The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-29
AT CAMP YOUNG
FIRST REAL WORK OF THE
 MANOUVERS.
The Brown Army Gains Victory Over the Blues-The Actual Clashes Were Net
 Numerous.

Camp Young West Point, Ky, Sept. &. -The first real work of the troops assem- bled for the combined maneuvers began today although scores were entered on the books of the umpires Saturday when the troops arrived. The points noted Saturday concerned the prosaic, but nevertheless important feature of the rapid disentraining of troops and estab- hshment of camp which in the final sum- ming up at the end of the maneuvers will count along with the ones scored under
 more exciting conditions.
 Today's work centered on the solution of the various problems which confront the advance and rear guards of an army in the neighborhood of an enemy in time of war The conditions were made to simulate those of actual warfare as near ly as possible. The different phases or the problem such as the protection by the advance guard of Its own flank in coun- try offering good cover to an attacking force; the protection from rush in the open by mounted infantry or cavalry, and | the fundamental requirement of discovery of the enemy within time sufficient to allow the main body to be deployed in | line of battle Casually at least one hour), were all allowed to develop in natural | fashion without reconciliation after the opposing forces had been set in motion. | The same relative problems were set | before the rear guards of the SBlue and | Brown armies. The main bodies did not clash Their part in the problem was | confined to forming line of battle and | fixing the position so that the time con- | stunned and the disposition of the troops | could be passed upon by the umpires in Judging the work of the advance and | rear guards in protecting them from sur prise.
 While this was being done, the advance | guards were enjoying some lively skirm-
 ishing. The points chiefly noted by the
 umpires in this being skill in taking | cover, surprise, superior weight of fire
 accompanied by the least exposure of the body, taking the initiative, proper reserve | of magazine fire, etc.
 The troops were astir early, first call being sounded at 4:30 o'clock thls morn- ing. At roll call the line officers made l a rigid inspection of each mans cartridge belt to make sure that no ball cartridges had crept in among the blank ones already issue. Then tho commanders, having received their instructions, and
 breakfast having been eaten, 2,4O0 of the regular soldiers divided into bodies of
 equal strength, went swinging out across
 the country in the crisp, invigorating air
 to begin their maneuvers.
 After a day spent in maneuvering
 among the hills. the first of the mimic
 battles ended with an apparent advant
 age in favor of the Brown army. The
 conditions prevailing were those govern
 ing the proper employment of advance
 and rear guard by the armies.
 The problem for the day as announced
 by Colonel Wagner, chief umpire, was
 as follows:
 The Blue army, having been defeated
 by the Brown army, fell back on Louis vile, it's base point. Here it secured heavy endorsements and turned on thu ward it's base at Nashville. The advance guard of the Blue army was expected ' to cripple the rear guard of the Brown } The actual clashes were not numerous 7 being largely confined to the brushes be tween hankers. Colonel Morton ha
 swiftly disposed of his Brown cavalry } men at a point where he was able t threaten the Blue column, commando } by Colonel W. F.. Duggan and at tn t same time practically forbid an attac by the Blue main column commando ? by Major Williams unless the latter too } a longer detour than the time limit a ? lowed. The Brown rear guard was nc only able to forestall the enemy's attaC but to do 1t with trivIai 1osS-a cardin; l. principle for the rear guard being not r engage at the risk of heavy loss UT ? l less absolutely essential to the safet , of the main body The Brown horseme ] took advantage of the ground so we . that they were able to threaten either (
 the Blue columns with superior fore , and yet maintain a superior defensiv position. The maneuver ended late in tn
 afternoon with trivial losses in killed
 and captured on either side.
 The chief incident of the day was tn
 capture of Captain Mitchell, of the sig , nal corps and a small detachment of hi
 men by troop of the 7th Cavalry