Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-01
FLEET MOVES BEYOND SIGHT
HigginsOn Takes First Step in Great
War Game.
LAND FORCES ARE MIGHTY BUSY NOW
Are Being schOOIed in the Use OF
Heavy Guns ana Put Through
Drills that Are New TO
Many.

X. l., Aug. cover
Of fog and the blackness Of night the
North Atlantic fleet. commanded by Rear
Admiral Higginson. slipped its cable in
Menmesha Blight. Vineyard sound. shortly
before 10 o'clock tonight and put TO sea-.
making the first move afoat in the war
game between army and navy in the i'm
aginary war along the New England coast.
From Fort Rodman to Fort Wright, at
Fishers island, every fertilization Is
manned by artillerymen and every head
land is patrolled by slgnalmen as carefully
as II a hostile feet we're about to descend
on this part Of the seaboard. The actual
war period began at the expiration Of the
forty-eight hours of preparation, and
while the feet appeared to take things
easy. the land forces under General Mac
Arthur were drilled at the guns and at a
signal station with all the vigor that fore
casts real conflict. Never in the history
Of this country has such a grim aspect
been given to the defenses which guard
New Bedford. the cities on N%arragansett
bay. the Connecticut shore and, more i'm
portant, even, the city OF New York from
attack under cover Of Martha's Vineyard
and adjacent islands through the great
waterway, Long Island sound.
ArtiTerymen Numerous.
Tonight when taps sounded at ali the
forts nearly 5000 artillerymen went to
sleep beside their guns, ready to spring up
for action when the alarm should be given.
On the walls Of the Notifications paced
guards. and along the beaches sharp-eyed
signal men swept the sea with their night
glasses, feverishly anxious lest the light
OF a hostile war vessel be taken for that
Of a friendly merchant craft.
On the sea the feet had been swallowed
up In darkness, and 1t will next be heard
from when It makes a descent on the
coast. There are nearly 5000 men ahoat.
and 1t MAJ be that Admira Hlgginson will
endeavor to land his marines at some ex-
posed point Of the shore defenses and at
tempt to capture 1t before making his at
TACK or before making an attempt to force
an entrance into Buzzard's or Narragan-
sett bays or even Long Island sound or To
slIence some fort. The army is ready for
anything that may come up. To cripple
the army's line Of communication NAV be
Admiral Higginson's first thought. in order
TO use his marines. The first point OF at
tack is looked for at Fort Rodman
manned by volunteer artillerymen. hut
there may only occur a reconnaissance nv
the gunboats while the great battlesbins
swing into action to the westward. and 6v
skiliful maneuvering theoretically hammer
the fortihcations to a mass Of ruins with
their ponderous turret rides.
Doesn't Appear RcIIicOse.
FORT RoDMAN. NEW BEDFORD. Mass
Aug. 31.-so far as appearance went a,
FORT Rodman today, no one would imaRin,
nat war;, or even a mock war. was i'm.
pending possibly within half a day. No,
would an observer imagine that a hoRtII,
meet was anchored in battle array within
ten miles OF the post. 1t was a day OF
great activity and practical work, but. SC
iar as appearances OF hostility were evl.
dent In camp, peace reigned. re
Anyone whose ideas Of a state militia
camp had been gained by the DAYS of skv.
larking and general ''racketing'' which once
prevailed, would never have recognized Fort
Rodman during either Saturday night q,
Sunday. 1t was quiet as a Sunday school
and the only sounds which broke the attn.
ness were chlTrups Of the crickets and the
dull, distant tread OF the sentries, Tn,
camp itself was literally wrapped in .slt,m.
Der, officers and men alike apparently rec.
osnizing the need for piling up sleep ir
view Of nights Of future waking and
momentary call.
Sunday was not in the least a day o.
worship or idleness. The customary thronS
OF visitors was absent, the war orders com.
pelling a rigid curtailment Of passes aut
limiting the outsiders in camp to a few
chosen war correspondents and one or tw,
choice officials In favor at headquarters
Outside the guard line there was a GROVE
all day long. especially during the parad,
and the band concert Of the afternoon
But for the most part the usual orna.
mental features Of camp were absent, III,
tented portions Of the field being too IA
removed from the street to make 1t visibl,
to the civilians. and nothing which tn,
unframed would appreciate as being in or
der but the few ceremonies OF the day, sucl
as guard mount and evening parade.
Pushing Preparations.
For the mliitiamen, however, there WA
not a single minute Of idleness. Colone
Frye was rushing preparations, knowing
that In two days he must pull comparativel,
green militia artilleFymen into a condition
to man effectively a post whose ordnanc,
ranged from the big eight-inch disappear
ing mounted rifles to the popping Gatlings
It was q task OF no small moment AM
oficers and men bent themselves to 1t will
zeal. Battery d put In a hard morning
at the big guns in the western emplaee.
mert, while Battery B was similarly oc.
cupied In the east emplacement. In eacl
emplacemept the state officers were as
sisted and supplemented by the direction
OF some Of the regular a~rtiilerymep Of tn,
permanent post. Battery X and Battery
worked at the hfteen-pound rapid hre gum
In the western and eastern emplacement
respectively. Battery c manned the SIX
Founders on siege carriages and Battery
ran about the shore with the Calling an
the one-poundsrs, placing them efectivel!
to repel landing parties. throwing up tenn
porary works for screens and locating
range-inders. 1t was q morning OF hare
work and the afternoon was none tn,
easier.
The morning guard mount wAs well per
formed-wondertully we'll for the seeon,
day In camp. Captain Lombard OF Bat
terry 3 was ofhcer Of the day and Lieu
tenant Gleason Of Battery X was ofieer o
the guard.
signal Corps Divided.
Yesterday the signal corps was divided
Lieutenant spelcely. with nine state sigma
corps men. and Private Baker Of the reg
ularE, taking up their post on Mishaun