The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-07
REVIEW Of WAR GAME
QUESTION OF VICTORY IS OF MINOR
IMPORTANCE.
Much Was Learned by the Navy and
Army I'm the Maneuvers of the
Past Week.
WORK OF HIGGINSON'S FLEET
As 1T APPEARED To A CORRESPOND
ENT ON THE ALABAMA.
WORK OF HIGGINSON's FLEET
Running Of the Narragansett Bay
Passage a Successful Bit Of Dan
gerous Navigation.

BLOCK ISLAND, r. l.. Sept Con
Board the Battleship Alabama.-No man
In Rear Admiral Higginson's fleet knows
to-day which has won the maneuvers of
the past week, the navy or the army, but
so important are the lessons learned and
valuable the experiences of the days Of
"war" that question OF victory is COM
paratively Of minor import.
The incident of last night when five of
the ships ran into the eastern passage of
Narragansett bay by Forts Adams and
Wetherill without accident of any kind, is
regarded as a highly successful bit of dam
gerous navigation. While. by itself the run by
the forts would have been as foolhardy as it
was brilliant and spectacular, the result may
be judged by the relation of the night move
ment to the maneuvers Of the afternoon.
when Admiral Higginson's ships executed
plans more nearly like the strategy Of war
than anything during the week. These
plans included the capture of naval sta
tons by the Brooklyn and Olympia at Mar
ragansett pier and by the Montgomery,
Mayfiower and Scorpion at Prices Neck,
Newport, and the Smelling of the forts
by three battleships from the shelter of
Ochre point, with a similar performance
by the Kearsarge and Alabama from out
side Brenton reef lightship. These ma
neuvers over, the warships returned to
Block island, and later to return to New
port for the night attack.
The valuable experience to the navy re-
ferred to by Admiral Higginson in his
statement to-day began on the first
day of hostilities, when two companies of
bluejackets from the Alabama captured
the signal station at Block island and
thereby established the navy's base of OPP
erations. 1t was continued on Tuesday,
when the larger ships bombarded Plum
island and Gardner's point; again on
Wednesday, when the four battleships
made descent upon Fort Wright at Fish
er's island. In the latter case the navy
won the day beyond doubt, because the
warships actually had begun their passage
through the race before the forts could
reach them. Excellent experience was seen
early on Thursday morning. when the
ships failed. through error in calculation
and because of clearing weather. to make
another run through the race from Block
island, and were forced TO retire on &C
count of quick discovery.
On Thursday night took place the third
try at the race, with the possible theoret-
zeal loss of several of the men of war. The
bombardment of Forts Rodman and New
port, the capture Of Montauk Point and the
daring bit of work early Friday morning
of Lieutenant Robinson and Hughes in
counter-mining Newport harbor, furnished
incidents of note. This last incident was
from the standpoint of the navy the
feature event OF the war game.
The details Of the dash of the gunboat
Peoria into the channels of Narragansett
bay have not appeared, because the story
of the affair is known only to participants
therein. These were Lieutenant s. 8. Rob-
inson and Gunner T. s. Averon, of the
Alabama, and Lieutenant Charles +.
Hughes, of the Massachusetts, Thursday
afternoon the Peoria was painted black,
and a large sail launch from the Massa-
chusetts was similarly treated. Provided
with mines and cable, the Peoria, having
in tow the launch, passed into Narragan-
sett bay disguised as tugboat, bringing
in disabled schooner. Steaming directly
under the guns of Fort Adams the Peoria
separated from her tow and grappled for
army mines. At the same time Lieutenant
Hughes on the launch was laying his
mines and in a moment had connected
the circuit which exploded them thereby.
blowing up those which the defense might
have laid. The lieutenants marvel to-day
that the men behind the shore guns were
not suspicious of the dark-painted craft
busily at work. Searchlights found them,
but there was no idea that they were
from the camp of the enemy
The second feature of the week, the bonn
bardment of yesterday, was had in the
working out of an elaborate plan of Ad-
miral Higginson and his captains. AT 2
o'clock the Massachusetts, the Indiana and
Puritan steamed easterly in the order
named, as II bound for Menemsha light.
but when we'll outside OF Ochre point,
they turned quickly TO port and crept back
along the shore of Newport. This was
one or the four important strokes in which
Admiral Higginson's strategic plan OF
operations resolved itself The remaining
three were the Scorpion. Mayflower and
the Montgomery, and they were dispatched
away 10 shell and destroy any and all
range finding, signal or telegraph stations
from Coggeshall Lodge to Prices Neck
This they started 10 do
The movements OF the day were the least
spectacular OF the week. With all the alb
sence OF the dramatic they Appropriated
the genuine war maneuvers more than
anything that had preceded.
Looking at the week OF maneuvers d.
rectly from the point of view of the Ala
hama, the most striking impression was
the manner In which the entire ships crew
fell In quickly and easily with the spirit
of the maneuvers.
The naval reserves seemed TO have been
on the ship for years. Capt VIM. III.
Brownson. OF the Alabama, said: MY OBJ