JT.
1TLE OMAHA' ": SUNDAY BEE! ' SEPTEMBER 2, 1906.
Nebraska National Guard in Summer Instruction Gamp at Fort Riley
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CAMP OF
F.ii.iu villi;- fiinni. .lull.
I street to country road, from soft
1 mlltfira.. It hra.a Kail, in
DAU A. Ml
of, hay on the hard ground, from
dlnlna: table to Ian. and doiena
M otfter extremes vastly more trying to
the Inexperlenced-thls was the transition
in jeM than twenty-four hours
for most of the thousand odd young Ne
braskans hen they, as the rank and file
f tha Flrej and 8econd Infantry regiments
f tha Neblraska National Guard, with tha
trtlllery, engineers, signal corps and
imbulancel deUchment, went to tha
military feservatlon at Fort Riley, Kaa.,
Kit first week of August, to participate In
the carnp of Instruction 'established there
by Uncjfe Sam for his soldier boys.' Pale of
face, sfoft of hand, they left their homes;
browri as Indians and calloused they re
turned. It was, of course, only a vacation
Jtrlnfor many of them, and looked UDon as
a ark. But. before the course laid out
them had been completed, the patrio
tism and military seal of many a kahkl
clad youth . was stretched nigh unto tha
breaking point,
Hard Work for G-ardssae.
j For tft ten day at the camp of Instruc
tion waa not like the regular annual en
campment of the National Guard. Uncle
3amuel did not arrange (hat immense camp
jnerely to furnish a few days' sport for
I'.ot of energetic young men, with only a
.Semblance of military discipline. No, in
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N;RjSKA BRIGADB AT FORT RH.EY, KAN., AFTEH A HARD MARCH
IN FRONT OF BRIGADE HEADQ U ART E R8.
How the
TTTT.W nld Nt Turk vu stirred
LI to the very center during
I tha last week ' bv Nebraska. It
1 1 wasn't only tne ianaing ot.
William Jennings Bryan that
made Father Knickerbocker sit up and look
about, although that was the main oc
casion for the uprising. ' The real Interest
centered around the "home folks," ' who
gathered there to give a western welcome
no a western man. What these fellows did
for New York is still being told In ths
(newspaper, and from the Battery to the
Bronx the old town was given a thorough
going over. Not a . bet was overlooked.
by that bunch ot live wires, but everything
was played wldo open clear across the
layout, and If there was piker In the lot.
he hasn't been heard from as yet.
Former Councilman Dave O'Brien waa
the advance agent for the push, and he
had things pretty wull het up before ths
boys all got .there. On helr arrival he
took Mayor Jim. Dahlinah in with him. and
from that time till the. day of departure
Dave and, his piccolo voice and Jim and
his lariat were the most talked of things
In New Tork. But these weren't Mie whole
'how, not by a Jugfull. Mayor Brown,
i Mayor Hunker, Mayor Ward, Mayor Bin
! key. Mayor M'atake, - Mayor Qerlng and
Mayor Fteitag, Mayor Ullg and Mayor
jMcCrae, each and all of whom aided In
.keeping the name of Nebraska to the front
'during the week. Then there -was a crowd
of unterrlfled wheelhorsea " and., hard
. workers who pulled from morning till
'dewy eve, and back again for the peerless
leader and anything else in sight. All of
j these combined made matters. move Just a
little bit swifter than seemed good for ths
eyes of the New Yorkers. . ,
Ths pictures published herewith are from
photographs made expressly for The Bee
'and anew Mr. Bryan and the home folks
! on. ths tug after he had been captured
j away from the reception committee and
taken among tils own people. The well
IX IX
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THIS NEBRASKA. BRIGADE! AT FORT
deed. The boys were sent down there to
work and learn and to their great credit,
let it be said, work and learn they did with
less grumbling than if It had been their
regular chosen dally toil at full man's
wages. Under broiling sun they climbed
steep and rocky hills, pushed through tilgh
weeds and brush, got wet In creeks and rain
and dewy grass, charged over fields when
the very rocks sitzled in the heat, until
the more tender dropped to the ground to
be picked up by the ambulance, unable to
keep up with their comrades. Still, seldom
a murmur down the whole long line of tha
country's Independent citizen soldiers.
All over the Union ttiese scenes have been
and are being enacted this summer. Within
easy reach of every state, regular troops
have been marched to concentration points,
there to meet the militia and together flghr
Imaginary battles and live actual army
life in a camp of instruction.
Hard Night oa Train.
