Evening star., 1914-08-07

States Infantry showed tne llstrlst
boys hoy to make advances under
heavy fire. a squad at time. ihe
regulars. under heavy equipment al.d
accompanied by a wagon train. went
with the District soldiers this morn
ing. The latter also had heavy equip
ment, and were given lessons on how
10 feed themselves in the field.
''Hostilities" Wait on Appetite.
shortly before noon. when the enemy
lost itself to the opposing forces, prob
ably by the consent of both parties
both sides sought something to eat
BY the time each army could see the
cook fires of the other nobody cared.
and nobody wanted to fight anything
except the food, and they made a fine
capture, even if they did not have
napkins and table covers to make it
inviting. Anything would have been
inviting after that tramp.
Knapsacks as Storehouses.
The cooks, when the mess call was
sounded collected some dry brush. gath
cred few logs and the fires were started.
out OF the knapsacks of the soldiers came
few potatoes, some bacon and such
other things soldiers carry for a lunch
to be grabbed OH the run minus the
familiar sign Please pay when served .
throughout the morning the sharp
crack OF the army rife could be heard on
al sides of the camp grounds. Skirmish-
erS went Scampering about the country
and every now and then observers would
see khaki-clad figure stick his head
from behind some sandhill or piece of
undererush. only to duck again when the
sharp crack of the rifle was heard
The fighting this morning was NOT a
sham battle In the strict sense of the
word Tor these soldier boys do not have
tnat KIND OF battles. 1t is the war game
they play, and real war game II is
1or II is test of the efficiency of the
officers and men of the militia to ascer
tam Just what they might be expected
70 DO under actual field conditions should
the United States engage in war with
some foreign power
100000 Rounds of Ammunition.
There are 100000 rounds of ammuni-
tion in camp for the use of the Dis
trict soldiers. and while this might
sound Ike real sham battle to the
ones instructed in army maneuvers it
is not The firing is for the purpose
OF allowing the officers and troops to
iocate the fire by sound only. For
smokeless powder is used and nothing
Is visible to guide either army except
nov and then when a soldier exposes
MS head or body from behind some
object which had protected him during
the hottest of the engagement
The District soldier boys had no diff
hculty in locating the smokeless fire
and when they did establish point
OF contact-this expression being the
technical term used by army officers
and meaning that the troops have met
ana are fghting-they put the
enemy" to rcut
While fighting little battles of their
own among the sand hills of Virginia
the troops from the District of Co
Nrrr1bi Ht..1f
campaigns of the war now raging in
Europe. There is much interest in
the big war and the bows can hardly
wait for the papers TO arrive in camp
Nearby papers are at a premium. for
there seems to be little effort to get
them into the resort at Virginia Beach
much less TRYING to get them to the
camp. and IL is only from the Wash
inSton papers that the soldiers get
their news.
Stars Dispatches Eagerly Read.
There is much appreciation of the
advance dispatches sept direct to the
camp by telephone and telegraph by
The Evening Star. These dispatches
are first received by Brig. Gen George
n. Harries. commanding the District
Of Columbia militia. and are imme-
diately manifolded and sent to the
numerous bulletin boards throughout
the camp grounds where they are
seized upon by the soldiers.
II is the Intention OF The Star to keep
the camp well supplied with the more i'm
portant war news dispatches during the
entire encarnpment. After the BOYS read
these brief dispatches sent over the wire
several hours ahead OF the arrival of The
Star. their appetItes are whetted for the
details which they find in The Star when
il arrives on the camp ground the morn
ing after its issue
After the battle was over Yesterday.
Brig Gen. Harries and his staff. includ-
ing Lieut.. Col \. l. Parmerter. L. S A.
adjutant general, d. c. Militia Col
Wilder. commanding the joint camp OF in
struction: Lieut.. Col. L. H. Reichelderfer.
Medical Department y. G. D. c.: Col.
Charles II. Ourand. commanding the LIST
Regiment of d. c. Infantry. Maj. William
S. Hodges, judge advocate generals de-
other officers OF the District National
Guard. as we'll as the enlisted men. went
TO the life-saving station at Virginia
Beach, where special life-saving drill
had been arranged for them.
The breeches buoy was sent out over the
water. aud one of the ife-saviRg crew
jumped in il and came ashore in much
the same fashion as would he done by
people on vessels which might be wrecked
on the Virginia coast Following the drill
Gen. Harries went through the station in
specting the boat equipment which is used
in connection with the rescues.
Ball at Casino Feature.
Then there was just time for return
ing to camp. getting the evening
meal, primping up in white uniforms
for the grand ball which was rendered
last night at the Casino by the man
agement and the residents of Virginia
Beach to the officers of the National
Guard of the District of Columbia.
The officers were on hand early. and
for nearly three hours they tangoed