Evening star., 1924-08-21
DISTRICT TROOPS
LOST IN FOREST
Platoon of 121st Engineers,
Doing Outpost Duty, OBJ
ject of Search of Soldiers.
By a stan Correspondent.

BY stan Correspondent.
FORT HUMPHREYS, Va, August
21.-One platoon of Company +, 12lst
Regiment of Engineers, National
Guard Of the District of Columbia.
today is lost in the heavy wooded
country between Accotink Station and
Reulah Church. Runners sent out
following the recall Of the regiment
from maneuvers this morning had
been unable up to noon to locate this
lost platoon.
The troops left camp early today
to work out an outpost problem. The
lost platoon was assigned an outguard
post in the woods west of the village
of Accotink, with Instructions to re-
turn to the mobilization point at
1890 o'clock am. The last time the
lost platoon was seen was about 10
O'Clock, when 1t was observed in the
woods by one of the outposts of an
other company. At that time it was
more than a mile off the post which it
was supposed to establish.
When the troops were assembled
just west of the village of Accotink at
1890 o'clock. a check-up showed one
missing. platoon. Maj. Julian Oliff,
commanding the I'd Battalion, i'm
mediately dispatched runners in charge
of his adjutant Lieut. c. E. Smithson,
in an effort to find the men. They
secured the roads penetrating the terri
tory in which the troops had been
operating. continually blowing the
recall whistles, but received no
response.
Inspection Of Troops.
This is day Of inspection for the
District troops, who are taking their
annual field training here. The first
one today was by Maj. Francis B.
Wiby of the general staff. who ar
rived in camp early today. Accom-
panied by Col. John w. Oehmann, COM
manding the District outfit, he made
an inspection of the disposition of the
troops while engaged in an outpost
problem in a section about 10 miles
west of the fort.
He examined the post assigned by
the officers of the regiment.
When the troops We're mobilized
following the completion of their
field problem Maj. Wildly made a
brief address to the officers in which
he said he was much pleased with
the showing made and told them
they must not mind when they made
q few mistakes, as it was the purpose
of this training to correct any err
rors which they might make in time
of war. In fact, he said, he would
have been somewhat surprised if mis-
takes had not been made. He said that
he talked with a number of the en-
listed men in the field and was much
gratified at the interest shown by
each and every one Of them. This is
a fine spirit. he said, and he told
the officers they must do everything
possible to encourage them in their
efforts to learn field tactics. Such
interest as is shown by the enlisted
men of the 121st Engineers, he con-
tinued makes the officers check up on
themselves to see that they are Civ
ing the enlisted men the best that is
in them. Everybody, he said. seems
to be getting the greatest benefit out
of this training camp.
Review Of Provisional Brigade.
4 provisional brigade of Regular
and National Guard troops, consisting
Of the 18th and Goth United States
Engineers. with colored detachment,
the 121st Engineers and 29th Military
Police Company, will be. reviewed on