Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1922-01-13
Surveying And Mapping Regiment.

II is an interesting fact that the first
complete surveying and map reproduction
battalion of our Regular Army. the 18th
Engineers, is being organized at Camp A. A.
Humphreys, Va. This camp is named after
one of the most distinguished American
engineers and was first surveyed byGeorse
Washington. During the Great War the
corps of engineers was faced with the re-
sponsiblity of organizing and training large
numbers of engineer troops. BeIvoir, the
former home of Thomas, Lord Fairfax, was
selected as attaining camp. A reservation
70 miles square was set aside. The Poto-
mac River and its branches bound the camp
on three sides, presenting ideal conditions
Tor bridge and ponton construction, and
incidentally for swimming, boating, fishing
and duck shooting The vast area of wooded
hills gives every opportunity for instruc-
ton in explosives. Notifications, rifle shoot
ing, and the varied work with which COM
bat engineers should be familiar. Here,
too, are choice locations for training in
land and photographic surveying, plane
table and stadia work, while the engineer
school lends itself admirably to instruc-
ton in drafting, lithoeraphy. printing. and
photography.
AT Mt. Vernon, a few miles away, Wash
inston spent most of his bOyhood. and it was
his custom to ride over to see his friends,
the Fairfaxes at their home Belvoir.
Through the influence Of his half brother
Lawrence. a son-in-law of Lord Fairfax,
Washington. when only l6 years old. was
appointed surveyor of the Fairfax estate
and shortly after public surveyor for the
Colony of Virginia. He spent about three
years surveying the land about Belvoir and
the country westward to the frontier. The
mansion at Belvoir was constructed about
l7l3. In 1874 Capt. Parker of the Ameri-
can Army placed a battery on a hill
near the house and for some time repelled
the attempts of the British gun-boats to
proceed up the river to the Nations Capt.
tal At last the battery was destroyed by
shell fire from two British boats. and the
house was demolished at the same time.
Until 40 years ago some Of the walls
were standing. There remains now only a
pile of brick and mortar from which the
systematic excavations of the 18th en-
eineers are producing shells and round shot
and other interesting relics of our fore
fathers.
General Humphreys was the engineer for
the army of the Potomac and rendered
conspicuous service in the seven days
battle. II was he who selected the site of
the battery on Malvern Hill to which
many historians attribute the defeat of
General Lee. Later in the Civil War Gen.
Humphreys commanded the III corps in
the battles of Charlottesville and Gettys-
burg and afterwards the celebrated II corps.
He was later made chief engineer Of the
regular army.
The 18th Engineers will at present be
composed of one surveying company. one
map reproduction company and head
quuttCio pidtOOh. II 10 hlAotOiiLCut
carrying its drafting, Photographic, lithO
graphic. and printing equipment on Is
large trucks especially designed for this
purpose. 1t has vacancies in almost all
grades. The opportunities are excellent
for men of grammar or high school educa-
ton to learn and advance rapidly in knowl-
edge of these and allied subjects. Ex-
service men capable of filling the grades
of supply and mess sereeants. cooks, truck
master, carpenter, and mechanics are de-
sired. There are also vacancies in the
Engineer School Department. the 18th En-
gineers (combat) Medical. Signal. and Vet
Urinary Corps.
Application for enlistment should be
made to the Recruiting Officer Camp A.
A., Humphreys, Va, or Engineer Recruiting
Officer, 500 10th Street. Washington. D. C.