Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-09-27


structures and mass of debris to mark
its location. The soldiers will have
been paid the modest stipend which
the State appropriates for their SER
vices in camp, their equipment will
have been packed away in baggage
cars. and they themselves will have
reached their homes or will be en-
route.
The encampment has accomplished
two things which were predicted for 1t.
II has removed much of the local pre-
judice against the Guard, and II has
given the citizen soldiers new con-
ception OF West Virginia hospitality.
With the exception of few instances
! in the city. the men have been treated
with the greatest courtesy. and posi-
bly, they were not blameless themselves
in the exceptional instances. Through
out the brigade yesterday general re-
| greet was expressed that the encamp-
ment was about to close. Acquaint-
ances made in the early days have de-
I veloped into strong friends. and in not
a few instances have the darts of Cupid
| found Judgment, so that there Is as
ISOLATED with the breaking up OF camp.
/ the pangs of parting.
Last night there were conferences
with transportation agents. and maj
/ orders were given for departure THIS
morning. The men will remove TIER
accoutrements from their tents. loosen
the supporting ropes. and about eight
o'clock the general" call will be
sounded. With the echo of the bugle
i call there will be a very pretty spec
tacle. All the tents will fall together.
The white city will be RACED. A rev
hours later it will be depopuated.
Brigade headquarters will stand until
all the work connected with the break
| ing up of camp has been disposed OF.
The crowd of visitors yesterday was
larger than upon any day OF the en-
! campment with the exception OF last
! Sunday. The magnet was the sham
battle. the most realistic military spec
tacle of the ten days. All the w. d II.
G.. cars were crowded. and hundreds in
traps and on horseback augmented the
throng. Groups sat in the shade OF
trees on the hillside to the north. On
the slope in front of Altenheim, and
east of the w. & e. G. tracks, were not
less than thousand Inside the fence
along the Bethany road were three
thousand more and still greater num-
Der vainly endeavored to get beyond
the guard line in order to secure
better view of the battle ground. 1t
was an ideal day and all the conditions
were favorable for the battle.
The men were each supplied with ten
rounds of ammunition, an insufficient
amount, as subsequent events demon
strated. The brigade officers did not
take part in the battle, but General
Smith walked out upon the field and
gave directions An unavoidable delay
caused some Impotence to be manifest
ed by the crowd. The brigade was
finally assigned to positions.
Col C. e. Morrison took a battalion
of four companies to point near the
w. & E. G. tracks. The remaining
companies of the brigade were drawn
I'D in line at the other end Of the drill
ground. in command of Col. II. r.
Smith. of the Second regiment. Major
Moore was in command of the firing
line.
The defending battalion sent out
skirmish line, while scouts and Skin
mish line were sent forward from Col.
Smiths command. Col. Morrison's
skirmish line opened fire, and was an
swered by a few shots from the scouts
and a volley from Col. Smiths Skin
mishers. Lieut.. Maginnis ordered his
men to fire at will and the shooting
became lively.
The attacking forces advanced stead
ily until they reached the top of the
knoll. Meanwhile a company had been
detailed to flank the enemy. 1t
marched out over the bridge, down the
Bethany pike toward the w. & e. G.
road and attacked the enemy On the
right. Col. Morrison had no knowl-
edge of this movement, but when at
tackled the firing was the liveliest o.
the battle. The attacking force was
held back.
From the front Col Smiths COM
mand advanced rapidly under fire, and
when Col. Morrison's skirmish line
broke and fell back, the entire attack
ing force rushed forward at double
quick" rendng the air with their en-
thusiastic cheers. Capt. Davis. of COM
pany &C." Second regiment. was sent
through the crowd to flank the defend
ing body on the left. Attacked from
the front and both sides, Col. Morri-
sons command dropped back into the
trenches. Here they were prepared to
defend themselves for an indefinite
period, but their ammunition gave out