The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-10-24
"CO[ORED TROOPS
FOUGHT MOLLY"
lWenty-fifth RegimentandIowa
Troops Do Great Stunts at
Fort Riley.

FORT RILEY, Kan, Oct. 23.-There
was a pitched battle today seven miles
northeast of the maneuver camp, and it
came ABOUT as close to the real thing
as was possible with blank cartridges.
1t was good to look upon, better to be
IN and full Of infantry dash and the
louch and go of cavalry work.
Inc Browns, under Gen. Barry, rep
resented a force advancing from the
north. The Blues, under Gen. Bell,
were force which had been pushed
OUT on a reconnaissance, and were at
tacked at once by the, Browns, and the
resultant m1X-up constituted a Con
tact OF opposing forces of all arms"
Gen. Barry's force, which marched out
iast evening and passed a chilly
DlVouac last night was forbidden by
the conditions of the problem to march
forward before 1920 a. m. Gen. Bell
left his camp at 1880, and when the
opposing army was privileged to start
was close upon him and ready for op-
erations.
As soon as the Browns moved out
Col. Duncan, leading the Sixth infan-
try, the advance of Gen. Bells force.
charged home on their left flank, roll
ing 1t up and driving it back toward
the center. Two troops of cavalry were
quickly put out of action by Col. Dun
can, who then swung in close upon
their entire baggage train.
Barry's Terrible Right"
So far the battle was all for the
Blues, but Gen. Barry's turn was COM
ing and his right arm came down on
the Blues left in a fashion to make
the latter wonder why they had ever
gone into the war business. While his
infantry poured in a heavy fire from
the ridges, a squadron of the Tenth
cavalry, under Capt. c. P. Johnosn
moved up a ravine close to the left of
Gen. Bells position, and then, climbing
hill and peering over the crest, Capt
Johnson beheld Gen. Bell with his en-
tire staff riding but a short distance
away. Gen. Barry, who was close up
ordered Capt. Johnson to charge and
capture Gen. Bell, and, if possible, the
Twentieth battery, which was just in
front.
Johnson ordered the charge and in
an instant he and his colored troopers
were over the summit and at the bat
terry. The guns turned loose for a few
shots that would have laid out many
OF Johnson's men and then it was all
over. On a dead run, Capt. Johnson,
with his troopers, was in among the
guns and the battery was captured.
Without hating, after going through
the batteryl, Capt Johnson tore on
after Gen. Bell, but here he filed and
lost his life for the day. Between him
and the prize coveted was a rank of
men of the same color as his own, the
boys Of the Twenty-f fifth infantry.
Just as Johnson seemed to be swinging
in on his prize line of dark faces rose
In front and volley after voley was
poured almost into him and his men. The
Twenty-hrSt then rushed forward to a
counter charge, recapturing the battery,
and then coming down on the far side
of the crest they carried at the point of
the bayonet the Nineteenth battery of
Gen. Barry's force that had just come up.
The guns were wheeled like lightning on
the Twenty-ffth but the colored men,
with loud cheers and firing with wonder
fuI rapidity,, charged along the hill and
nothing could stop them. The battery
was theirs and they held it.
Good Work of Iowa Men.
While this charge Was taxing place Col
L1ncolnS Fifty-fifth Iowa, which Is in
all things highly praised by the military
critics, came forward on a ridge parallel
to that along which the TWenty-fifth was
charging and became holly engaged with
the troops of the battery that had been
taken by the Twenty fifth. For some rea-
son there is a grim earnestness in the
fighting of the Iowa regiment that makes
~ an important FACTOR, no matter what
the odds pitted against it.
They came plunging down the hill,
crossed narrow rayine and assembled the
hill on the farther side, just in time to
meet an attack that Gen. Barry was send
ing in upon the Blue center. 1t was hot
enough. for anybody, and the Iowa boys
We're given all they could do. A part of
the TWenty-fifth came out to air them
but Gen. Barry pushed his attack with
wonderful determination. He had the
preponderance Of force and he made a.
vicious battle. Iowa was soon over
matched, although she still hung onto
Nebraska and Missouri
n. Barry tn
ever. and his men came on steadily, pour
ing In a fearful fire that would have been
Woefully destructive in an actual fight
The fight was at its hottest and the men
In their eagerness were pressing closer.
when Col. Wagner, the senior umpire.
sounded the recall and the battle closed.
'1t was a desperate fight" said Col
Wagner. land so sharp on both sides that
only actual war could have told the sto-
ry."
Tomorrow a review will be held. all
the troops in camp participating Cen
Young departed for the East tonight.