San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-12
With Aid of Military Ma
chinery of Nation Back Of
Move, United States Is
Getting a Splendid Or
ganized Reserve Force.

The first American army. coming
/, into being at the advent of the Revo-
lutionary War, was organized under
extreme difficulties and the men
later went through with many trials
and hardships. But the army has
continued to exist for $50 years.
A direct parallel between the be-
ginning of the United States Army
and the United States civilian mill
tary training camps cannot be made,
but the beginning of these camps
were not originated without diff
Guilty, and the men underwent many
hardships. The training camps, how
ever, have naturally made much more
rapid progress than did the army. as
they we're greatly encouraged by the
World War and besides have been
sponsored by the entire military ma
chinery of the government. The first
camp was organized in 1913, ten
years ago, at Gettysburg, Pa. Col.
Robert o. Van Horn, executive Off
Ger of the c. NJ. L. c. at Fort Sam
Houston was adjutant of this camp,
and has related some interesting his
tory regarding the Inauguration of
a movement that in ten years time
has come to affect several hundred
thousand citizens annually.
First Camp In 1913.
The first camp which was held at
Gettysburg, was held following a
reunion of Confederate veterans at
that place in 1918. It was brought
about following a letter from Presi-
dent Drinker of Lehigh University
TO Gen. Leonard Wood, requesting
that his students be given some mill
tary training. There were no funds
at that time for conducting a civilian
camp, and army regulations prohibit
ed the use Of army equipment in
that manner. The Confederate
veterans had complete camp equip
ped at Gettysburg, and General
Wood believed that with this eouip.
ment a camp could be held. The
equipment was obtained following the
reunion, and with the cooperation of
Secretary of War Garrison, the
first civilian military training camp
was ordered. Colonel Van Horn was
then serving on the general staff and
was made adjutant of the camp.
This first camp was limited to col
lege students and graduates who
pad their own transportation to and
from the camp site, paid their own
rrations and bought their own uni.
forms. Now the attendants of these
camps are given transportation, ra-
mons and equipment. Another diff.
tlculty III organizing this first camp
was that numerous individual letters
mad 10 be written the parents OF
students who attended in order 10
insure them that their sons would be
| released as soon as the month OF
framing was over. 1t was thought
! Dy many that the camp was a
scheme to increase the enlisted per.
sonnet OF the regular army.
Maj. Gen. James ii. McRae, then
a major, was the commander of thi,
camp. Brig. Gen. Preston Brown
commander of the Third Infantr,
Brigade at Fort Sam Houston, ther
captain, was in command of ont
company of about $50 students
Colonel Van Horn was the camr
adjutant.
Very Little Recreation.
unlike the present civilian camps
tnere were no elaborate entertain
ments or recreation. 1t was all worl
ana no play. Housed in tents ant
paying their own expenses, the mem
bers OF this first camp were mi
r through an intensive course of train
ing. Equipment for training wa
scarce and real hardships were en-
! countered.
t As final step in the training tn
students were required TO make
march OF approximately 60 miles
{ from Gettysburg TO Mont Gretna
"a, camp used by the Pepnsyl
vania National Guard. 1t was O
{ this hike that it was discovered tina
I the ration money of % cents a da
p per man, collected at the beginnin
n OF the camp, was not sufficient I
cover the cost of feeding the mel
! EOrtunatelN. loft nrnr in nnn Of IN