The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-09-26
Marines move
ONW|LDERNESS
FORMANEUvERS
5000 Troops Marching From
ouantico-sham Battles Plan
ned on Historic Field.

Today a force Of marines, com.
prising two full regiments Of in
fantry. the famous Fifth and Sixth
Regiments: artillery, tanks. armored
cars, signal units, searchlight bat
teries, and other troops. broke camp
at Quantico. Va, and are now march.
ing to the old Wilderness" battlefield
of civil war fame, to stage the
largest series Of battle exercises since
the world war.
During the three days beginning
Thursday the exercises win continue,
with hundreds OF official guests
from Washington as observers The
marines will march back to Quantico,
where they will arrive October 6.
The exercises win include night
bombing attacks by airplanes on a
battleship target laid out on the
ground. Defense will be made by
antiaircraft guns and searchlights.
Similar day bombing win be prac.
ticed. Marine infantry viii stage
sham battles over the old civil war
field, using artillery barrages, ma
armored cars, and other modern
weapons.
Eagle Boats Carry Guests.
The official guests will be taken
to the field in three parties, Eagle
boats leaving the Seventh street
wharf at $50 q. m. Thursday, 100
p. m Friday. and 2:30 p. m. Satur.
day. The boat win take the pas
sengers to Quantico, where they viii
be met by marine corps automobiles
unable to make connection with these
parties can leave the Union Station
for Fredericksburg at 1880 q. m. and
3ib p. m. Thursday, Friday, and
Saturday. They will be met at Fred.
ericksburg by automobiles.
The first days march took the
troops ten miles. to Aqua creek. In
all 5000 troops are making the
march, Of which 1000 are infantry
units. This Is the largest force
moved In this country since the war.
The brigade Is commanded by Brig.
Gen. s. ID. Butler. u, 6. M. C.
The first unit. an advance com
pany Of the Fifth Regiment, left
Quantico at z o'clock this morning,
just after daybreak, and was follow.
ed by the remainder of the battalion
as an advance guard. The remain
ing companies Of the Fifth Regiment
and the Sixth Regiment followed at
The Fifth Regiment il commanded
by Major H. o. Smith. senior major
Of the brigade, and the Sixth Regi-
ment by Lieut. Col. John c. Bau.
mont.
Stew Is Boiling. .&....
The two infantry regiments were
followed by two machine gun battal-
ions and by the regimental wagon
tEeaN - "a n
16 field kitchens, on which stew was
boiling for the first meal at the new
camp. The wagon train was follow
ed by the medical detachments, un-
der Commander Stewart, navy medi-
cal officer. these units closing the
infantry column. The infantry units
made up a column two miles long
and took two hours to clear camp
The Tenth Artillery. composed Of
four batteries Of French .75's CON-
manded by Col. Richard Cults, left
camp at 10 o'clock and were followed
an hour later by the searchlight
units and the engineers. TX
In all the column was about five
miles long. the line of march ex-
tending along the Washington Rich
mond pike. The first units opened
headquarters at Aqua creek at 10
O'Clock and communication was i'm
mediately established by wire with
the headquarters at Quantico, which
were closed as the last units Of the
column got under way.
All the. units Of the column win be
in camp at Aqua creek in time
for dinner. The men win spend the
afternoon at intensive drill and prep
aration for tomorrow's march Of
eighteen miles, to Fredericksburg.
They will spend the night under CAM
vas, and vii break camp at dawn.