Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-21
TROOPS At CAMP. LEE
TO SLEEP IN DuCOUTS
Rooms Now Bong Constructed
Thirty-Five Feet Under Ground,
Duplicating War Conditions.
FELL TREES TO GET LUMBER
Men Hew Virgin Timber rs They
Must DO In Francc-Trenches Ex-
act Replicas Of Those in Europe.
Interest Shown I'm Choral Concert.
IFrom . STAR correspondent.I

IFrom Staff Correspondent
CAMP LEE, December 2o.-Pennsyl-
vanians. members of the Three Hun
dred and Nineteenth and Three Hun
\ dred and Twentieth Infantry Resf-
ments, will testify that snow, slush and
mud are not sufficient reasons to de-
afIays the construction OF tho sector OF
trenches. which the Three Hundred
and Fifth Engineers had planned to
have built at Camp Lee. Two thous-
Il and of the Pcnnsylvanians are at work
s daily on the sector. and each night.
with the mud clinginE to tho clothes,
q they return, with as much evidence
y that trenches are not healthy places to
L live in las J.: they had seen weeks
active service on tho western front.
y n "a two -mile stretch OF front line
trenches must be constructed. and back
OF those second line trenches, COM
munication trenches and all those other
details that must be finished before tho
piece OF work is an exact replica Of
kecsor on the European battle fields.
, Tbirty-nve feet under the ground.
sleeping chambers are constructed, and
before the men 20 over there they will
spend days and nights on the minia-
ture western front in Camp Lees mo
mans land"
iis These dugouts have communicating
trenches to the main line. so that the
men eau easily reach tho danger zone
when an attack Is made. Bunks in
those sleepinE quarters are construct
ed, not from lumber purchased from
mills, but from trees which the men
cut in nearby woods. Every detail OF
the work is handled as IL the men wore
in battle zone and away from tho
help Of nearby mills and other ave-
nues OF supply. Machine gun emplace-
menss. at strategic points of the de-
tense. lend additional reality to the
mimic warfare that is peing staged
here.
vIRGINIANs SOON BEGIN
CONSTRUCTION OF TRENCHES
Virginia regiments will see service
in the construction Of the trenches
next week. Four days next week a
battalion will be detailed from the
Three Hundred and Eighteenth Infan-
try.
The Three Hundred and Seventeenth
Infantry Is still in quarantine, and does
not participate in work in conjunction
with other regiments. Their drills and
other work continues, but only tho men
from this particular regiment are al
lowed to be together. First, measles
was the cause of the quarantine, but
now mumps has obtained q foothold
among the members. If the quaran-
tine Is not lifted by Christmas 1t will
mean that the men will not be allowed
to leave here during the holiday period.
Much interest is being manifested in
the visit Of the Male Choral Society of
Richmond, which will give a concert
in the 7. NJ. c. A. auditorium on Satur-
day night. Seventy members of the
society, are expected to participate in
the program. and capacity house will
probably hear the performers. The
visit Is arranged through Secretary
Winfrey, of the Commission on Train
ing Camp Activities. and is appreciated
by the Y. NJ C. A. organization and by
the men of the army.
LARGE CROWD ATTENDS
AUDITORIUM ENTERTAINMENT
One Of the largest crowds that has
camp witnessed the entertainment
given In the Y. NJ. c. A. auditorium
tonight by the men from the south
wing OF tho camp. 1t was an excel
lent program and indicated the YER
satility of the men OF the National
Army. Numbers OF tformer vaudeville
stars, who .-aree now soldiers of the
United States. returned for one night
to the work OF their former profess
sion. Tomorrow men from the cast
wing of the camp. with the exception
of the Three Hundred and Seventeenth
Infantry, will participate in the pro-
gram.
The date of the arrival of BriEadier-
General Wiles p. Richardson. who has
been ordered by the War Department
to report to this camp as the com
1nandins officer Of the depot brigade
is yet unknown at the division head
quarters. General Richardson will as
sumo the command recently held by
Brigadier- Gcneral Herman Hail. who
was ordered to report at another COM
mand several weeks ago. There are
now three brigadier- generals in the
camp. These arc General Lloyd Brett.
(. OF the One Hundred and Sixtieth Brj-
gade and acting commanding officer
OF the division; General G.. G. Heincr,
OF the One Hundred and Fifty-fitth
Brigade. and General Charles s. Farms
worth, Of the One Hundred and Fiftv
ninth Brigade.
Regimental drills and reviews have
not been held for the last ten DAYS.
Company commanders have been drill
4 Ing their men in various details. but
the weather has forbidden a larger
number going out at one time. Drill
grounds were practically cleared of
snow to-day. and tomorrow, unless
other interference OF the weather ia
occasioned. full regimental drills viii
be held.