The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-23
FIELD MANEUVERS,
Worcester Gets the
Honors in Mimic
Warfare.
BATTLE OF PERKINS HILL.
Lieut.. Col. Shumway and
Maj. FL. B. Fairbanks
in Command.
BATTLE OF PERKINS HILL.

South Framingham, camp of the First
brigade, Aug. 22.-Today the men Of
the First brigade executed what was
without doubt the most successful and
realistic field maneuver from military
point of view were attempted by the
Massachusetts volunteer militia. Gen.
Mathews and staff have been busy since
the first day of the encampment MAX
ing preparations for the maneuver and
their efforts to display the best results
by infantry, artillery and cavalry be-
ing handled properly in warfare met
with great success and unbounded
praise from all the old veterans on the
field. Col. Clark, who led the gallant
Second, and Lieut.. Col. Shumway, who
was second in command, both think the
movements were successful to a de-
tail. Maj. Duchesney of the First bat
TALON of artillery, who saw service Of
the hottest kind in the civil war, is also
OF the opinion that the maneuVers
were a success.
The plans for the maneuvers We're to
be an attack of a large body of troops
on the rear guard of a retreating army,
and Maj. Gihon of the Sixth regiment
with the Second battalion of his regi-
ment, two sections of battery B of Wor-
cester, half a platoon of cavalry and
detachments of the ambulance and sig
nal corps were sent out as the rear
guard of the retreating army and left
camp with his command shortly before
8 o'clock and marched to the Perkins
farm where he took up a position on
the farm and made plans to withstand
an attack from the advance guard of
the attacking army.
Lieut.. Col. Shumway with the Third
battalion of the second regiment, IN
GLIDING Company A, City Guards, Com
pany H, Wellington Rifles, Company
c, Light Infantry, all of Worcester, and
Comapny T of Gardner, two sections
of Battery B, under command of Lieut.
A. H. Boswell, half platoon of caval-
ry and detachments of the ambulance
and signal corps, and the pioneer corps
of the Second under Sergt. r. B. Jor-
dan of the Wellington Rifles, formed
the advance guard of the attacking ar
my. Lieut.. Col Shumway was in COM
mand, with Maj H. B. Fairbanks in
command of the battalion of infantry
Sergt. Jordan who was in command
of the pioneer corps, held the same posi-
ton in Cuba and had three corporals,
20 privates in his detachment. Privs. w
w. Rice and David Gowans of the City
Guards, Privs. G. H Bejune and Corp.
C. A. Vaughn Jr., of the Light Infantry
and Privs. Seaver, Whitaker and Sergt
Jordan of the Wellington Rifles were
the Worcester boys in the pioneer corps.
Lieut. Col. Shumway's command left
camp about $50 o'clock with Col. Oar
onr 1r11a mr. VIII
battalions of the Sixth, and at the cross
roads in birmingham center, Lieut.. Col.
Shumways command moved up the left
road to attack Maj Gihon's command
in the center and Col. Darling's COM
nand went up the right road to flank
Maj. Gihons command on the left.
Scouts were thrown out by both COM
mands and in short time Lieut.. Col.
Shumway was informed by his scouts
of Mai. Gihons position and plans We're
formulated for the attack. Lieut.. Col.
Shumways command was practically
ali composed Of Worcester boys and
they got ready to do great business
with the enemy.
The infantry were supplied with
blank cartridges and the artillery anC
cavalry with blank ammunition. Lieut.
Col. Shumway got his men into posi-
ton, deploying the companies and NOV
ing them into line in quick order III
opened fire with the infantry and ow
ing to the battery men having left tn
primers behind, the artillery was no
able to open fire for some little time
although the guns We're swung int
position.
With Mai. Gihon, Lieut.. w. 7. Goul
was in charge Of the two sections of ar
tillery with the command, and as 500
as the artillery got into position tn
guns were marked Lieut.. Sayles wa
also with the command, and as soon a
the infantry, then under command {
Mai Fairbanks, as the attacking fore
moved into a position for an attacl
Maj Gihon's artillery opened fire. TIL
infantry also opened fire.
In the meantime Col. Darling, wit
his command, made an attempt to tur
Mai Gihon's left flank but was discoN
cred by pickets sent out by the con
mander of the supposed enemy, an
Mai. Gihon ordered a retreat, and h
command retired to a position abol
one mile back on Perkins hill, whio
formed frst-class natural defence.
Lieut.. Gould. after the guns had bee
screened in the first position. move
back to the second position on Perkin
hill with caissons and dug two Germa
gun pits to receive the sections of a.
tillery. When the retreat was ordere
Col. Darling was little late in openin
fire. and when Gen. Mathews and stat
the Second regiment, with Col Clar
in command, Battery c, with Maj. d.
chcsney in command, and detachment
of cavalry and ambulance and sgni
corps arrived at the position occupie
by Lieut. Col. Shumway the enemy ha
retired
Maj. Gihon, before leaving, fired seN
eral voleys, which completely shrout
ed the surrounding wood in a thic
smoke. Gen. Mathews ordered h
command to open fire, and for tin
the men in his command were blazin
away at the hillside. The enemy ha
flown to the position on Perkins hill.
As soon as the overhanging smol
disappeared Gen Mathews ordered h
command forward and Col. Darling VIZ
ordered to again try flank movemei
on Maj. Gihon's left.
Col Shumway and Maj Fairbank
IN command Of the advance guard
The attacking army countermarched
The main road, and by excellent gene
alshlp got the &C command into an e
lecuve position on Mai. Gihon's right
Mai. Gihon had his men intrencht
pSnlnd stone wall, and his artiller
winch was to have been placed in II
gun pits, were taken to another posltlt
snd masked by screen of shrubs. IA
SOuJs discovered the approach OF u
maln column under Gen. Mathews, Fl
Nso the thanking column under "