Evening journal., 1915-09-23
VALUABLE LESSON
IN TRAINING CAMP
(Continued From Page Ono.)

ton. The movement grew tenfold un-
I'll the number of applications was /
so large that II was found necessary |
TO start a second camp which is now |
in progress with about 500 in attend |
ance.
The greatest lesson taught by the .
Plattshurg camp is the utter impos- I
sibility Of training a man so that he 4
may make proper soldier or officer |
IN short space of time. Those among |
the 1900 men who came TO Platts- |
burg with the opinion that he was !
10 leave there a properly trained sol
dicr did not have TO wait long i'm or /
der 10 be disillusioned The platts- |
burg experience riddled the idea
that in case OF war a million men
would spring to arms in this country
for tho defense OF the nation. It
might be well TO digress at this point
and inquire how the million men were
going 10 be armed. clothed fed and
otherWise properly equipped to say
nothing about being properly trained
as soldier, II such a mobilization
ever did take place they would make
The best cannon food ever served up
10 Zoe The men who attended the
Plattsburg camps viii dispense TO
their various localities. every state
west of the Mississippi was repre-
sented, and should act as mission
aries in the cause of preparedness
not necessarily for war but for the
enforcement OF peace.
Major General Wood at the clos
ing of the camp said that in four
weeks they had put the men through
a course Of instruction i'm practical
military tactics such as they would
not think OF putting the regular army
private through in less than four
months for fear he would become
discouraged and break down under
tho strain. It was real hard work
that was given TO the men at the camp
and the kind of work that benefited
everyone physically as well as men
tally. Every day from the start of
the camp the men were put through
military tactics and evolutlons that
demanded endurance, and intelligence
and attention mentally They were
also taught discipline and It was en-
forced by not only the regular army
officers but by the student officers
chosen among the men who showed
the most aptitude
NO man was given an advantage
over his follow and the duties. reeu-
lations and discipline were identical
with those of the regular army pri-
Nate with the exception that no guard
duty was done, this being omitted be-
cause regularly sworn soldiers are re-
quired to guard the government prop
erty and the men in the camp were
not sworn in in the nations service.
The country adjacent 10 Lake Cham
plain is admirably fitted for tho
mrnoeuvring OF large bodies of
troops, The men of the camp made
fun regiment and as regiment
took part In all manOeuvrcs with tie
$500 regular troops on duty at Platts-
burg The duties OF the day com
monced at $50 a. m. when every
member of the command was aroused
from his slumbers by the bugler. Ten
minutes later each company assem-
bled and went through twenty min
uies OF a setting up exercise. follow
ing this came breakfast and before
z o'clock each company street must
be cleaned up and every man ready
IN his regulation uniform carrying a
hity-pound army pack prepared and
rolled IN the regulation manner. This
pack consisted OF one-half a mans
shelter tent with blankets. rubber
! poncho. eating utensile bayonet and
what other belongings he carried
with him. These packs were carried
I by the men continually. no matter IL
they were only away from their camp
for few hours at "A time. This was
done TO accustom the mon 10 these
packs for the nine-days hike which
covered one-hundred miles.
Each day on the march tho men
/ carried these packs for many hours at
time and during the sham battles
and mancouyrcs which took place
each day over the rough and noun
famous country in northern Now
York This hike, as a Is colied. was
the eliminating experience of tho
camp and not only as "A test Of "a
mans physical chdirunce. hut also a
test OF sac knowledge he had gained
dnl ,ng the three weeks preliminary
\ instruction in the permanent camp al
Plattsbnrg barracks.
"rhc manoeuvres covering the nine
] days march were based on theoreti-
S cal attack coming from the Canadian
] border. with New York City as the
4 objective joint. There were fouI
thousand troops engaged in these
e. manoeuvrcs, divided into a Blue force
4 which was supposed 10 be the defend
\ ing force and Red force, which wa.
g supposed TO be the attacking army
4 The regiment from the instruction
camp was part of the Blue army.
o "The conditions were as near an
e preaching actual war as could possi
y bly, be devised. because it was impos
IT siblc to tell where the enemy was
: and It was necessary to set out to fin,
- him. because neither OF the twl
!, armies knew from day to day. Of tn
= course TO be taken on that day.
! Each night the camp was pitche
by the whole command and il wa
= wonderful TO see the discipline OK
!, hihitod by everyone when pitching an
> breaking camp. The rows of brow
> dog tents would spring up like mush
rooms. each company taking Il
. proper place in its respective reg
! ment In the morning. at a give
I. signal. the tents would come down a
!. quickly and be prepared for the pac
4 to be carried on the soldiers backs. S
4 rigorous were the regulations that n
J. field was v3cated by company o
4 regiment until that field had bee
|. scrupulously cleaned up and all rut
g bish burned so that it would give tn
appearance Of not having been occu
o pied by one man, let alone severa
+ thousand.
s There is so much 70 be said on tn
j. subject of military training camp