The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-04-21
FOURTEEN OFFICERS CAMPS.
TRAINING OF CITIZENS BEGINS
ON MAY 8.
Ten Thousand Officers Expected to BE
Available for Duty When Recruits
are Ready.

where reserve officers and applicants
for commissions in the new war army
will receive intensive military instruc-
tions was authorized today by secre-
tary Baker.
The camps will be opened May
and the courses Of instruction under
officers and noncommissioned offiSers
of the regulars begin May s.
In selecting locations the war de-
partment was guided largely by the
lines Of the proposed divisional train
ing areas. The places selected are:
For North Carolina, South Carolina
and Tennessee. Fort Oglethorpe, Ga.
For Georgia, Alabama and Florida,
Fort Mcpherson, Ga.
For Indiana, Ohio and, Kentucky.
Fort Benjamin Harrison, Ind.
For Arkansas. Mississippi and Lou
isiana. Fort Logan. H. Root. Ark.
For Oklahoma and Texas, Leon
springs, TexaS.
For Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota,
South Dakota and Nebraska, Fort
Smelling. Minn.
For Missouri. Kansas and Colorado,
Fort Riley, Kan.
For the New England States. Fort
Ethan Allen, or such other points in
New England as may be designated
by the commanding general of the
Eastern department. ~
For Long Island. New York city
and territory Immediately north of
New York city. Plattsburg barracks.
For the remainder of New York
State and eight congressional districts
Of Pennsylvania, Madison Barracks.
n. Y.
For the remainder Of Pennsylvania,
including Philadelphia and Pittsburgh,
Fort Niagara, N. Y.
h, For New Jersey, Delaware. Mary
land and Virginia. Fort Myer Va, or
such other place as the commanding
general of the Eastern department
may designate.
For Michigan. Illinois and wiscon-
sin, Fort Sheridan, Ill.
For Montana. Idaho, Washington
'Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah,
Wyoming, Arizona and New Mexico,
the Preside, at San Francisco.
Reserve officers and others admitted
to the camps will be notified to re-
port between May / and at the
camps nearest their home. Those Sc
lected for admission may reserve
transportation, subsistence and uni
forms at the expense Of the govern
ment.
The maximum attendance at every
camp has been limited to $500. The
serious shortage of regular army Of
ficers makes it unwise to attempt in
'struction for more than that number
for the present.
During the first month the student
officers in each camp will be divided
into is companies. The qualification
Of each man will be studied with q
view to assigning the necessary num-.
bers for further instruction in the
separate arms At the end of the
month the men will be reassigned in
the necessary proportion for the
formation Of nine infantry companies,
three batteries Of artillery, two troops
Of cavalry and one company of eng:
neers. Others will be selected for tn,
coast artillery and sent to Fort Mon
roe, Va, or Fort Winfield Scott, Cal.
to finish training.
Those remaining at the division
camps then will receive two months
additional training at the end of
which regular army officers will select
from each company, troop and bat
terry the officers for one regiment of
their respective services.
The plan contemplates providing
carefully selected officers for 16 in
fantry divisions and two cavalry di-
visions, by the time the supply de-
partment Is able to furnish equipment
md the necessary machinery can be
put in motion for recruiting enlisted
men.
The total number of officers requir-
cd is approximately 10000. Men OF
the more matured age and experience
as leaders will be given preference.
Army officers believe that the camps
Will turn out the number of officers
needed by the middle of July for SER
vice with the first 100000 Increment
or volunteers or conscirpted men.
strong emphasis is given by the
war department to the necessity of