Evening star., 1921-10-02
Nations Head Is Fascinated
by Stirring Maneuvers on
Wilderness Battlefield.
OTHER NOTABLES SEE
MARINES IN ACTION
'Airplanes and Signal Corps Play
Active Parts-Lejeune
Extols Troops.
By.a STAR Correspondent BY Marine Airplane

ny q Stah Correspondent. By Marine Airplane
MARINE ExPEDITIoNARYF FORCE
HEADQUARTERS, Camp Harding,
the Wilderness. Va. October T.
WarrentG. Harding. commander-in-
chief of the armed forces of the
United States. today, for the first time
in his official capacity, witnessed a
mili$ary maneuver performed by fully
equipped troops. when 5000 devil
dogs" now campaigning in. mimic
warfare in the Wilderness famous
fastnesses. under Gems. Lejeune and
Butler. went through a battalion
maneuver.
1t was the eliminating exhibition
of tactical formations at the ends Of
a. weeks hard campaigning and dis
played the various methods by which
an expeditionary force of marines.
landing on hostile shore. would
prepare. for their own advance with
smoke, gas and high explosives, lin
f1ltrate" their first line through the
enemy's mobile reserves, storm diff
cult objectives, and finally roll up"
the fortified defenders and secure"
their, newly won positions,
\ Makes. stirring Picture.
The "war game" made mighty
pretty picture for the Commander-in-
Chief. and the distinguished party of
congressional and military visitors
that accompanied him. An autumn
coolness tempered the air. The roll
ing and wooded ridges that once
intrencRed the Blue and the Gray in
their bftterest combat reverberated
to the. murderons rat-tat-tat of
the machine guns. The plunging ad :
vanees Of the infantry. fully equipped
for service In the field. could be noted
for miles and miles down the valley
Of Wilderness run by the cracking
explosions Of hand grenades ana the
roll Of rife are. as
The terrific decorations of the bat
terry Of LES nm. guns, the most mo-
bile of heavy artillery now known to
our troops, startled the visitors at q
distance Of several miles. The signal
rockets. many colored. told the initi-
ated what to anticipate in the way Of
action. A caauot observation balloon
hang languidly high up in the h.xy
blue. sky. reporting troop movements
by telephone to headquarters, just Is
Prof. Lowe reported to Gen. Craft
ffty-seven years ago, in almost tbs
same Identical spot, close by the VIII
derness tavern.
A squadron of airplanes swooped
and zoomed about the various valley
camps observing" also, dropping
messages which they got by radio
from headquarters commander, or per-
haps soaring high aloft. like an OBJ
serving eagle, to direct the blank-shot
artillery fire, so it would accurately
reach its targets on each hilltop and
hollow. 7a--zs
Signal Corps men, with huge reels
of wire and small boxes, constituting
the field telephone equipment, followed
closely after the first-line men. so that
the colonel of each regiment might
keep in instant communication with
his headquarters commander.
Thousands Witness "Battle.,
Thousands of small town and coun-
try folk crowded the roadways with
their vehicles, which were parked by
the thousands In special areas out of
danger from the high explosives thai
were used. Many local farmers cast
worried looks at the ranks of soldiers
charging over. bean and turnip
patches. Civil war veterans, in the
Blue and Gray, led squads of visitors
about the celebrated spots where the
Wilderness fighting had been hottest.
digging for old bullets In the soil and
fallen trees, and discoursing Of their
own personal experiences.
Following the manoeuyers. the
presidential party traversed much of
the historic Backgrounds, under In
struction of military guides who had
particularly posted themselves as to
the scenes and locations Of the Wilder
ness battle in Nay. 1854. Both the
President and Mrs. Harding seemed to
take exceptional interest; in these
scenes, as the Presidents father had
an active part in the civil war. and
is given to reminiscing over the cele-
brated events.
President Harding left the White
House at 9:15 am. land arrived at
12:45 p.m., making the eighty-f1ve-mile
Journey without mishap. His en-
tourage Of three cars made a slow
trip through the winding roads of the
Wilderness camps, and was met by
serried' lines of marines at attention,
the "star Spangled Banner played by
three different bands, and the. presi-
Dental salute.
~ President aRoughs It."
He 3 was received by Maj. Gen.
Leieune, commander-in-chief Of the
Marine Corps, and Brig Gen. smedley
Butler. force commander; Assistant
Of the Navy Roosevelt, who
arrived via airplane from Washington
at noon, and Governor Westmoreland
Devils of virginia. who officially well
coined HI him in the nfme Of the state Of
yirginia. 81
Shortly after arrival at the Wilder
ness White House.. as the luxurious
CONTINUED son gage (. s..corumn - :
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