Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 September 1908 — IN CAMP AT FORT BENJAMIN HARRISON [ARTICLE]

IN CAMP AT FORT BENJAMIN HARRISON

■■l. An Interesting Letter From the Captain of Company “ M,” Indiana National Guard.

Fort Benjamin Harrison, Sept 14, *OB. This is our fourth day in camp and we have had a very fine time. Judging from the drills so far had and from the printed programs of maneuvers this is to be a splendid oaxnp, affording no hardships and resulting in the instruction of the officers and" men. Th Wfltifig 'to "the Republican last year I expressed the opinion that the long bikes were detrimental to the soldiers especially in view of the fact that none seemed to be advised about what was being attempted or accomplished. I stated ‘that in my opinion shorter marches with more definite instruction would be much better and I have held to that opinion all of the time. While it would be necessary in actual service to guard all our movements with secrecy and possibly with some mystery as regards the subordinate officers, I can see no reason why the officers in a camp of Instruction should not be familiarized with the .problem that is being worked out. If they are kept ignorant of it the maneuvers have failed to give them any benefit. This year, I understand, all officers and through them all men, are to know what is being attempted; whether the movement Is to be offensive or defensive and this will give all an opportunity to study the conditions of the country over which they travel and the subordinates by means of the maps supplied can form their own opinions as to whether all the means of the country have been best employed to bring about the desired end.' This recalls a maneuver made by the Indiana guard brigade against the regulars two years ago. To avoid the possibility of insubordination 1 Will not mention the names of the officers who commanded the brigade, but I believe that all subordinate officers will agree wtth me that there was no necessity of our capture if the precautions that military training should school a commanding officer in had been observed. We had been hiked about seven or eight miles that day and I can not see why our patrols and scouts had not learned the position of the regulars. After halting us for about an hour and a half, during which time the patrols and scouts had abundant opportunity to report,

the brigade column was marched back over ground already covered and halted for half an hour on a gravel road grade that set so high on the brink of a sharp hill that the entire infantry brigade in column of fours was in plain view of a wooded hill about a half mile away. At the highest the road our troops occupied and this led to a covered bridge over Fall Creek, and the wooded hills rose beyond, affording perfect protection io its defenders. While our position on the road was perilous and we were exposed to the artillery. The regulars had secured positive proof that our brigade was not informed as to their position, and they withheld their fire until the infantry could be used effectively with the artillery. The distant hill was danger ground in every appearance, but every subordinate officer presumed that the commanding officer had investigated the hill. Imagine the condition resulting when the advance on the hill was made in column of fours, directly toward the covered bridge. As soon as the brigade was on the straight road the cannon and infantry opqped fire and the fusilade would have been sufficient to have annihilated the entire brigade, save for the few that might have retreated over a hill behind which the entire brigade could have had perfect protection had the position of the enemy been ascertained. As we marched- up the road into the fire of the enemy the regulars swarmed from the woods and I cross fired and there was no need of ■organized retreat. The defeat of the infantry brigade of guard troops was I complete and the umpires so gave 1 their decision. We were in superior ■ numbers and for the life of me I can i not see yet how it happened that our where they were. It was a splendid lesson, however, I to the defeated and it will probably ! be a long time before another Indiana army runs into such a death trap. = x = I Today our maneuver Is a small affair, the brigade being divided into ’ two armies, part to defend and part

to attack a position. We are to go out at about 11:30 and will probably get back at 7:00 or 7:30. Each day a new section of this Wooded reservation, with its hills and vales and many different road ways, is be employed in demonstrating ■‘the maneuvers of an army. Advance and rear guard formations occupied our attention Saturday. Today we have some field engineering, tomorrow the formation of outposts and the means of maintaining security and gaining information, involving the throwing up of hasty intrenchmeuts and the sending out of mounted patrols and scouts. =X= . r Thursday is the day selected for the great maneuvers in which all troops, regular and guard are to participate. It will probably involve a bivouac over Friday night, and therefore be in heavy marching order. If the provision trains do not fail us this will be a very pleasant event = X B Fort Benjamin Harrison is becoming an ideal spot, and the army post is composed of beautiful brick structures that two years , ago were scarcely begun. The 10th U. S. infantry is stationed there and it to composed of fine soldiers, officers and men. Other regular ttaopsare here, and some of them are to take up the march back to Fort Sheridan as soon as this camp is completed. They will probably go through Rensselaer, at least the artillery.

