The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-07-11
FORT oeLE7HORPE NEWS.
YOUNG OFFICERS BEING GIVEN
STRENUOUS TRAINING.
Training Camp Is a Place of Practical
and Systematic Work Toward Def.
mite End.

Camp Warden Mclean, Chicka-
mauga Park. July 3O.-The work in
camp has been going on at a steady
pace for the past two weeks. with the
stay of the first battalion at the rifle
range last week and the trip there
this week Of the second battalion as
the chief events of general interest in
camp.
The arrival today of the field artil-
lery was an event of special interest,
and Of the utmost Importance and en-
thusiasm to the three batteries Of field
artillery In the camp. Heretofore the
artillery has been without guns and
the cavalry without horses and the
infantry has had the laugh on them.
An accident which caused general
regret In camp was the death last
week Of Lieut.. Warden Mclean. of
Philadelphia. from injuries sustained
when he was thrown from his horse
while on drill. Lieut.. Mclean was a
former football star on the Prince
ton team and was fine specimen of
a man. physically and mentally. He
was attached to the 11th battery and
was much liked by the regular army
officers. his fellow reserve officers and
the candidates under him. The camp
was named In his honor. a very signal
honor for SO young an officer.
The trip to the Catoosa rifle range
Of the first battalion was made on
Sunday, June 20, and IL was O. pret.
ty stiff hike at that. The battalion
left camp at 8 A. NJ, under full
equipment, weight about 80 pounds,
and made the march to Catoosa by
ESQ p. NJ. where the shelter, or
dog" tents were pitched and in
which the men lived for the week.
The distance was about sixteen miles,
but the heat and dust. combined with
the fact that many Of the men were
out on leave until long after midnight.
made the trip an exceedingly hard
one. and many Of tho men were ex-
hausted and fell out. the ambulance
taking them into camp. The stay at
the range was one full of new ex-
periences for many Of the men. who
generally were glad to leave Saturday
afternoon for the return march to
camp. The trip back was made In
the cool evening and night and not
man fell out, although 1t was really
harder than that going out. for the
men had been on their feet practi-
cally all the time since 4.30 a. m.
The feet Of the men were somewhat
painful when they reached camp,
but otherwise they were in good spir-
lts and Col. slocum. the command
Ing officer Of the camp was SO pleas
sd that he himself stood by. and even
helped. as the men were served coffee
and sandwiches.
The first battalion arrived in camp
Mt 11.S0 p. m. and at 500 a. m. the
second battalion pulled out for the
range. 1t did not lose a man on the
trip by reason Of the fact that no
leave had been granted the night be-
fore and most Of the trip was made
before II became very hot. Camp was
reached at 11.30 o'clock.
The shooting on the range was con-
sidered very satisfactory on the
whole. as about half the men had
never before fired an army rife or
revolver. Some very excellent scores
were made by some OF the men.
Troop b in the contest made the best
score. with company IS as second.
Just as n mere matter Of inter-
est % the curious 1t may be stated
that the branch Of the camp exchange
az the rifle range sold out more than
300 bottles Of "pop"-cold bottled
drinks to the $50 men within less than
an hour after they reached the range.
This merely indicates the heat and
thirst of the men on their arrival. 1t
Ia not encouragement to buy the
drinks. as the doctors advise that the
cold drinks are very injurious. Later
on In tho week Col. Slocum visited
the camp and forbid their sale until
after $50 p. m, fact which cut
down the business OF the canteen
more than two-thirds.
One OF the very pleasant features
OF the life at the rifle range was the
work done by the Army Y. M. c. A
branch established there to provide