Evening star., 1914-08-10
DISTRICT militia
HOMEWARD BOUND
Expect to Reach Armories
Early Tomorrow Morning
Barring Delays.
SOLDIERS BREAK CAMP
AFTER WEEK OF WORK
Gen. Harries and q. S. Army Of
ficers Laud Men for Good Service.
Longer Period Advocated.

IIrMRIA, VIRGINIA BEACH, Va, Au-
gust 10.-This most successful camp In
the history of the National Guard OF
the District of Columbia ended this
morning at 10 o'clock. when the troops
boarded the train on the camp ground
starting their homeward voyage 10
Washington. which, they will reach
either late tonight or early tomorrow
morning. Only the special details or
auartermasters in charge of Capt q. M.
Nevil., camp quartermaster, were left
behind to see that the baggage and
camp equipment were loaded on trains
and then on the barge for the return
voyage to Washington.
The miltiamen arose at $50 this
morning. knocked down shelter tents,
rolled blankets, stacked guns and stood
by for forward march orders.
Many of the soldiers assisted in load
ing the big canvas tents and other
equipment on freight cars. All theh
boarded coaches for Nofolk, where the
command embarked on the steamer
Dreamland shortly after noon
There was much cheering and singing
among the soldiers while the elecNic
trains speeded them to the transport.
When plans Were made for the trip
the idea was 10 have the men reach
Chesapeake Beach about l o'clock Tues
day morning. but they said that if the
steamer strikes head wind and a strong
tide it probably will be late Tuesday morn
ing before she puts in at the dock.
Then the boys have the railroad trip to
Washington.
Many company officers are making
plans to sleep al the armories during
Tuesdays early morning hours. When
the guardsmen arrived at the dock at
Norfolk they had more than an hour to
wait for the steamer They stacked
guns and roamed about the streets, en-
joying themselves in varied ways.
1t now seems that it may be i'm
possible to get all the militiamen on
board the Dreamland, and some may
take the Washington steamer tonight.
Camp Was Too Short.
While this camp is pronounced most
successful in guards history. neverthe-
less it is claimed the time for training
the citizen soldiery at this camp is far
too short. If the camp period was ex-
tended for a period of from five to ten
days more than twice the military train
ing could be given the young men and
the money would be more than well re-
paid.
That is the view taken by Brig. Gen.
George II. Harries, commanding the Dis
trict of Columbia militia. THE lack Of
appropriation with which to extend the
camp perlOO Is a nanQlcap, SdlQ CeI
Harries this morning to a representative
Of The Star. Gen. Harries not only paid
tribute to the men. young and old.
trained and unframed, who have served
strong plea for an increase of the appro-
priation which would permit of an ex-
tension of the camp period to at least
fifteen and possibly twenty days.
SO far as such brief period Of field
instruction could be successful" said Gen.
Harries, this tour may be SO regarded,
but the time at our disposal. limited by
appropriation, is far too short. If we
days the results would be many fold
greater than those now possible of
achievement.
Harries Praises Men.
Never in the history of the brigade
has there been even nearly the present
number of officers and enlisted men under
canvas. Never has the physical average
been SO satisfactory. Never have the
sanitary conditions or the sick reports
been less subject to criticism. Conduct
has been on the high plane of many
years past Willingness to do duty has
best of service has often been evident.
The bulk of the proposition with which
We are dealing is necessarily of the
kindergarten variety. Every year the
large percentage of recruits demand
primary instruction. while the officers
and men who began to break in year
or so ago require, in many instances, much
more than they ought to require of edu-
cational supervision For the most part
though. the spirit has been fine and the
performance creditable.
The men have been well fed and
properly cared for. and will testify in
their persons as to the benefits derived
from these few days of soldier-life out
doors
with camp periods of from fifteen to
twenty days we could do much more
toward the making of fine physiques
and providing the country with men
who will at least have learned the mill
tary alphabet and be prepared to dis
more than one syllable"
U. S. Officers Laud Men.
With this praise to the officers and
men the camp closed and Gen Harries
departed for Louisville. KY In all OF
their soldier work the District fighters
aid well. according to the regular army
officers who were assigned to this
camp as instructors. The country
through which they operated was ideal
for conducting "A campaign. and. as ex-
planned by Col. William +. Harvey,
commanding the I'd Regiment of in
fantry. who recently visited Mexico, is
Just the sort of land through which
the District guard members would
have to travel should they be called
into service in Mexico.
During all the forenoon yesterday the
camp was a busy scene. Soon after
the morning gun bumped up the
sun as they say in army parlance
the soldiers began hustling about the
camp, packing material here and there
Their cots were folded and each man
carried his to the freight cars on the
siding. Tent pegs were loosened. guy
preparations were made for the gen
eraL'' when all tents fell.
Five minutes before o'clock. the hour
set for breaking camp, the bugler step
ned in front of Gen. Harries' tent and
sounded stand by" All the soldiers
went running to the tents that had
housed them for nine days. Gen. Har-
Iies and his entire staff We're stand
iug in front of the brigade headquarters
when the bugler sounded general.
when as II by one press of an electric
and everybody. officers. enlisted men
and civilians in the camp was without
:. home.
The soldiers Immediately got busy
rollng and packing the canvas The
rifles were stacked in the company
streets. and then the men picked out
their blanket rolls and put up their
%helter tents. which they slept in last
right with only blanket thrown on
as hustle and hustle, but the soldiers
showed the work of hard training. for
there was not q hitch in the prepara-
lions Every man had been taught his
lob in the movement OF breaking camp
and he did and things went we'll