Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 212, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 September 1910 — CO. M. IN CAMP AT FORT BENJAMIN HARRISON. [ARTICLE]

CO. M. IN CAMP AT FORT BENJAMIN HARRISON.

How the Members of Company M Have Been Kept Busy Since Leaving Rensselaer. Fort Benj. Harrison, Sept. 4, 1910. Three regiments of Indiana National guard, one regiment of Ohio guardsmen, two regiments of United States infantry, a squadron of U. S. cavalry, some engineering troops and a company of signal corps, numbering* in all about 4,000, are encamped on the government’s big maneuvering ground here at this time. The Rensselaer company arrived Thursday at 12:30 o’clock, an hour late, owing to the Big Four train being late in Indianapolis. The camp was established with but little delay and aside from pitching tents, trenching around them to prevent a drenching in the event 6f rain, drawing bed ticking and filling it with straw, drawing rations, setting up the camp kitchen stove, etc., there was no duty Thursday afternoon, and the soldiers had a chance to move about and see the big tented city of which company M forms a small part. Friday morning was given over to company drills and the first movement was a tactical formation in advance and rear guard and the selection and occupation of a position of defense. The instruction is by regular army officers who are experts in the special lines and their interest in and patience with the troops is very marked. The first guard was formed Friday night and the new soldiers did very well in that very pretty military ceremony. Saturday night an improvement was noted and this evening it was still ■Very much better. Saturday the militiamen had their first real workout. At 6:45 they were formed into companies and marched to the camp of the 10th infantry, about a mile away. At that point all non-commissioned officers were withdrawn and returned to camp and the privates hurriedly formed into provisional companies, placed under regular officers and noncommissioned officers and taken into the first engagement. It was a busy time, but company M happened to be on the side that was adjudged successful and although the boys were hurried through the hills and ravine at a lively pace they were pleased with the instruction they received. The non-commissioned militiamen were in the meantime being instructed by the adjutant, Captain Everson, who Was formerly the regimental chaplain, and who commands the highest respect of his fellow soldiers. They were told about the courtesies that make for the best there is in a soldier and the talk was beneficial, instructive and calculated to be of splendid influence in the education of a soldier. At the same time the officers had a school in patrol duty. In the afternoon in heavy marching order another small maneuver was held, the leading troops being deployed along the crest of a hill. The third infantry did not get into the movement very much, being a part of the reserve. Following this was an exhibition in shelter tent pitching which proved very instructive. As the non-coms bad been drilled in it in the morning, it was quite quickly performed and there was a pup-tent city established in ten minutes and taken down in eight minutes and the troops brought into camp. Sunday all the companies were formed and marched to church, and Captain Sutherland, the chaplain, delivered a splendid sermon, and the band played many religious tunes and a song service program was rendered. For the men that was the only compulsory service of the day, except the guard mount' for details at 5 o’clock. The day was spent in visiting about the camp, etc., while some visited the barracks of the regular troops. Companies M and G arranged a ball game with South Bend as their opponents and carried off the honors by the score of 15 to 1.

Tonight there was a church service at 7 o’clock, being a union service held In the large band tent of the 3d Ohio regiment. Lantern slides illustrated a very forceful sermon by the chaplain. Monday Governor Marshall will review all the troops and there will also be an inspection of all soldiers equipment, of the camp from the standpoint of sanitation, etc. As it Is “labor day”

there will be no long drills. Tuesday our regiment is to give the evening parade and two officers' schools have been held today to endeavor to have it as nearly right as is possible. Company M has a fine looking lot of soldiers with an especially alert set of non-commissioned officers, starting with First Sergeant John B. Gangloff, Quartermaster Sergeant Isaac Wiltshire and Sergeants Jerry B. Garland, Don P. Warren, John E. Robinson and Lester M. Speaks, and Corporals Harrison Timmons, Samuel Perkins and Ray Wood. There has been a little sickness but none of a serious nature and the camp is so scrupulously clean and the medical officers are so active in pursuit of disease germs that might be carried to the food, that it is probable the contagions that have created such severe ravages in the past will never again prove so serious as they were before the field surgeons began their forward movement against the diseases that are the worst enemies of soldiers, creating worse losses than the greatest battles of history. looks- Ilka a busy time for the next six days and a profitable one too and the forty men that compose Company M will be greatly profited by it. We shall be pleased to have Rensselaer people visit us if they are in Indianapoliß. Take cars for Fort Benjamin Harrison and ask for the third Indiana Infantry and when there ask for Company M. The /camp will interest all who visit it.

GEO. H. HEALEY.