Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-27
OFFICERS CAMP OPENS
At CAMP LEE JANUARY 5
Enlisted Men Wondering Who Will
Form Their Quota for
Commissions.
40 TO BECOME OFFICERS
Number of Applicants Reduced to
300 by Process OF Elimination
1000 Engineer Officers Also to
Train There

CAMP LEE. December 2s--Who will
to appointed to tho third training camp
TOR line officers is :hc most important
tonic before tho men of the EiEhticth
DIVISION. The camp viii open on Janu-
ary .. aud wll have approximately $50
candidates for commissions. who are a,
present privates or nonconmissioncd
oi!ccrs AZ this place. The number of
applicants has, been reduced by tho
brigade examining boards TO 900 and
tho division examining board which
w!ll make final decision. began its OK
animation Of these mon this afternoon.
This board is composed OF Lieutenant
Colonel F!tzhuEh Ice. Prcs!den, and
Majcr-Gcncral T.. Hawcs and Major
Campbell
i was an excellent lot Of u.cn that
were examined this afternoon They
represented the pick Of the National
ARM and final selection will mean an
unusual compliment TO the intelligence
and efficiency. The successful appli-
cants viii not be made known until i'm
mediately before they are 10 be trans
fcrrcd from their commands to the
training camp.
Cand dates for the engineers train
ing camp are being examined sepa-
Fataly and appointment 10 the cnGi-
"ccrs camp is not depcnden, upon A
percentage Of the enlisted personnel Of
ans command. Most OF the engineer
candidates are at present noncommis-
s'on"d officers in the 305th Enriueers.
but few men who have received en-
gincering cducations are now assigned
to duty with other commands in the
a Ii.sFS Sfy.,,
the engineers examining board. This
- con posed OF Major +. II. Roper, Cap
tain w. 4. Grunow and Lieutenant s.
II. Sherrcrd This board recommends
such applicants as they deem capab!.
and fnal action is in the hands of
Colonel George Il. Spalding. the com
m" nding officer Of the 3O5th Engineers.
THOUSAND ENGINEERS
ALREADY COMMISSIONED
/; was learned to-day that Of :he
1000 men who will attend the engi-
neers's training camp. ] 600 have al
ready received commissions, but Will
be assigned 10 duty at the school 10
receive the additional instruction nee
essary for their success as an army
engineer. All have established them
selves in civil life as civil engineers
prior 10 the receipt of their commits
sion. one thousand of the men 10 be
At this school are now enlisted men
in the army OF the United Sts,es.
Rehcarsals for the minstrel show of
the Three Hundred and Eighteenth In
ianiry have begun, under the direction
OF Captain :. j. Raymond. The initial
performance OF the troupe will he given
in Richmond the latter part of January.
special costumes have been purchased
from Philadelphia theatrical house,
and with the excellent material in the
company = Creditable show will be pre-
scented The rcgimental band will take
part in the performances. as will the
reGimental chorus of several hundred
voices. The members OF this regiment
presented performance in Richmond
on Thanksgiving night which was ia
vorably criticized by all who saw it,
Drills were not held to-day. as the
four inches of snow that covered the
drill fields prevented outdoor work. 1t
added another day TO the Christmas
holiday period.
officers Of the division are expecting
the 5000 men who are yet due at the
camp in the immediate future. The ar
rivals ut camp for the past month have
been negative. but as soon as the holi-
day rush of railroad traffic has slack
ened. it is believed that the men due
from West Virginia and Pennsylvania
Will he Forthcoming. West Virginia
still owes 1000 men. and Pennsylvania
is due 1000 Nirginias quota is practi-
cally complete.