San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-28
DIVISION BACK
/ At POST AT TER
|. BULLS BATTLE
Hereafter, Maneuvers Will
Probably Be Held in
the Spring. I
BATTLE A SUCCESS
General Lewis and Other
Officers Highly Satisfied
With Troops Showing.

It is probable that in the future
The annual maneuvers OF the Second
Division will be held in the spring o.
the year and the annual target prac
tice in the fall, it was announced Fri
day morning my Mai. Gen. E. NJ
Lewis, commander of the Eighth Corp
Area, at the final critique of staff ant
field officers of the division and corp!
area headquarters held following thu
completion of the corps maneuvers al
Camp Bulls. The announcement oil
the probable exchange OF seasons fol
the two major annual operations of di'
vision came as a surprise.
1t is believed that weather condi'
tons constitute the governing factor
in the proposal. For the maneuvers. il
is necessary to keep the entire division
on the range for a period OF two weeks.
and II is not usual for unbroken fair
weather 10 prevail for that length of
time during the fall. The target prac-
tice. however. is conducted by organi-
zation. single organization occupy
ing the range at time. II would not
be nearly 50 inconvenient. nor would
it work so great hardship. for bad
weather 10 prevail while only single
regiment is on the range.
This fall the army has been fortu-
nate in having splendid weather for
the division and corps maneuyers,
but il was the first time in three years
that the operations have not been
called off on account OF rain. In 1921
and 1922 deluges set in after the divi-
sion had been moved to Camp Bulls
for its annual maneuvers. and it was
necessary 10 call them off.
All Back to Post.
Fort Sam Houston was back TO
normal Saturday, virtually all of the
troops having returned from Camp
Bulls. For two weeks the post has
been deserted. The maneuvers were
completed early Friday morning. and
Immediately troop movements for Fort
Sam Houston began. The infantry
forces were returned TO Fort Sam
Houston in motor trucks, the problem
of moving them by motor transporta-
ton constituting part OF the maneuv-
ers. The artillery and cavalry troops
and wagon trains returned by march
ing. and all were back at their regular
posts Saturday.
On Wednesday, Thursday and Fri
day morning General Lewis made hi;
annual tactical inspection OF the Sec
ond Division and its attached troops
The inspection took the form of two
side maneuver in which the division
represented the BLUE" army and the
attached troops, the Fourth Field
Artillery and the Fourth Cavalry. rep
resented the "Red" army. The blue"
army. coming from the direction OF
Boerne, met the Red" army in the
hills of Camp Bulls, and for more than
two days the tactical battle continued.
At the critiQue held Friday morning
the maneuvers were discussed in de-
tail. Virtually all officers, including
the high command, expressed them
selves as being well pleased with both
the division maneuvers and the tactical
inspection held by General Lewis.
Only three accidents, none of which
were fatal, marred this years maneuv-
ers.
IT, Airplanes Aid in Battle.
Airplanes from Kelly Field played
prominent part in the maneuvers at
Camp Bulls. Every morning planes
from Kelly Field landed at Camp
Bulls and operated from that field,
doing observation and communication
work for the ground troops. Only one
forced landing was made during the
entire maneuvers. One aviator oper-
ating for the "Blue" army during the
corps area commanders tactical in
spection. encountered motor trouble
and landed in a small field in the hills.
Infantry troops immediately came to
his assistance and guarded the plane
against attacks by "Red" forces while
it was being repaired by the avit r
and his mechanic. The ship then took
10 the. air again without being cap
tured."
Lieut.. Col. Clarence c. Culver, air
officer Of the Eighth Corps Area, was
staff umpire during General Lewis
INSPECTION, and kept two planes at
Camp Bulls while there. An SE-5 he
used for his own observation work,
while DeHaviland plane with an ad-
ditional pilot was kept for the use of
ground officers who desired to observe
the maneuvers from the air.
A large number of soldiers who have
Joined the army since the annual target
practice last spring, or who were sick
during the target season or who failed
to qualify during the regular practice,
were retained at Camp Bulls for tar.
get work. These soldiers will fire the
regular prescribed preliminary and fin
al courses and will thus be given an
opportunity to qualify as "marks ian"
or expert rifleman." By being de-
tanned at Camp Bulls these soldiers
will have the opportunity to swell their
monthly pay several dollars apiece, as
the rating of "marksman" and "ex.
pert rifleman"' means a bonus in add.
ton to the regular pay.