Page:The history and achievements of the Fort Sheridan officers' training camps.djvu/219

 THE FIRST OFFICERS' TRAINING CAMP

���•STEADY, BOYS!"

��the period ended. To those who had not fired before, at least with an auto- matic, the sensation was strange, and a good many shots ploughed the ground. Some of the men made very high scores. It w^as most unfortunate that each battery had an opportunity to fire on the range but once.

For training with horses as well as with guns, the Fort artillerymen were indebted to the 1 49th Field Artillery. Each of the six training batteries were assigned the horses and harness of one of the batteries of that regiment for training purposes. The men first learned how to feed and care for a horse and how to groom him. They studied his terminology and learned through lectures his common diseases and the proper treatment for them. Instruction was next given on the care and cleaning of harness, then in saddling. Equita- tion follow^ed, and the struggle to create horsemen out of every man, no matter how awkward his initial attempt on the back of a four-footed equine might be. Round and round the corrals lines of horses would go, first at a walk, then at a trot; instructors and candidate assistants constantly calling attention to fallacies of reins, arms, legs or heels, with a frequent plea for day- light saving between the horse and knees. Equitation progressed until some of the common figures of cavalry drill were ably performed, the majority of riders feeling a great deal of confidence in the saddle. Following instruction in individual riding came harnessing and the driving of teams. This was fa- miliar work to the old "Bordermen", and their experience was a great factor in helping out the others. Platoon drill, mounted, .was carried out, but drill by battery was for some reason not attempted.

In order that the men might gain a slight idea of conditions on the march and in the field, each battery, with horses, materiel, packs and rations, set off.

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