Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-10-02
The MIMIC BATTLE.
Army Eaneuvers Yesterday Car
ried Out In Bad Weather.
The CONFLICT BRIEFLY DESCRIBED.


Fort Riley, Kan, Sept. 3O.-March
ing over a soggy field swept at fire.
q1ent intervals by binding rain
driven by a 4O-mile gale, the men
OF the maneuver division carried out
their days programme in splendid
style. The work was without flaw,
and at the conclusion OF the days
work the umpires pronounced it the
most satisfactory undertaking that
has so far been carried out in the
maneuvers.
In working out the problem of the
day 1t was presumed that a Blue
force with headquarters ct Abilene,
Kan, was operating against Brown
force advancing from the east. A
division Of the latter was presumed
to have already reached Stockdale,
Kan Col, George B. Rodney, of the
artillery corps, was in command Of
the Blues and was camped on the
banks of the Republican river on
the Fort Riley reservation. His
command comprised the Sixth bat
TALON of engineers, acting as in
fantry, the Nineteenth, Twentieth
and Twepty-eighth batteries Of field
ARTILLERY and the First squadron Of
the Eighth cavalry. The plan Of the
day for Col. Rodney was to make
demonstration in force toward Stock
dale to gain information Of the enc,
my, said to be about 10000 strong.
The Brown division, which was sup.
posed to be encamped near Stock.
dale, was Under the command Of Col.
James Miller, Of the Twenty-second
infantry. 1t was reported to Col,
Miller that the command of Col. Rod
ney was moving north by way Of
the Fort Riley reservation. He de-
cided to attack and capture the Blue
enemy II possible, or at least to drive
the enemy from his direct line of re-
treat through Junction City,
The troops left the camp at $3.50
o'clock and 80 minutes after that
time the Scouts Of the Blues, under |
Command of Capt. Farber, Of the |
Eighth cavalry, were sweeping north:
ward, covering front Of nearly two |
miles. The Blues galned an advan-
tage at first BY Selling Mars hill, the
highest point on the reservation, II !
was IN the direct line of advance and |
was too strong position to be aban-
doned. 1t was therefore determined |
to hold it firmly. One company of
the Eighth cavalry was dismounted
on the southern slope and advanced
on the run to the summit, where it |
was deployed as infantry. A few
minutes later Marsh's battery came
tramping through the long grass at |
headlong speed. The horses were
urged to their utmost speed and the
wheels of the carriages bounded fire.
quently a foot from the ground as
the battery dashed into position on
the crest. Glasses were trained on
the horizon to the north, and Capt.
Farber with his scouts pushed |
straight on to the front, believing
that the main force of the Browns
would be developed in that direction.
However, instead of operating in
front Col. Miller was marching
around the right flank of the Blues
and endeavoring to gain their rear.
Three times Marsh's battery changed
front on the crest and finally as a
detachment of Brown infantry ap-
peared upon crest one mile away
The battery wheeled once more, this
time to the right and opened
heavy fire upon the advancing in
fantry. Suddenly, while Marsh's bat
terry was pounding the thin line Of
Brown lying fiat upon the ridge a
mile away. there came an answering
dash from hill one mile In the rear
Of the Browns. 1t was their artil-
lery in action in their support. A
lively artillery duel continued be-
tween the batteries, and occasionally
In the lull of the loud reports Of the
three-inch rifles could be heard the
sharp crack of the Krag-Jorgensen,
proving that the scouts Of the OPP
posing forces were coming into con-
tact.
The Brown line advanced steadily,
spreading out to their left as they
came, and in few minutes they
were thrown squarely across the
Blue line of retreat. The engineer
battalion kept up rafting fire, but
they were not able to prevent the
Browns from obtaining a position
from which they directed heavy
fire into the Blue artillery. It was
position such as must have caused
the destruction of the battery and
the umpires decided that it had been
put out of action. The Browns came
rapidly through the grass, keeping
up their fire without slackening In
the least. Aid was now coming to
the hard-pressed engineer battalion,
which was clinging desperately to
Its work. Company D, Of the Sixth
infantry, came up the hill on run
and, plunging into the fight on the
right flank Of the engineers, they
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