St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-09-11
THE MILITARY MANEUvERs.
Imposing and Interesting EvOlu-
tiOns of the National Guard
SnectaoIpS Worth SeeinU


tiOns of the National Guard
SpectacIes Worth Seeing. =
Seldom in time of peace is such an oppor-
tunity afforded for witnessing the evolutions
of large body of military in active service
as was presented yesterday to the $4,000
Minnesotians who were present at the FAIR
grounds. 1t was scene to rouse the patriot
ism of the most unsympathetic mortal in the
vast assemblage, and cause his sluggish
blood to flow more rapidly, his pulse to regis
ter few beats faster at the thought that he
was an American and privileged to enjoy the
fruits OF the desperate fighting done by the
Wearers OF the national colors, who thronged
the stand around and about him. There was
not man present yesterday who wore G.
A. r. badge but felt an intense, even ia
therly, interest i'll the young soldiers whose
duty it was to carry out the military pro-
gramme of the day; nor any to whom the
roar of the artillery, as the guns spoke spite
fully and the rifles of the infantry cracked
IN unison. was less novelty or more rem
1niscence.
THE TROOPS ON THE FIELD
At the opening OF hostilities were the First
regiment infantry, Col. Bend in command.
Second regiment infantry, Col. George W.
Mead commanding, in conjunction with the
First battalion mounted troops, Maj. j. b.
hawley commanding. Third regiment, Col:
+. 2. Wright commanding; and battery OF
artillery. To the strains of columbia" the
march part was begun. and in very short
time, so perfect was the order and discipline,
the entire force was lined up in battle array
in the enclosure opposite the grand stand.
In the front the artillery, next the faultless
phalanX OF the First regiment behind them
the Second regiment, and extending to the
right of the last the Third regiment and the
White-gaitered and baggy-breeched Zouaves.
their wildly picturesque costumes doing
much to set off the beauty and grandeur Of
the whole. The artillery and cavalry ad-
vanced at once to position across the open
plateau, and assumed q defensive attitude
against the onslaught by the Second regi-
ment under Col. Mead. With very little
preliminary work the Second advanced, and
threw out a double line of sRir-
mishers, who opened fire on the gun
effect the latter being picked off at fright
full rate by the infantry sharpshooters as fast
as their places could be filed. Suddenly the
heavy artillery fire ceased, and acting On the
supposition that the battery had been
silenced by the heavy fire from the infantry,
an advance of the latter was ordered, and
with wild cheer which rang high above
the din of battle, and was sent back with
will by the veterans in the stand, the 400
charged right up to the guns OF the battery.
Tho day was not lost to the heavies yet, how
ever, for with a shrek that threw Gll previous
attempts into the shade. the cavalry swung
into stride from their former inactivity,
charged wildly down upon the attacking
force, and nearly caught them mapping. The
spectators trembled for the safety of the
foot, but the stuff was in them, and though
the long line Wavered for moment, IL was
but momentary; the cavalry was thrown
back on the artillery: gallant company Of
foot with an overwhelming dash cut out
gun from the battery, and with it in tow.
seeltered by the body of the regiment the re-
treat was begun
UNDEB wITHERING FIRE.
Chatting at the repulse it had experienced,
the cavalry charged across the open, and
down upon its foes, sabers cleaning in
the sunlight, faces set with grim purpose;
a charge to death or glory. The infantry
order to form square rang out above the
scream of hurtling shell and myriad missiles
of war, and when the horses reached the
spot where form erly had stood long line of
fOemen, they were men by four solid squares,
in each company, bristling with bayonets
on all four sides, and ready for the fray.
Nothing daunted, the cavalry charged right
up to the bristling squares, fighting desper-
ately and fercely. but the squares never
wavered an inch. By hasty maneuvers, the
two outside squares broke into line wheeled
and surrounded the little band of horse;
death stared the latter in the face
on every hand; there was moth
AZ A crushing sDf charge was al made n'-e. IL re.
sponse to a call from the leader of the reso-
lutte little band; the line Wnvered; broke;
they were through; and, pursued by the in
fantry with fire as hot as ever ratified round
of cavalry escaped to the cover of the artll-
lery. which now roared angrily and forced
the infantry to again fall back. The climax
was to come, however. The heavy guns of
the artillery were doing terrible execution in
the infantry ranks, and the colonel in COM
mand saw at once that that battery must be
silenced to prevent the ultimate decimBtion
of the regiment. Again the skirmishers were
throwd out again the artillery gunners be-
gan to fall like nine pins. Up crawled the
skirmish line, and close in its rear came the
main body of the regiment Then came the
order to the skirmishers to fall back to the
ranks, and, with grand charge, which
MADE THE EARTH TREMBLE
and the crowd hold its breath. The battery
was taken and the day was won for the in
fantry. The Second broke ranks and made
in very rugged disorder for a watermelon
stand run by some enterprising sutler, who
realized handsomely on the days sale, and
amid renewed cheering the First regiment
emerged from its retreat by the fence, and
gave splendid exhibition of battalion
drill 1t is but justice to say that. although
surprising degree Of proficiency in the arts
of war. the drilling of the First was by all
odds the feature of the day. Not a foot
was out OF place, not the variation of hairs
breadth in the angle of the long, glistening
line of bayonets, not a man but knew
he was part of a huge machine, and also knew
just what that part was. After the retreat of
the First there was brief pause, when the
front, and gave most creditable drill, of
substantially the same character as that
of the First. The real excellence and eff
ficiency of the national guard were made
most apparent in the exhibition of field
maneuyers by the entire national guard of
the state. All the most difficult and confus-
ing tactics of strategic warfare, including
school of the company, battalion and brig
ade, were gone through with in manner as
creditable 10 the boys in blue as it was pleas
ing to the thousands of people present from
all over the state, who are nothing, if not
proud of our citizen soldiery. The firing by
company. battalion and brigade was wonder
fully we'll done, there being except on rare
occasions when few dropping shots wonld
be heard, no irregularity in the discharge.
Taking the
EXHIBITION AS WHOLE,
1t was most instructive and pleasing one,
and has done much to impress on the minds
of the people of the state the worth of such
an organization as the state militia. The pro-
ceedings closed with brigade review by Gov
Merriam and staff. The entire force was in
spected critically by the governor, who COM
plimented each individual commander on
the efficiency Of his command, after which
the men fell in by companies and marched
to the train. led by the First regiment band
THE STATES VETERANS.
Their Battles Are Over and They
Become Auditors and Specta-