The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-28
War of the "Blues" and the "Browns"
on the Prairie at Fort Riley
Merely Educational.
DESCRIPTION OF MOVEMENTS
COL. CARR AND GENERAL BATES AT
HEAD OF THE RIVAL ARMIES.
All Branches of the Service Given an
Idea What should BE Done I'm
Actual Warfare.

FORT RILEY, Kan, Sept. 27.-To-days
warfare between the armies of the blues"
and the browns" consisted of preparing TO
fight without fighting. In military parlance
the maneuvers are described as follows:
The entire force on the march with suita-
BILE advance guard for a division Of war
strength. advance guard entire. main body
in part imaginary"
What was done follows: Early in the
morning the army of the browns few in
number. marched out to the north line of
the reservation and then, wheeling about,
went back over their tracks until they
came in sight of the advancing army of the
blues" The browns" supposed to be only
advance guard supported by an imag-
mary body of reserve troops, prepared for
action soon as they sighted the blues"
and the latter prepared for action as rapid
ly as possible after the browns" came
over the horizon lines. When everything
was ready for the killing to commence ev-
erybody tramped back to camp, and the
maneuvers of the day were over.
There is nothing of the sham-battle order
about the maneuvers, which have now fair
ly opened. There is nothing of the pomp
and glitter of war; 1t is all business. There
are no spectacular charges with much noisy
consumption Of gunpowder. Everything is
done with the object of conveying lesson.
and when the problem has been explained
the maneuver is over. There will be no
question of ''Who wins?" in the army man
euvers. Everything is done with the idea
of teaching the younger officers of the reg
ular army and the visitors of the National
Guard how such things should be done In
the presence of an actual enemy.
The advance guard of the main body. UNI
der the command of General Bates, COM
prised Company of the first battalion Of
engineers, the first squadron of the Fourth
Cavalry, less one platoon, which remained
with the main body the Seventh battery Of
field artillery and two guns of the Sixth
battery of field artillery, the Eighteenth
Infantry, two battalions Of the Twenty
second Infantry and a squad of ten men
of the hospital corps. 1t was accompanied
by number of wagons carrying ammuni-
ton and intrenching tools and six ambu-
lances. There were in the advance guard
all the remaining troops in camp, about
$500 In number. This formed the army Of
the blues"
The browns" who, by power of the
imagination. were equal to the blues in
numbers, were commanded by Col. c. G.
Carr and consisted only of the second
squadron Of the Fourth Cavalry. first
Sixth battery of field artillery, less the two
guns which were with the blues" The
browns" moved out early in the morning
and at 8 o'clock were in position near the
north line of the reservation, where Colonel
Carr formed his men for battle, extend
ing his line as much as possible to give the
impression that his force was larger than
Ii was. The Twenty-second Infantry was
on the left and left center, the Eighteenth
the right and right center. Meanwhile,
along what is known the "Old Governor
Harvey road, General Bates was advanc-
ing with his army. Way out on either
flank his scouts were thrown, and the light
cavalry, riding in advance of the column,
eagerly watched for Colonel Carr and his
browns When they were finally sighted
word was given to push forward as rapidly
as possible for some high ground in front
of the column. The troops deployed rapid
ly, forming lines of battle as they FASTENED
up the hills. The batteries dashed into po-
stion and with an almost incredible speed
were ready to open upon the enemy. The
Infantry reserves behind the main line of
battle fell into position and ambulances
and ammunition wagons went humping
over the rought prairie ground to the
places where they could extend the great
est assistance When the preparations for
battle were completed the umpires declared
the end of the days work and the march
back to camp was taken UP.
There will be no exercises tomorrow and
on Monday the object lesson will be 1.-THE
contact of opposing forces of all arms"