Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-08
FORT MYER NAMED
AS DRILL GROUNDS
Mobilization Camp at State Fair
Grounds Will Be Closed When
Troops Go to Mexico.
WOOD NAMES ARMY POSTS
Artillery and Cavalry Still in
Camp Here Awaiting Orders
for Movement to Front.

Mobilization camps in most OF the
twenty-five states of the Department
o. the East will be discontinued it was
announced last night at divisional head
quarters. Governors Island. New York.
as soon AS the last National Guard Or
ganization called out by the President
has departed for the border
with the closing of the camps. re-
cruits will be trained at army posts
already designated. according to an
order issued yesterday by Majov-Gcn-
eral Leonard Wood
1t was found that the contempla ted
plan of maintaining the State camps
Tor training recruits would enforce the
absence of scores of regular army and
National Guard officers from their bor-
der commands. Under the new plan
the recruits will be trained by the
regular army officers stationed at the
posts.
Among the army posts designated
are:
Virginia and District of Columbia
Fort Myer. Va
Tennessee. North Carolina and
Georgia-F6rt Oglethorpe. Ga
, u h Car o / i a-Fort Moultrie.
Charleston.
General Wood said last night de-
pendents OF national guardsmen have
hooded him with letters and kilograms
requesting him TO discharge guardsmen
as a result of the recent War Depart
ment order. He said he wished it
emphasized that soldiers with de.
pendents cannot be discharged by the
commanding officer OF the department
untii the request is first made by the
soldier with corroborating evidence
MAJOR JOHNSON SUCCEEDS
COLONEL DELAWARE SkERRETr
Following the departure of the First
and Second Regiments of Virginia Vol
unteers for the Mexican border ,Thurs-
day the military situation in Richmond
ana the state yesterday was the quiet
est since the first call for mobilization
OF Nirginia's troops was issued by
president Wilson. There was only the
routine business of the Headquarters
o!lcers and drilling OF the soldiers still
encamped at Camp Henry Carter
Stuart
Major j. c. Johnson, of the Depart
ment of the East. arrived yesterday
and succeeded Colonel Delaware Skier
rett, who has been acting as the War
Departments inspector with the Vir
ginia troops. Colonel Skerrett re-
turned TO Governors Island. New York
last night Major johnson, immediata
~ after taking charge began a close
inspection of both the camp at the
rair Grounds and that located at Sher-
wood Park, where the Richmond How
itzers are encamped He was accom-
panied by Lieutenant Colonel 10 Lane
Stern. of the State forces and both
agreed that the camps were satisfac-
tory In every way.
The friction between Colonel Skier
rett and the State officers which led
TO the War Department beine requested
TO recall HIM. was the result of "a mis-
understanding, il was stated Yesterday.
and before the inspector departed for
New York, all differences had been ad-
justed. Explanations had been in prog
ress for several days. and an under
standing was finally reached ending
all friction between them. and later
the state officers offered no objection
10 his presence at the camp
FIELD WITHIN RACE TRACK
Is NOW DESERTED
|, The withdrawal of the two regiments
| from Camp Henry Carter Stuart. left
the Fair Grounds yesterday resembling
" Bid't where SOME vast ca tfnlNal nau
been in progress, hut after every one
/ had departed Where once there had
stood hundreds Of tents, there was hut
1 IN open field Of the oval within the
race track. There only remained The
/ brigade headquarters. and the tents OF
the Signal Corps, which ar" located
/ some distance from the race track and
just off tho Midway.
Remaining iii the camp Yesterday
We're more than 400 men that had heen
| rejected because of physical diSa bilities.
and these are being mustered out and
| sent home rs rapidly as their certificates
! can he made out aud signed The dis
! qualified men will receive pay for their
/ services since they reported at tho
| camp, and will receive transportation
/ home.
/ Captain A NJ. Ship. United States
! Army. mastering officer. continued
busy during the day. He will remain
nt the camp until all troops leaNc after
which II would he impracticable to
/ clothe. feed and equip such recruits
as may report At the Fair Grounds
| He will then be removed Ia Fort Myer.
! which has been designated hy the de
| partment to receive all recruits from
| Virginia and nearby States. Consid
continued on Third PageD