Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-07
|B|G GUN PRACTICE
| IS GIVEN BATTERY
District Artillery Fires Real
ShrapneI and Solid Shell
at Tobyhama, Pa.
MEN HIKE FOR MILES
OVER THE MOUNTAINS
Hope to Return to Washington With
Record to Their Credit-Prize
Fight for Saturday.
Special Dispatch 10 The Star.

shell whistled and shrieked over the hills
| and valleys of the Pocono mountains
early this morning. 1t was the first shot
| fired by the LIST Battery, Field Artillery.
| N. g. d. c., in its service practice with
| real shrapnel and solid shot. When the
battery left camp at s o'clock this morn
ing 1t hiked through the mountains for
several miles. under the leadership OF
Capt. Louis c. vogt, to point where the
targets were invisible to the men.
The problem was a supposition that at
lacking forces had been sighted, the IN
fantry being backed up by artillery. The
battery went into action in a thick woods
communication was set up between the guns
and Capt. Vogt's observing station, the
captain ascertained his data and tele-
phoned them to the executive officer of the
battery, Lieut.. George G. Wilson. who
megaphoned them to the chiefs Of sections
and gunners They in turn adjusted their
sights and trained the guns In the direc.
ton of the enemy. Commence nr1ng,
came over the telephone, was repeated
by the executive. and the chief OF the
| drst section ordered Fire. The NO.
man pulled his lanyard and the big
gun belched forth it's shrapnel. Three
| seconds later the second shot was nred,
and away off on the hills the shots could
be seen bursting over the targets.
Out After a Record.
All day the men worked with the
guns and as far as could be ascer-
tanned the morning fire was very sat
Iisfactory The men are out after
record and expect to return to Wash
Iington with the best score Of any Of
the militia batteries that .have visited
the Tobyhanna range this summer
The men, although excited were very
quiet and the target practice started
without any confusion. Quartermaster
Edward May and the entire kitchen de-
tail. cooks and all. prepared hot din
ner and carried it to the men in the
field, miles from the kitchen. Usually
batteries in the field have only the cold
start. but Quartermaster May believes
the men can shoot better with plenty
of good hot grub" inside of them.
Yesterday morning a simulated fir
after a long hike to get into position,
and during the afternoon subcaliber
practice had sway a short distance
from the District of Columbia street.
in the shape of infantry, supported
by section Of artillery. were moved
through the woods at q distance where
the men could just barely see them
the object aimed at. The men con-
tinued their success of Tuesday. fairly
Kidding the targets with the bullets and
eventually blowing them all to pieces.
went out with Battery B, Camden.
~ j.. and observed the fire of it's gun
ners with service ammunition.
Every night scores of the batterymen
lake south Of the camp. called Toby
hanna lake No. 1. There are three big
hotels around the lake and the mems
only chance to mingle with outsiders
Is obtained there.
Prize Fight Is Arranged.
Saturday night a prize fight will be
pulled off in the town hall at Toby
hanna between George A. Talbert. one
OF the District artillerymen, champion
| welterweight of the south. and George
A. Tyler. Battery D. L. s. A.. one of the
crack fist artists Of the army. The
fight will be for side bet and will go
to a finish. Jack H. Smith of the Dis
trict battery. one of Talberts seconds,
posted $50 for the local fighters ap-
pearance. Kid Harris. battery men,
Der. VIII also be in Talberts corner.
Talbert is training hard and is con-
fdent of making a knockout early in
the hight. George H. Davis. chief me-
chanic of the battery, is promoter of
the fight. Saturday will be pay day
for the local guardsmen. and the men
around and give them their -four bits"
a day. as they express 1t. The bonus
pay received from the District of CO.
lumbia will not be paid until the men
reach home.
The hospital tent is kept busy patch
ing up sore spots on the boys, as the
; long days In the saddle tell on them.
they being unaccustomed to this exer-
else. The sergeant bemoans the fact
that the ambulance is used only for
hauling visitors up from surrounding
points to visit the officers and hear the
band concerts. Long rows of arnica,
tale OF the hardship encountered by the
local boys bouncing and jogging along
roads.
Bowlders Block the Roads.
) High powders three and four feet
across are the main features of the
Icountry roads among the Pocono noun
) tains. The regular artillerymen are
taken out in details every morning
with picks. shovels and hatchets and
) make roads and trails through the
mountainous country composing the
sixty thousand acre government reser-
; walton here. With crowbars the large
: powders are rolled away and load upon
! load of ashes from the railroads are
being put down. but it will be several
years before the range can be made
, into a presentable military reservation.
/, For the past two days the horses and
timber drill has been conducted by
. First Sergt. Homer NJ. Mohr of the Dis
trict battery and he has been commend
ed by the regular officers for his excel
; lent handling of the limbers. The 18th
Cavalry Band gave a concert last night
attended by crowds from the surround
ing towns. while a dance was pulled
men,