Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-09-18
BOYS FROM HERE
DO WELL in CAMP
Harrisburg Lads at Fort Ogle-
thorpe Making Splendid
Progress

Fort Oglethorpe, Ca, Sept. 1S.-
At the foot of Snodgrass Hill where,
in hastily improvised trenches the
Union forces attempted to hold the
Confederate advance just fifty-four
years ago, almost 5000 student Of
hcers are constructing trenches and
barbwire entahglements. according
to modern ideas. Within the range
of the pictures, exclusive of the off,
GERS training camp, it is estimated
at least 10000 soldiers are in train
ing, modelled so far as possible to
meet the new conditions to which 1t
Is expected they will be subjected.
To the right of Snodgrass Hill
Regular Army infantrymen keep up
a continual snap and crack on the
rifle range. The targets are placed
in deep trenches with only very
small portion of them above ground.
The infantry cadets at the train
ing camp are constructing their own
trenches built in q series of COM
municating passes. When they are
completed the students will be re-
quired to spend at least three days
in them. They will cook their own
meals and be carefully watched to
see that no heads appear above the
top of the breast works. More than
three-fourths of the entire number
of students are receiving infantry
training.
In addition to the infantry there
are six batteries of field artillery,
two of coast artillery and one troop
of cavalry. The students in the field
artillery receive practical training in
the handling of the three-inch guns
at the Virginia batteries. On Septem-
Der % the coast artillery students
will go to Fort Myer, Virginia, to
train in handling the big guns.
Range of Three Miles
The average range of the three
inch gun is about three miles. and as
there is no artillery range here the
students are given only imaginary
targets to handle the guns. A rumor
unable to be verified. persists that
they will be sent to Fort Worth,
Texas, for final tryout. where a
number of batteries are roaring to-
gether. The men are taught all the
points oS the actual work. For in
stance, every man must take a po-
sition forty inches from the breech
when the gun is fired to prevent be-
ing struck by the recoil. Every man
must stand on tiptoes with his mouth
open to inimize the conclusions. AL
most 800 men were disqualified and
given discharges because of slight
physical troubles. Two days after
they left camp the order was re-
voked from Washington. and they
were summoned by telegraph to
again report. The men who were
examined meanwhile and accepted
to take their places were DISCHARGED
The Chattanooga papers say that
hundreds are staying at local hotels
waiting a chance for examination
and entrance. A small number have
requested discharges which were
granted. Some have been discharged
because of unfitness.
Almost without exception the Har-
risburg and vicinity boys are so far
standing up under the 5.15 a. mfi un-
til go D. m. schedule and like 1t
great. The vaccinations and inocu-
lations put some of them in the hos
pital, but only for a short time. The
Pennsylvania men are scattered
throughout the camp and are MAX
ing warm friends with their South
ern "bunkies" with whom they have
been thrown in contact.
w B, B.