Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-08-15
TRAINING SCHOOL
DESCRIBED FULLY
LOCAL MEMBER OF MILITARY
CAMP TELLS OF MANY DE-
TAILS OF LIFE THERE.

In a letter to his parents ME- an,
Mrs. F. l.. Root, 312 North Court stree'
Howard +. Root gives an extremely IN
teresting and varied account ana de'
scription of the business mems military
training camp which has been held az
PlattsbuTg, n. Y, for the past month
Mr.. Root, who is medical student a.
Harvard university. is one of those lr
attendance at the training school. The
letter follows:
Company NJ, Seventh Regiment
s& in camp at
Clintonville, n. Y
Dear Folks:
We left Pattsburg on Monday about
a. m, marching on an oiled road along
the shore of Lake Champlain to poln'
near the mouth of the Little Ansabie
river. The morning was very sultrs
and we would have had many drop outs
except for a little lake breeze. we
pitched our little pup tents about noon
and were called Immediately for mess
There we made the acquaintance Of the
famous army "mulligan' which being
interpreted means stew 1t was Watery
and served from q large ash can, but II
certainly filled a long and painfully felt
want The coffee we drank by the pint
and this is to be said for our grub
there is always enough of 1t.
The afternoon gave us an opportunity
to splash about in mud hole nearby
BY evening what with the return OF all
campers from the water and the as
semblage of sightseers, ice cream
stands, farmers wives selling ice cream
etc, our camp became a lively city
Major General Wood accompanies the
camp, and with his queer, collapsible
combination office and tent constantly
dignif1es our expedition.
We turned in at 10 o'clock, turned
out at 4:30, had breakfast at 5:15 and
by o'clock the camp had disappeared
Nothing was left above ground except
q few ashes. The rapidity with which
and break camp is astounding. In few
minutes, seemingly, a bare field be-
comes city Of tents with telegraph
station, long distance phone connec-
tons, post office, Y. Nj. c. A., dispen-
sary and cook tents and In as short a
time it disappears.
Yesterdays hike took us to Keeseville
where we INDUCED in little practice
ekirmish. Our regiment was defend
ing force with orders to delay the ad-
vance Of the other three regiments till
our own hypothetical reserve could be
brought forward from a point suppos-
eddy a twenty four hours march dis
tant. Our battalion held a sector on the
left and received the brunt Of the at
tack Of the advancing force. We had a
field battery which surprised one OF
their columns in close formation, thus
putting it out Of commission temper
arily according to the rules Unfor-
tunately the umpires were not at that
point and we didn't get credit. Oul
company, acting as reserve force
was rushed forward through many
harbed wire fences and much sand in
time to fire all our blank cartridges al
the enemy just as they emerged from a
road for an advance across an open
field. OF course, outnumbering us three
to one. they soon drove us back. and
not without injuries either for in the
excitement of the moment they charged
right up to us with fixed bayonets and
one of our chaps got a slight cut.
On the whole, the maneuvre was a
fizzle owing to lack Of umpires, failure
OF some Of our patrols to get informa-
tion of the advance Of the enemy and
finally to the loss of control of the
enemies men in their bayonet charge.
Our camp was in a fiendish place. a
high sandy plateau overlooking the
Ausable river. A high wind blew a con-
slant cloud Of sand through the camp,
and our tents fell repeatedly because
the sand would not hold the tent pins.
But we had several bonflres at night
and good singing and on the whole had
good day.
Today's march has taken us up the
valley of the Ausable river, we'll into
the Adirondacks. Our road climbed up
and down the side of the valley and a
fine yellow dust rose in such clouds
from under our feet that at times the
men fifty feet in advance were COM
pletely hidden from view. Our maneuv-
re for the day Is riddle yet. Our COM
pany was in reserve and so thoroughly
80 that we didn't see the enemy. But
we have cotking camp site. grassy
field on the bank Of the river. I had
time for a swim before dinner today
and consequently enjoyed our frank
forts, potatoes and coffee more than
Any meal yet.
President Lowell Of Harvard, Presi-
dent Hibben Of Princeton, Secretary Of
War Baker and General Wood are all
In camp today. Secetary Baker is to
make an address tonight.
The personnel Of the attendance at
the camp is surprisingly diversified.
Owing to the fact that the training
camp at Fl. Ogelthorpe, Ga. was given
W there are many southerners here A
surprising number of western men is
10 NC louIlu 1Hcy range III age lTOIu
large party Of high school boys from
Buffalo, N. Y, to professional men Of
fifty years or so. Across the way from
my tent are Judge, minister and a
doctor. In our tent, public school
teacher from New York. college in
structor, Virginia minister, a medical
student. a newspa per reporter and two
college men from mills in Cleveland
and New York. bring a s divergent point
OF view to the military training expert
ence as are their professions and train
ings. With Love,
Howard.