Tha dates set for the Nebraska troops
to go Into camp at Fort Riley were from
August t to IS, inclusive Accordingly
on August I the military organizations
of the state boarded trains and met at
Lincoln, from where they were forwarded
In six trains to the camp. Companies L
of the First, and G and I of the Second
regiment, the three Omaha companies, left
the Burlington station in the afternoon,
arriving at Llncol'. before night, and lay
there until long after dark, before the
Journey was resumed. It was the first
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Home Folks Greeted W. J. Bryan in the New York Harbor
known smile of Mr. Bryan Is squalled by
ths complacent smile of Mayor Jim, and
the sxpanalvs grin ot Councilman Dave Is
too well known In Nebraska to need Identi-
;7RU
BRYAN AN0
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HTLET, KANSAS.
night out for the boys and a tiresome one
in the uncomfortable sleeping quarters,
and they loked forward eagerly toward
morning, when they should reach camp.
The night had been warm and clear when
they left Nebraska and car windows fud
been left open. But when daylight cam)
and the first tired soldier opened his
sleepy eyes, It was to give the alarm
that it was raining, and those on the
windy side of the train rose to find at
least a portion of their clothing soaked.
It continued to rain nearly all morning,
boding 111 fov the time to pitch tents.
At last camp was reached, and in the
faTn and deep mud the boys went at the
work of hauling the equipment to where
the respective company streets were as
signed. In an Incredibly short time, whera
before waa but a bare slope of ground,
stood a city of newly-Issued kahkl Sib
ley tents, laid out in perfect order. Next
the men dug dra'n ditches to keep the
water out of their cloth houses and oil
their streets.
Camp Routine Commences.
The Nebraska guard reached camp on
Saturday, and nothing further than get
ting settled was attempted until gua.-d
mount at 6 o'clock p. m. The next day
was 8unday and this also was given over
to getting accustomed to being In camp.
A drenching rain in the forenoon put rn
end to the plans for church and gave
the men an opportunity to test the efficacy
of the trenches they had dug,
ON A nOT AFTERNOON GENERAL J.
flcatlon. City Clerk Dan Butler looms up
In one of ths pictures and in the other
Editor Newbranch seems to be taking him.
self seriously. Ths hitherto irrepressible
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DiHI AN ON THE NEBRASKA DELEGATION'S TCO.
Monday morning the men were given two
hours of battalion drill. It was evidently
the Intention of the officers to break the
men in gently, for they were hardly taken
out of the company streets for the morning
drill, and In the afternoon were only
marched to a field adjoining the militia
camp for another two hours of close order
work. On Tuesday they were taken still
farther for extended order, and on Wednes
day the same, the marches being gradually
lengthened.
In Battle Array.
Thursday was the big day for the Ne
braska troops, for they were then to par
ticipate In an extensive battele exercise
with the regular Something like 10,000
men, Including every branch of the serv
ice, were arrayed on both sides. To the
old soldier of civil war days the sight
of the long lines of marching men and guns.
the trotting troops of cavalry, one after
another, and the lumbering artillery, must
have set his blood running anew with life.
The men were sent out In heavy marching
order, except for blanket rolls, which they
were allowed to leave behind. And well It
was they were relieved of this additional
burden, for the day proved extremely hot,
and those bald hills afford no shade to
suffering man. Rations for one meal were
taken by each man and blank ammunition
was issued. The opposing sides were made
up to the "blues" and the "browns;" that
is, one side wore the khaki blouses and
the other bluo shirts. Umpires went with
them, they and all "noncombatants" being
obliged to wear prescribed insignia or run
the risk of capture.
Tho usual time for reveille at camp was
I o'clock, but ou this morning the soldiers
were awakened at 4 o'clock, at which time
It la still dark, and by o'clock they were
H. CULVER AND STAFF IN FOREGROUND; FIRST REGIMENT AND BAND' ON LEFT. BECONt HBGIMENT AND BAND
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Richmond doesn't appear in either of ths
photos, but it will be nqticed that some
of theNew York reporters are very busy
getting what Mr. Bryan is saying. Other
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on th march. Tor hours thy tnarcheil,
halted and marched as-ln, drployed,
Bkulkpd. Brclutd. rtrAtMl. rrmmlmtt ftnd
climbed, while the lun poured IU heat down
upon them mercilessly, but It was about
,w,- h.fn, th- -.ti. w.- ,n.
the commands on both sides had been, fight
ing strategical battles, as positions and
the actions of the troops must count for
nearly everything when real bullet, are
Progress of the Fight.
As tha afternoon wore on the battle be-
came general. Cannon roared, artillely
Orove up at a gallop, wheeled, poured forth
a volley, and a. quickly was gone again;
cavalry appeared suddenly over a rise and
in beautiful lines charged madly on lines of
blue or brown, to be beaten back or go
through as might seem most likely; In
fantry deployed and long line, of men
moved slowly up hill and down on the
other side, crossed valleys and began
climbing sgaln In the advances,, halting to
fire at intervals as they neared the enemy,
and at last, as though their lives depended
upon their work that day, charged and
yelled until an onlooker might think they
were really bent on shedding blood.
