The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-09-28
LESSONS OF THE PLATTSBuRG CAMP
Need For More Thorough Military Preparedness
Shown Most Strikingly-Sense of Responsibility
and Obligation To Country Emphasized

all parts of the East, as far West as
Chicago, and 3s far South as Florida,
went into camp at PlattsgNrg, n. Y,
for the purpose Of preparing them
selves 10 serve their country should
the need arise. For a month they
worked harder than any regular re-
Cruit In the United States regular
army ever worked, under rigid diScl-
pine, and with a determination and
spirit that led General Wood to make
the statement when camp broke on
September a, that they had covered
ten times the ground required or eX-
pected of the regular recruit in the
same length Of time.
The last ten days Of the encamp
ment were given up to maneuverS In
which some four or five thousand
troops, mostly regulars, were I'M
ployed, and though this business
mans regiment was composed for the
most part of young men, many of
whom had been noted college h
letes and almost all of whom were
in good physical condition before
they came to the camp, it could not
move on an average more than seven
or eight miles a day, and at that it
crawled into camp at night dog tired
and foot sore.
was enlisted at the Plattsburg
camp during the whole period, at
tached to an automobile machine gun
company, n had the opportunity OF
observing perhaps more than those
who served as infantrymen, and it Is
my purpose in this article to give
some of my impressions and draw
some deductions from the lessons
learnt up there Of the lack of pre-
rarcdness against war that exists in
the United States today.
During the maneuverS my troop
was attached for the most part to
the regular United States cavalry Of
the red army, whereas the business
mems regiment belonged to the blue
army. SO we had countless oppor-
t~unities to observe them come into
positions for attacks on concealed
positions hat we held. and to COM
pare them to regular troops.
The most interesting comparison l
noted was the day when the Thirtieth
United States Infantry. on q practice
"hike' from Fishkill to Plattsburg, a
distance Of close to 800 miles, swung
into camp about 5 p. m, after march
ing over 80 miles that day. I suppose
they felt tired, though they didn't
look it, and when the band swung
their instruments off the wagons and
struck up, Cheer, Cheer, the Gangs
All Here" they stepped out In a
manner that made you feel they could
then and there lick their weight in
wild cats if any had been around
and they brought forth from the
businessman's regiment. when they
passed them, some of the most spon'
taneous cheers OF admiration ! have
ever heard.
Compares Regulars With Rockies.
l am comparing these splendid.
trained regular troops with the bust
nessmen at the n Of some Of theil
days marches on the maneuver
xthOr thau nod pAnn 1noo <hap 4, xhi,~<
OF the distance these regulars has
gone n when they limped into camp
lame, dog tired, unfit for anything bu
rest under their shelter tents, thougl
game to the core. For there neve
was a regiment Of volunteers raise
in America with a better spirit an,
personel than this regiment had,
body Of men far above the averag
physically and mentally, and deadly j
earnest about the work they were dc
ing, but those seven miles under ger
orally ideal weather conditions VOL
them GU completely. Remembe
that they represented the best of tn
million men who would spring I
arms between sunrise and sunset
the nation were attacked, plus tn
advantage Of a months hard trainin
to fit themselves for the war gam
they were playing.
Then there was the comparison b.
tween them and the regular trool
when they went into action. Ofte
we would see them at ranges Of 1,0(
yards or more in close order, whit
Is the time q machine gun can be
great service. n we would open fl
on them. Now when a machine q
opens fire on a massed body Of m,
at 1000 yards, that body wants
take cover just about as quickly
II can, for a machine gun can thre
In between 200 and 800 shots p
minute. n it doesn't take long
get on the target. But the bushes
men didn't understand taking GOV
at speed. They would duck tn,
heads and lope off for a tree or
stone wall. being perfectly good t.
gets all the while. However. when
opened fire or a body Of regulars,
about fuyn oncOndd <horo mo