time. for
the troops get little or no instructions
while on the trains Then, after the
maneuver is over, the troops must De
sent home and the campaign must be
planned SO that the final windup Will
find the troops near adequate railroad
or other shipping facilities. Last year,
in Massachusetts. 5000 troops with the
bulk of their impedimenta were loaded
on trains NJ Newburyport and started FOR
their home stations In less than twelve
hours. The problem OF getting 2o.e0
troops to and from the New York ma
neuvers will he much greater.
The task of arranging for the ma
neuvers is rendered still more dificult
by the necessity for planning the cam
paign so as to adapt il to the varied
training OF the militia taking part In II.
Objection has frequently been made TO
te old type of maneuvers such as the
one held at Manassas just after the
Spanish American war. from which en-
listed men and officers of the lower
grades got but little instruction. This
was a valid objection. and 50 long as II
lasted maneuvers could hardly be
success in this country. The new type
of maneuyer campaign is planned TO
eliminate this objection This is done by
having all troops make no marches for
at least three days of the eight days
they VIII be engaged in campaign. Ii Is
the duty of the chief umpire to make the
conditions surrounding the campaign
such that no marches would be made on
these three days IL il were actual war.
But these are not idle days. They
are spent in the same class of instruc-
ton that the troops would receive mad
they gone to a permanent maneuver
camp instead of to a maneuver cam
paign, and this instruction will be
suited to the training and requirements
of the particular militia being dealt
with. Some will be given close order
drills. others will be given drills in ex-
tended order. and others vii! be given
small problems in attack and defense
of positions.
'.These exercises fit the troops for the
duties they have to perform during the
other days when they are marching and
fighting, and are especially intended Tor
the instruction of the enlisted men and
Junior officers. The days that are spent
in marching and fighting are also full OF
instruction for these grades. but in addi-
ton they furnish the high commanders
ana IHelT StduS WIKI "
learn the duties they would have In time
of war and which they have so little
opportunity to learn in our service. and
cannot learn in the old style maneuver
camp.
For a long time 1t was believed that
the local opposition to maneuver cam
paigns would be SO great as to prevent
their being had in this country. II was
thought that farmers. and other property
owners would be so fearful that their
proDerty would be damaged or DESTROYED
that they would not permit troops TO
operate their land. No such diff
culties were found to exist i'm the two
maneuver campaigns that were had in
Massachusetts, one in 1909 and the other
last year. In both of these the troops
Unanswered over large areas and did so
without arousing local opposition; on the
contrary. the inhabitants of the sections
would be very glad to see the troops back
again They found that the officers and
enlisted men were very careful to avoid
unnecessary damage and that wherever
damage could not be avoided that II was
assessed by "A board of officers and paid
for on the ground with a promptness that
was not expected. The maneuvers
brought a temporary increase of business
to everybody in the community. The peo-
pie were great friends with the soldiers
and entered into the spirit of the game.
They learned that this sudden invasion
of their community was not the horrible
thing that some bad supposed Il would
be-"
Copyright. 1872 by W. A. Du Puya