Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1913-06-06
BIG DRILL GROUND
FINE VANTAGE FOR
MARTINSBuRG MOTORISTS


Camp Will be Converted into per.
msnent Army Poss---NaturaI Am
phithestre for the Maneuvers Of
Rare Scenic Beauty.
( Martinsbnrg motorists will have a
vantage point dnring the coming sum.
iner Of rare enjoyment. lust three
miles from Winchester and about ~
miles from here over one Of the bowt
and most beautiful country roads inr
I aginahle the 4. $. Government il
about 10 establish a cavalry post or
$500 men. A dispatch from Wash.
ington sass;
I AFTER bearing esclainla OF towns
IN dozen states Secretary Of War
Garrlsop has just signed an order dI.
recting about $500 Of the best drilf
ed cayalrymeu Of the United States
Army. from all sections Of the coun.
! try, to begin a siNty.das eneampment
July 90 ON 1900 acres Of land three
miles east Of Winchester Nal Gem
Leonard Wood chief Of stan, says
the eneampment Will consist OF tho
cream 81 the army.
n Will be one Of the Inrgest OF the
kind ever held in the United States
and theories Of cavalry naneuvsra
/ viii be tried out 10 demonstrate their
practioabiliiy In actual warfare The
general staff and many other high Of
noials win spend much time here AMI
military experts are coming from EN-
rope TO study the nanauvers. Officers
who Inspected the site aay II liz ideal.
and 1t Is possible that tile War Dee
partment win finally convert 4 into
ID regular army post.
A Beautiful Drill oeound
1 The plateau selected for the en-.
equipment Is almost IDEAL for great
drilling ground, There are some
ielevations on the surrounding hills
where with strong giasseH every man
/ etver can be- Witnessed with no troa.
I BILE al all. II Martinsburg and Win
chester could have searched the
Z world over II u doubtful II u
more spectacular show could have
been devised for midsummer enter
tainment
/ The presence Of some 1000 or 5000
/ troops during the time allotted will
be d great thing for both towns. Tne
cavalry branch OF ths services IL by
many experts considered the most
Interesting one from the military
1 viewpoint OF the army. This Is tins
arst effort Of the government to es.
tablish great cavalry parade and
Its development viii be watched with
the deepest interest.
a Permanent Post.
There Is small doubt OF The fact
tlIat the summer camping ground
viii be eventually converted into
permanent army post. The plateau,
country roundabout, climate, water
and everything else is almost ideal
/ for such a purpose and Il would be
difficult TO picture more seenical1y
beautiful section OF the Shenandoah
Valley. conceded to be one Of the
most beautiful IN the world.
4 The plateau itself as natural am
phitheatfe is almost as fitting as Il
IL had been made to order for spec.
tacuIar maneuvers. And every inch
4 OF il has been fought over In the civil
war. Where the army troops VIII
camp was once the winter camp ~
Stonewall Jackson and the strategic
battle ground Of that famous cain-
palgn. Winchester itself was the
scene Of some Of che biterest lighting
III vii be eealled
The historic old town, than
which there are none more pictures
u,e of history IN tie Old Dominica
win shortly take on some OF It's old
military pomp. President Cooper ef
the Northern Virginia Electric Light
\ Company said over the long distance
phone today that the drill ground
was southeast OF Winchester over
fine road. He appreciated the bene.
fits that Winchester would derive
but hoped that 1t would not bring
into the town an unruiy element.