The Washington times., 1901-07-27
In MIMIC BATTLE ARRAY.
The Fall of Leesburg Accomplish
ed by District Troops.
Army of the Potomac Under UrelI
Victorious Over Defending Force,
Which Withheld Its Fire Too Long
Colonel Sanger in the Field.


Victorious Over Defending Force,
Which Withheld Its Fire Too Long
colonel Sanger in the Field.
CAMP ORDWAY, Leesburg, Va, July
26.-Somewhat as Dewey sank Montojo's s
fleet before breakfast. did that part
of the National Guard designated the
Army of the Potomac capture historic old
Fort Evans and effect in mimic warfare
the fall of Leesburg just about dawn to-
day. There was nothing glorious about
the defeat of the Army of Virginia, how
ever. The engagement was brief, lasting
only about an hour. Defeat came to the
defenders of the metropolis of Loudoun
County through their own carelessness
rather than by reason of the valor of
their enemy. The battle was followed by
the usual dissatisfaction on the part of
the defeated troops. The Army of the
Potomac, commanded by Colonel UreIl is
highly elated at the victory.
Today in camp proved by far the
most eventful of the week The ma
neuvres We're witnessed by Colonel
Sanger, Assistant Secretary of War. To-
night the troops are delighted with the
prospect of getting home once more, al
though they have enjoyed to the limit the
best encampment in the history of the
National Guard. The troops will break
camp at noon, and arrive in Washington
about o'clock.
Although the maneuvres were rather
disappointing and less broad in their ex-
tent than had been planned, they were
py no means failure As it was, the
men gained opportunities to bring into
action the principles they have been
taught in the stiff extended order drills
lhere was more intelligent knowledge OF
primary strategy exhibited than in any
similar AFFAIR of the Guards history To-
flght the umpires and commanding Off
GERS VIII submit rtports of the parts of
the engagement in which they were di-
rectly involved.
Inc battle of Fort Evans was particu-
larly favored in a typographical way. the
defence being admirably situated on the
summit of high hill, which. occupied by
artillery, commands the entire country
Tor range of several miles.
UP to last night the strictest secrecy re-
gardins the plans for the maneuvres was
maintained. The general supposition was.
however, that Fort Evans. the natural
defence of Leesburg. would prove the
main point of the problem to be worked
and it had historical tinge. too. in nam
ing the opposing forces the Army of the
Potomac and the Army of Virginia.
Leesburg was a necessary point of occu-
patton as a base of operations for the
former. which consisted of the Second
Regiment and the First Separate Bat
TALON, and separate detachments, the
platoon of regular artillery. the gatling
gun battery of two pieces. all under COM
mand of Col. NJ. Emmet Urell, victor of
the battle of Gaithersburg last year. and
which was supposed to be headed for
Richmond from Harper's Ferry. The re-
duction of Fort Evans was necessary be-
fore Leesburg, with direct railroad and
highway communication with the National
Capital, could be occupied.
10 oppose the march of the invading
army was a much smaller force the
Army of Virginia, which garrisoned Fort
Evans under command of Col. Henry
May. This force was composed of the
First Regiment and the battalion of High
School Cadets. The latter force was
rather a reminder of the days when mere
boys went into the fields of Virginia forty
years ago to fight the Northern invaders
of the Old Dominion. One Hotchkiss gun
was the only heavy armament of the for
tification.
The two divisions of the brigade left
camp under orders to proceed 10 differ
ent points as expeditionary columns. and
there to open sealed orders. These orders
made known the plan of operations and
disclosed the military problem to be
worked out, which was simply an attack
upon Fort Evans. with the provision that
the Army of the Potomac must capture
it before 2 o'clock this afternoon or re-
tire defeated
The Army of the Potomac left camp by
two routes. The First Separate Battal-
ion, under Major Arthur Brooks, proceed
ed eastward past Fort Evans through the
lying between Leesburg and the
Potomac Colonel Urell, commanding the
remainder of the army. proceeded in the
same direction by another road 1t was
necessary 10 march a considerable dis
tInce in order to gain connection with
several roads leading to Fort Evans. The
First Separate Battalion camped for sew
eral hours about three miles from Camp
C;dway. The remainder Of the army
bivouacked a full mile farther out A jurc-
tion of these forces was effected a short
time before the attack. The plan of
operation decided upon by Colonel Urell
consisted of two attacks, one in the ma
ture of feint and the other much
heavier advance, which it was calculated
would capture the fort. aided by the de-
structive effect supposed to be worked on
the fortification by the regular artillery,
which took up its post at distance of
about one mile.
The garrison of Fort Evans slept sound
ly all night long. In fact so dense was the
siumber which pervaded the historic old
fortification that several scouts entered
the breastworks without being challenged.
on the other hand, however, number of
scouts from the Army of Virginia went
out and located the position of the at
tacking force.
II was shortly before O'Clock, just be-
fore daylight was clearing away the re-
luctant clouds, when the opening shots
were fired. The Fourth Battalion under
Major Stephan and the Sixth under Major
Harvey. comprising the column directed to
make feint attack. advanced from the
northeast along a fringe OF trees lying
in rayine. Thus screened from obser-
walton of the garrison they came within
100 yards when discovered by the out
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