The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-05
TASTE OF WARFARE
FOR STATE TROOPS
Virginia Soldiers Will Have
Active Part in Summers
Manoeuvres.
CAPITAL TO BE ATTACKED
More Than $4,000 Men Will Take
Part in Battle Of Wash
ington."
CAPITAL TO BE ATTACKED

Citizen soldiers OF Virginia will be
RiSen taste of actual warfare next
summer, when, with the troops Of six
states, they Will participate in huge
war game to be staged OIL Virginia soil
the outlines of which have lust been
received by Acknowledgement William
wilson Sale from the War Department.
which will superintend the manoeuvres
NO date has been set for the manoeu-
Nres' but 1T Is more than probable that
they will be held early in July, and
VIII last for ten or more days
The manoeuvres will take the form
OF an attack on the city OF Washing
ton. The Seventh and Eighth Divisions
OF tho National Guard. of which the
Virginia Volunteers are IN integral
part, viii take part in tho game The
seventh Division, formed wholly of
troops from tho state of Pennsylvania,
VIII be the attacking party, while
those OF Virginia. West Virginia, New
Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, rein
forced by cavalry from Fort N1yor, will
defend the city. The latter will be the
only members of the regular United
states army to take part in the attack
or defense
Virginia in LimeliEht
virginia will be strictly in the lime
light during tho manoeuvres. rs the
whole OF the game will be staged on
its SOIL. The attacking troops will land
al some point on Chesapeake Bay, while
me defending army will be scattered
over n wide territory to repel them.
This State Will furnish forty commands
OF infantry. divided into three regi-
ments of twelve companies each, ahd
one separate battalion of four com
panies; three batteries OF field artil-
lery; field hospital and one field com
pany of the signal CORPS
General a. l.. Mills, chief OF the Di-
vision of Militia Affairs Of the United
states Army, Will superintend the
manoeuvres
The defending army will be COM
manded by rgadier-Gcneral Charles
d. Gather. of the Maryland National
Guard, the ranking officer OF the Eighth
DIVISION. He has already taken steps
TO prevent the enemy" from outwit-
ting him and his soldiers
while the date OF the attack and de-
tense has not yet been set, il is stated
that IL VIII last at least ten days 1t
VIII be the most comprehensive war
problem hold by the militia since the
big manoeuVres at Manassas ten years
ago. More than $4,000 soldiers will
take part.
The Pennsylvania National Guard
comprises four brigades of infantry,
two squadrons of cavalry, four bat
teries of field artillery, two companies
va cHSihecis, one company or signal
corps and one field hospital. The de-
Tending army Will include thirteen reg
imcnts of infantry, three troops of
cavalry, five batteries of field artillery,
two companies of engineers, two com
panies OF the signal corps and two field
hospitals.
Richmond Well Represented
Richmond Will be we'll represented
at the manoeuvres. There are two bat
talions of infantry located here, the
TALON. which is not assigned to any
eGlment, and the Richmond Grays' Bat
TALON, of the First Virginia Regiment.
In addition to this. the field hospital Is
located here. a company of the signal
corps is being formed and last, but
not least. this city Is the home of
the Richmond lIowitZcrs, one of the
most efficient batteries of field artillery
In the militia, and the holder Of the
worlds record for n single days march.
The local company OF the signal
corps will have an opportunity to dis
tinguish Itself, and ii will have the
job OF transmitting orders to all corps
commanders, and will practically be
the eyes and ears of the defending
army. 1t is now In process of forma-
ton and is recruiting rapidly from
first-class material In its ranks are
some OF the best telegraph and tele-
phone men in the State. while Ii is we'll
equipped with expert signalmen. both
from the army and the navy, and has n
number of wireless operators enlisted.
II probably will DO mustered into the
state service before the middle OF next
month.