Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-28
ATTACK 0NrrTHE CITY
Warship Engages Land, Forces at
Long Bridge.
SPIRITED BATTLE !. A. MIDNIGHT
Maneuvers of the District Military
and Naval contingents.
RAPID ASSEMBLY RIDER

The long-expected and often-deferred
maneuverng along the, water front of the
city between the Naval Battalion on the
one hand and a detachment Of the land
forces of the District of Columbia Ma
tional Guard on the other. occurred last
night. Probably every resident of the city
was aware Of the fact by reason of the con-
tinuous cannonading that disturbed the
quiet shortly before midnight and undoubt-
eddy those who had retired said some I'm
complimentary things about the affair The
announcement in yesterdays Star that the
maneuvering was to occur last night re-
suited in large throng of spectators as
sembling near the scene of the expected
strife The exercises at least gave the
guardsmen an opportunity to demonstrate
that they are well prepared to respond
promptly and in large numbers to call
for rapid assembly. The turnout, which
was on short notice. was Unexpectedly
large. The soldiers made a night of it,
many of them not reaching their homes
until O'Clock this morning.
The judges, in conferences before the ma
neuvering began, fixed upon a time limit
for the beginning of the attack. The Ma
val Battalion did not make its onslaught
until after the expiration of this limit, II
torious, by default of the enemy.
The most exciting incident of the night
was the falling overheard of member of
the Naval Battalion, while the Fern was
opposite the arsenal. on her way back to
the navy yard. This unfortunate jackie al
most lost his life and was rescued only af-
ter the expenditure of much energy by his
comrades.
A PrOtracted Wait.
For weeks past 1t has been generally
WV If 1o
tween the Naval Battalion and the land
forces was on the taps. Rumor had 1t that
the rapid assembly was to occur any night,
ard the GuardEmen were almost constantly
on the qui vive. AS time passed, however,
and nothing developed, the impression grew
that the idea had been abandoned. The ru-
NOR spread Tuesday afternoon that the af-
fair was scheduled for the evening Of that
day, but the night passed and all was quiet.
Promptly at o'clock yesterday after
noon, however, without warning to any
one. the telephones at militia headquarters
and a corps OF messengers were called into
service. Within a few moments thereafter
Col. NJ. Emmett Urell received notice that
he was to command a provisional regiment
to comprise the LIST Battalion, 4th Battalion.
LIST Separate Battalion, Company and
Light Artillery; the signal corps and the
ambulance corps. This was to compose
the defending force Commander Robert
p Hams was notified to take command OF
the attacking force. This was to be made
up Of the Naval Battalion, comprising
marine guard made up of the 9th Battalion
and Company A, I'd Battalion.
A very few minutes after o'clock Maj.
Jesse B. X. Lee. LIST Battalion; Lieut.. Har-
ry F. Patterson, Company B, I'd Battalion;
Capt. Joseph F. Hodgson. Company D, I'd
Battalion; Maj Arthur Brooks, 1st Sep
arate Battalion; First Lieut. w. D. Fales,
mi and Cant, .Inhn P Moore.
Battery A, Light Artillery received orders
directing them to report with their COM
mands to Colonel Ureli1 at the Center Mar
ket Armory at Z o'clock sharp.
Capt. E. o. Edwards. Company A. I'd
Battalion. was directed to report to Maj.
William f. Harvey. 9TH Battalion at the
Center Market Armory at Gas o'clock.
Without delay thereafter Major Harvey
was under instructions to report with his
command aboard the Fern at the navy
yard. For some reason the 9th Battalion
failed to materialize and Capt 8. Porter
Gouse. Company A, LIST Battalion. was de-
tailed by Adjutant General Love for duty
on board the Fern as part Of the marine
guard.
Spreading the News.
During the afternoon men in uniform on
bicycles. In carriages and on street railway
cars were seen In all portions of the city.
They were spreading the news. The re-
suits were seen at o'clock, when practi-
under arms. The marine guard, in COM
pliance with orders, wore fatigue uniform.
with legginS and caps. The troops compoS-
Ing the land force wore leggings and cam
paign hats. To each enlisted man fifteen
rounds of blank ammunition, caliber As,
were issued. The orders from headquar-
tiers called upon commanding officers to
take every precaution to prevent accidents.
1t was explained that the character of the
ground to be occupied by both forces rem
derei SDecial
First Lieutenant Francis ]. Rooster, Sd
United States Cavalry. who is post adju-
tant at Fort Myer. was referee. The other
judges were Lieutenant Charles Webster,
United States navy; Lieutenant Goodwin
Ordway. Sd United States Cavalry; Lieu
tenant Colonel Burton R. Ross. LIST Regi-
ment, D. G. N. G.; Major Charles II. GU
rand inspector general, d. c. militia; Major
F. L. Averill, chief of engineers. d. g.
militia; Major r. D. simms 9th Battalion,
D. G. N. G., and Major Glendie B. Young,
lions at convenient points where they could
observe the operations.
Plan of Attack.
The general plan governing the attack
was the assumption that hostile fleet had
destroyed the forts guarding Washington.
and that gunboat was dispatched to
sever communication with the south by
blowing up Long bridge. provisional In
fantry regiment, composed Of the LIST, 4th
and LIST Separate Battalions, Companies B
and D. "a Battalion, with Light Battery A,
signal corps and the ambulance corps, in
trusted with the defense. The Fern, hav-
ing on board the Naval Battalion, the 9Th
Battalion and Company A, I'd Battalion,
acting as marine guard, formed the at
lacking force.
The danger zone for the attacking forces
began when they came within 1000 yards
Of the bridge or the railroad track. The
bridge was supposed to be destroyed when
a torpedo should be affixed to one of the
buttresses. d
The attack, 1t was stated, might be made
upon any part of the bridge between the
draw and the northern bank of the reser-
vo1r. Z.
II the torpedo should be affixed two
rockets were to be fired as nearly as pos
sible In rapid succession. 7
The general rules were that three conf
pany volleys, coming In the nature OF sur
caednp a hatta lion world cause the trOOpS