Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-05-28
,4ralDEr,s BLOoDLEss BArrLE.

AER1OENs9 BIOOO1M99 BAIIA6e
Taken BY the New Haven Battalion
of the Second ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
OF Q Spy DISGUISED as q Reporter.
MERIDEN, May 2S.-"We came, we
saw, we conquered" were the words of
the New Haven city battalion of the
Second regiment after the battle of
Meriden to-day. The great battle has
been agitated by the members of the
Connecticut National Guard and has
been fought and the reverberations Of it
will be heard for some time to come. 1t
was a great success. 4
All the factories, large stores and
schools are closed and every one is en-
joying the holiday. All had a common
destination, Wallingford; some walking,
others driving, while the special trains
carried thousands. At Wallingford the
most animated scene was presented. 1t
there to-day than ever before. They
came from all parts of the state, New
Haven probably sending the largest
delegation. Many Waterbury faces were
among the crowds.
The New Haven battalion arrived in
Wallingford shortly after $50 and pre-
coded by the band marched up Center
to Main street. At the top of the Center
street hill was a picket post from
company II, which on seeing the
advancing troops, fell back and joined
another detachment from their own
company. The station of the company
was at the Hungerford bridge and thith-
er all fell back IN good order.
Company 1 of Meriden left its armory
in this city at 1880 and by way of South
Colony street and the Yalesville road
They passed under the culvert near the
Yalesville depot and from there began
a cross-country march to a point one
and one-half miles from Wallingford.
When Company K began to retreat they
reckoned without Company l. When
they saw the latter company a stand
was ordered and preparations were
made to receive the approaching foe:
After a skirmish Companies I and K
were forced toiretreat, which they did in
splendid order until they met the two
Waterbury companies fastening to their
assistance when another halt was made.
Major Burpee, who personally con-
Quoted the scouting expedition,
then came upon the scene
and ordered still further retreat. The
| troops fell back to Hungerford bridge,
which was destroyed, tguratively, by
fastening upon it a notice stating that
the bridge had been burned. This gave
the retreating forces a chance to escape
WMle Cnelr puTSueTs were Te-Du1lulHS
the bridge.
At this juncture and before Lieut. Col
Lees men appeared upon the scene
Major Burpee placed picket line along
the stream for distance of a quarter of
mile on either side of the "burned''
bridge. While occupying this position
a man among the crowd of spectators
on the hill was noticed acting in a sus-
picious manner and was ordered placed
under arrest by Major Burpee, upon sus-
picion of being spy, having been de-
tected taking notes. The prisoner
claimed that he was New Haven news
paper reporter. He was placed under
guard and searched and it was found
that under his civilian clothes he wore a
uniform of the enemy. He was identi
fed as Sergeant Joseph Smith of Com
pany F, New Haven, and had been sent
out by Col Lee to ascertain the strength
of the resisting forces. The arrest was
a very important one as Smith had upor
his person accurate notes of the strength
of Major Burpees command and the
line of action they had mapped out.
About this time Col Lees forces came
down the hill in a solid column anC
halted south of the bridge. Back o.
the first company was the gatling gun
which was taken east Of the bridge anC
prepared for action. Company 1 O.
herlden held the bridge and did nObly
) until the gatling gun was brought
to bear upon them when they wer,
forced to retreat. Major Burpee, seeing
: the hopelessness of the struggle, orderet
further retreat and the defenders fel
back to Vining farm. The Waterbur,
) and Meriden companies were here re
r inforced by Company H, of Middleton
; and another attempt was made to stem
the tide of disaster.
At this stage flag of truce was raise,
and fighting was discontinued for lunch
At O'clock the lines reformed and tn
: battle was resumed. The fourth posi-
= ton was reached in short time an
r captured by the invaders and shortl
> after the other two positions were force
! to surrender.
y After the final skirmish the lines wer
: formed and the whole regiment march
ed into Meriden, where they were nre
r by Governor Buckley and staff. Ate
e giving an exhibition of the street rio
drill the regiment marched to tn
:, armory, where a collation. was served.
The only accident of the day happene
: to Corporal Nicoll of Co E, who receiv
ed the contents of blank cartridge
s fred by careless member of Co H, i
f the face. His injuries are not of seriou
nature.
o Dennison After a Compromise.
| N~x, VN;n:o~.