It waa very pretty and blood-stirring to
look at But so far as the Individual pri-
vate soldier was concerned he knew very Omahans, while the subject of inspections
little about what waa going on. He ran is mentioned, to know that an Omaha coin
or walked or. lay down, or shot, hi. blank pany .was given the distinction by the
cartridges, as he was ordered to by his regular army officers of being composed of
officers, but didn't know whether the day the finest bqdy of men, who put up the
was being won or not His work was prtix-,' best appearance as soldiers, had their
clpally to carry out what he had been runs, equipment, and tents in better shape,'
drilled in before. The battle exercises were than any other company in the two regi
more for the benefit of the officers, and to ments. This honor was given to Company
them they were of Infinite good. The first L. (Thurston Rifles), of the First regiment,
day's encountor lasted well on into the on two separate occasions following inspeo
aftirnoon, and when at last, toward mess tlons, and Captain Btehr. the company
time, the boys came trudging back.' they commander, was. congratulated upon the
felt that, in spite of the awful heat and standard of bis organization. '
the miles and miles of marching, to say A sight which was new to the militia
nothing of the running on the stony and which attracted them so much as to
slippery hillsides, they had ' had aa expe- nearly lnterfero with their own work, was
Hence which they would net have missed ths sudden , change when the "general"
even had they known in advance what' was blown. oa Wednesday. Instead ot a
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faces familiar enough In Nebraska will be
noticed In ths pictures.
Ths special train with ths Nebraskans
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JiRYANS
hardshlp waa entailed in the (raining of It.
, On Friday the entire camp waa aguin
routed out at 4 o'clock In the morning aud
by o'clock waa on the move,, but thla
time with only canteens and haversacka.
The problem to be worked out that day
demanded a great deal of marc on the
part of the aoldlers, but It w-a cloudy
and rained a little, to they stood It better
than On the previous day. The marching
Bd countermarching, deploying and ad-
J'nclng occupied nearly all forenoon ai:
the battle opened in earnest about 11 o clod
Mid
.'clock.
Just as the blues were preparing for a lust
general advance and charge, the shrill
notes of the bugle at the chief umpire's
.a ihortly afterward compny 0f-
fleers were ordered to examine ammunition
belts. ' It waa then learned that boll ainmu.
nltlon n,d bn fired on both .Idea. Further
operations were called oft and the several
commands "! back, t0 ,can,P- .Th
th" 'Bt baUlo exercise in which the
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Thurston Rifle. Win Credit.
Saturday was payday and brigade Inspec
tion, and the. latter ordeal proved al
most the hardest task asked of the boys
to perform, particularly as they. were uri.
able to see the necessity of marching two
miles under a broiling sun, . loaded down
with gun, haversack, canteen, blanket-roll
nd everything they had belonging to tha
state, to a field where the two regiments
lined up, when a field of ample slse adjoined
their camp.
It might be a matter of pride to many
on board Is now on Its way horns, with
a tired but happy party on board. Ths
whole affair Is unique In the annals ot
American affairs, for never before did a
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FIRST SPEECH IN AMERICA AFTER JUS
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field of tightly-drawn tents, almost as far
as the eye could reach, It changed In a
twinkling to a field of poles with the (an
cloth folded upon them. This was done
In the morning to allow a perfect airing
of the ground under the tents, and In the
late afternoon, they were replaced as be
fore. The mllltla were ordered to move
their tents Into the company streets for
the day. '
Tip from the Regntars.
One of the greatest sources of benefit
for the mllltla boys was the association
with the men of the regular army. Tha
regular, made free to enter the mllltla
camp every evening, and while they often
laughed outright at the errors of tha
awkward "rookey" at guard mount, they
taught the citizen soldiers many tricks
of the trade which they had learned only
through years of service. They taught
many of the boys how to care for their
guns, and groups of regulars and militia
men could be aeen in every company street
at night, earnestly discussing the art of be
ing a soldier In a most friendly manner. Ths
citizens admitted frankly that they knew
but little about soldiering, but said they
were- there to learn, and the regulars
never let pass an opportunity to help them.
The picture shown herewith of the bri
gade of Nebraska infantry waa taken on
the return of the two regiments from ths
Ogden flats where, in a scorching sun, they
drilled for two hours, marching to ' and
from the field, a distance of about two
miles, with but one rest each way. Ths
men were very tired and longed for ths
order "dismissed," but were obliged to
draw up in front of brigade headquarters,
while the photographer on a specially built
tower, secured an exposure.
Hundreds of stories, humorous and
Otherwise, could be related about the ex
perience of the men at Fort Riley this
year, but camp incidents are very much
the same from year to year, and fall to
Interest from frequent repetition. The In
cidents may be Just as serious, the ex
perience Just as fearful to those involved
as they were the . first time the world
ever hVd a sollder, but they have lost
their power to Interest. . But let this bs
said. If anyone thinks that the Fort Riley
instruction camp was only a Joke the Ne
braska boys worked some down thera
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ON RIGHT; PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN
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private citizen get such a greeting from hl
fellow countrymen, and as a reception it
la likely to stand a record for a long
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JOURNEY,
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