= X SI The temporary camp here is paifly composed of the squad* size conical shaped tents. The Indiana guard is supplied with the smaller, four men tents, and these are very nice. Each tors, taking the place of the old filth holes. Thus every particle of dissease breeding offal is burned and the camp sanitation is complete. The Indiana National Guard has adopted a new form of sanitation. Each company has a sanitary sergeant, who gives his constant attention to requiring that nothing is done by a member of his company that might breed disease. No crumb of bread, not a particle of any food stuff is dropped to the ground, and the Sergeant has to speak to an offender but once to let him know that it must not occur again. It would be impossible to imagine a great body of ten to fifteen thousand campers where the entire ground was rarely soitpd by so much as a piece of paper. The water supply is still not the best, being warm because the pipes are near the surface of the ground, but ice barrels are in each company cooking tent and a good supply of water is always available^- —te>-- = x = Clint Colvert and his eooking assistant, Harry Collins, have made all the boys happy by giving them a let of very excellent food, well cooked, and there has not been a cbmplaint from any source. They have been assisted by Grover Wood, a recruit from Fair Oaks, and the cooking equipment is kept polished and everything clean. A monstrous fly covers the cook kitchen this year. New field ranges equipped with all manner of utens'ls

is also a fine Improvement A large coffee can and a folding cook table which Clint Colvert had made before leaving home, also help make the product of the kitchen better, and * ground of coffee never gets into the cups when the coffee is served. = X = Lieutenant Woodworth is acting battalion adjutant, being a mounted officer, and with the Major, commanding the four companies of the battalion. The mounted pay is slightly increased but not enough to pay for his horse which costs him $2 a day. Lieutenant Brenner has been suffering some with hay fever and asthma, but’ today he is much better and he commanded the company in battalion drill this morning, it being his first time to go out with the company alone. = x = Fred H. Stell has been a little sick since coming to camp, and spent a quite bad day Sunday. Today he is better but unable to perform any I duty. Corporals Frank A. Crosscup , and Jesse Gray have taken fatherly care of their squads, as has also Corporal Herbert Zea, who is the oldest of the company corporals. Sergeants Earl Chesnut and John Gangloff have also taken graet interest in the company and* their experience and natural soldierly bearing makes them well able to do this. Gangloff is the right guide of the company and Herman Tuteur the left guide. = X = Sunday we. were visited by Mr. and Mrs. Rollings, of Indianapolis, who came particularly to see her brother, Frank E. Biggs. They ate a camp supper with us, consising of hash, bread and butter, cheese, prunes and lemonade. S X B An interesting feature with the writer is the fact that most other companies have a somewhat better percent of attendance, most companies of 50 to 55 men having all but three or four in camp. The pay rolls carry the names of all men enlisted and a notation shows the reason why they are not in camp, if they are .not, and this stands as a record for the man in the office of the adjutantgeneral of the state, and in the war department of the United States. The employer who would discharge a soldier because he attends a camp is a poor patriot, and some day he may be anxious enough to crawl under the protection of the army of the country, whose maintenance furnishes the security to the business he conducts. The soldier in the national guard is .a soldier in the regular army and his record is based upon his conduct during his enlistment. The training and the experience is worth the enlistment of any young man, and if he is studious and ambitious it will place him in a posiiotn in case our country should become involved in war, to be of greater service to the country, to be better able to protect himself, and the organized mllitia is solving a problem of citizen soldiery, that will give the country its great army if the day of nead ever comes. In the meantime the soldier is doing a patriotic service of no small measure. GEORGE H. HEALEY, Captain Co. M, 3rd Infty.