The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1916-10-05
FIRST REGIMENT
TO GUARD. Al l. line
SOON WILL BE AssIaNED TO
4, ACTIVE PATROL DUTY.--MAkE
sHoWiNo.
NEWS FROM BORDER CAMP
A Weekly Letter, Prepared Especially
For Our Readers, From the South
Carolina Guardsmen Encamped at
Fort Bliss, Texas.

ror our Readers, From the South
Carolina Guardsmen Encamped n,
Fort Bliss, Texas.
In Camp with the South Carolina
Brigade, In the lei Paso Patrol District,
The First South Carolina infantry
VIII soon be distributed over a 80.
mile outpost line from Las Cruces.
New Mexico, to Fort Hancock, Texas.
The regiment will be broken into
companies and assigned to OUTPOST
stations at the small towns east and
west OF El Paso
The combined First and Second
regiments Of South Carolina infantry
marched as one regiment in the big
military review parade. and although
they are recent arrivals at the Dor.
der lost fewer men through exhaus-
tion than the troops Of any other
state.
Arriving at o'clock in the morn.
Ing the men did not complete the re-
view until nearly sundown. Besides
being under restraint all day the SOL
diers marched 20 miles with field
equipment. That the South Carolina
men so ably stood the experience
speaks we'll for their natural endur-
ance, because they have not passed
through the hardening process the
other troops here have received.
Brig. Gen. Roger Williams OF Ken
tucky commanded the provisional
brigade. which was created for the
occasion by merging South Carolina
and Kentucky troops
Field training by regiments began
III the South Carolina camp Septem.
Der 18th and continued to the 25th.
Both OF the regiments were inspected
and reviewed by member of the
STAFF Of Brig. Gen. George Bell, Jr!,
commanding the El Paso district
The regiments were out in full force,
the machine gun companies with
their Levi: guns OH the motor trucks
being along with the rest Of the
units comprising the regiments
Both organizations showed up nicely.
Since coming to the border over
six weeks ago the Palmetto regiments
have been trained In companies and
battalions and are now working on
training by regiments. This will be
followed by field training Of the
brigade under Col. w. K Wright.
The South Carolinians were in pretty
good shape when they came to the
border and the service they have
gone through with here has hardened
and seasoned them and brought them
to high state of preparation for SOL
diere.
South Carolina is said to be the
third best drilled, best equipped and
best trained National Guard organi-
zation on the border. The state. OF
Massachusetts is generally credited
with heading the list That South
Carolina ranks third is very crafty
ing when everything is taken into
consideration. The Palmetto regi
ments are equipped much better than
the average National Guard organiza
ttOn and came to the border much
better In this respect than the aver
age guard organization, according tC
gossip around the camps. or course
nobody has made any official state
AAohS oh Ihlo MdLlGk anu VIII pIOD
ably not do so, but this is what i.
heard almost every day in comments
from those who ought to know
When the final rating is made there
Is little doubt that South Caroline
will be in the front rank Of efficiency
training and In every way.
Massachusetts, first, Michigan sec
Ond and NSoNth Caroline tL}ra .,, -,
standing Of the National Guard or
ganizations from unofficial remarks
which have been picked up. Botf
Massachusetts and Michigan were or
the border six weeks before the Pal
metto troops came and If this stand
ing is correct the showing Of the
South Carollnians is surprisingl,
gratifying. Give them the same per
iod on the border and the same time
I'm field training and South Carolina's
lads will go to the top. The officers
and men have worked hard and faith
fully since coming here and If every
National Guard Organization has talk
en- advantage Of Its opportunities as
the Palmetto boys have done It's go
ing to be hard to tell them from the
regular army.
The biggest review Of any army
held since the Union army paraded
up Pennsylvania avenue in Washing
ton at the close OF the War Between
the States will tahe place in Ell Paso
on Thursday when 10000 olive drab