The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-26
BAT TIE OF THE
BLUE AND BROWN
Another Attack Upon a
Wagon Train at Golf
Hill.
A Military Event Possessed of
Many Attractive Realistic
Features.
A Captain Makes al Inquiry and Is
Inform med That ALI Is Fair in Love
and War-To.Day's Events.

Yesterday loren DON there was in the
vicinity of the pun ping plant at Noun
tain Lake at the foot of Golf Hill repeti-
ton of the field exercises of the previous
day by the infantry. There was more
realism yesterday than on the previous
day in that the convoy, consisting OF three
companies of infantry under command OF
Captain Louis P. Brant, were in the uni
form of blue, while the company shat was
detailed to capture the wagon train and
was under command of Second Lieutenant
Charles l.. Bent was attired in brown
suits, and the contest was the blues
against the browns. Then in addition
there was train of two wagons, and the
firing of blank cartridges by means of
which it became possible to note the adj
yan1ages that either side gained. The
movements were more deliberate and
more cautiously effected, and it was evil
dent that the lesson OF the previous day
had not been lost on the officers who were
in that engagement.
The train and convoy moved up the
road that leads to Golf Hill, intending to
pass down the detile to point west of the
pumping plant. AS soon as the head Of
the command reached rise in the road
that gave view of the open country a
halt was ordered, and, according 10 tao
tics, the captain in command dismounted,
TOOK hurried survey of the ground and
surroundings, and then sent scouts to the
front to reconnoiter. These moved in
three sections-one in the center, one on
the left and the other on the right OF the
gully iii which the Browns might be con-
cealed. These with one exception moved
as directed, the one exception being that
they did not keep their distances, but that
was soon corrected. After that small
patrols were sent out as supports to the
scouts, and as these moved in line OF
skirmishers the reserve of the convoy was
advanced with the wagons. In few mo-
ments one OF the scouts of the center dis
covered the Browns under cover of the
brush in which they were lying in wait
for the train to approach, and gave the
signal by raising his rifle, held horizon
tally, three times over mis- head. In the
meantime two couriers from the left sec
ton rushed up to Captain Brant 10 advise
him verbally OF the discovery of the
Browns and of their location.
Upon this report the captain formed his
plan OF action. He ordered a company to
the extreme right TO take a position be-
hind row of pine trees, from which the
Browns and at the same time be under ex-
cellent shelter. Then portion of one COM
pany, led by Second Lieutenant Dennis Z.
Nolan, marched to small gully to be
ready to make center attack. while a Skin
mish line moved through the open down
the left of the position, in which the
Browns were concealed. For few
moments there was not a sound to lndi-
cate the positions OF the men, but sud-
denly there came from the direction of
Lieutenant NOlans command a couple OF
sharp reports, shots tired at a Brown,
whose head popped up above the brush.
Then came volley from the right flank
and reply from tie Browns and another
volley from the center. The right again
engaged the Browns and the skirmish line
on the left gave signs of life by firing a
round or two. About this time the en-
gagement was exceedingly realistic and
exciting, but as the ammunition was linn
tied to very few rounds, the execution
by actual firing was not as effective AS II
each man had been furnished ten rounds.
1t left too much to the Imagination in
order to carry out the further movements.
To a man on top of Golf Hill it looked
very m UGH as if the Browns had got into
a trap in which they would be annlhlated
by superior numbers and that the Blues
had succeeded in Strengthening Them or
had forced them to retreat and this was
command made rush across the lied
and leaped the fence into the enemy's
ground. at that moment the reserve and
the wagons PASSED down the detile and
reached the point OF destination. When
the men had been recalled and were as
sembled on the main road Captain ]. j.
OF onneil, the inspector, called upon Cap
tain Brant for an explanation of his
method of attack. This he gave, aud
Lieutenant Bent told what he did with
the Browns and explained that his COM
mand was unable, for any lengt , to cope
with the large force which engaged it on
all sides.
Then Captain Charles G. Starr of Com
pany +, who was the umpire, was asked
for his decision, and it was quite brief 1t
was that while the Browns had not cap
tured the train they had not been dis
lodged nor captured, thereby npsetting the
opinion of the men on Golf Hill.
To this Captain O'ConneIl said, "WelI.
but-well, the umpire has given his de-
cision," and he was about to order the
troops 10 quarters, when Captain
Brant asked why Lieutenant Bent had
three dismounted troopers on his ground.
and aIso asked where their horses were.
The lieutenant replied that the horses
were down in gully, and then ths can
tain wanted to know further if the three
men in blue were not placed there by the
lie utenant as decovs TO deceive the Blues
and then asked the inspector if that was
fair.
Captain Brant," replied the inspector.
with Characterization politeness, syou must
RENE m Der that in love and war everything
is fair, and If Lieutenant Bent could Get
some men in blue to act as decoys IL shows
that he has good strategic ideas" The
complimented lieutenant smiled and there
was laugh along the line that was
checked only when the command was
given "Fours right, march,"
Inc outpost duty this morning will
cover front of ABOUT 5000 yardsofrom
the gate at Central avenue to Lobos Creek.
The main line of resistance will be at the
stone wall which is being built from Gem
tral avenue west and forms the south line
OF the Presidio reservation. The entire
iorce OF the garrison will be used to pro-
tect the post from an enemy expected
from the south. The maneuyers will be
exceedingly interesting.