The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-02-24
MET IN SHAM FIGH T
RATTLE EXERCISES IN HONOR OF
WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY.
WITNESSED BY GREAT CROWD.
GOVERNOR DECLARED THE EMIL
BITION BEST HE HAD EVER SEEN.


BattIe-POIice Kept the Crowds
Blackstone of Operations Was
an Ideal One-SpectatOrs Could
See Every Move of the Two
ADMINISTRATIVE in the Park Ex-
tension by the Governor.
The battle exercises engaged in by
the military yesterday afternoon AZ
forded entertainment for great crowd
of spectators. Despite the fact that
the officers had kept the location of
the theater of action secret, the crowd
which gathered to witness the battle
was a large one, and the fields swarm
ed with spectators. 1t was feared that
the presence of so large a. crowd would
interfere with the execution of the
plans of battle but such was not the
case, the field of action being held sole
ly by the troops throughout the en-
gagement.
The location selected was an ideal
one. Just south of Battery Park is an
undulating field, near the intersection
of Forty-secOnd street and the Ogee-
chez road, which lies in a valley, with
an occasional elevation affording an
excellent field for military operations.
To the south are woods, and to the
east a hill upon which is a thick I'M
dergrowth, which made an excellent
screen for the attacking forces. In
deed, few of the spectators discovered
the attacking party until the sharp
shooters opened fire on the enemy, and
they emerged from the thicket.
Gov. Terrell and his escort arrived on
the scene of action early and took up
position ON a hill which commanded a
view of the scene of hostilities. Those
who composed his escort were his staff,
consisting of Adjt Gen. Robertson, Col
J. w. English, chief of STAFF;
general of rifle practice; Col.
Usher Thomasson, Lieut.. Col w. NJ.
Toomer, Lieut.. Col. Samuel Altmeyer,
Lieut.. Col. Shelby Myrick, Lieut. Col
G. Noble Jones and Maj. w. E. Erwin,
and officers of the local military. Col.
A. r. Lawton, Col. G. A. Gordon Lieut..
Col. j. f. Brooks, Maj. r. L. Wylly,
Col. George T. Cam, Lieut. Col. w.
L. Grayson. Capt. A. c.. Cassels, Capt
- - H.
Capt. Q. H. Richardson.
Governor Was Pleased.
The sham battle was a distinct sue
cess, not only giving the large crowd
entertainment but demonstrating the
excellent training of the men. The
Governor was highly pleased. He said
that the exercises were the best he had
ever seen. The fine discipline was
commented on by him and by every
member OF his escort. The manner in
which the men obeyed the whistle sig
nails, and the uniformity of their firing,
was considered little short of perfect
When it is considered that the men
had never before practiced on the
scene, the regularity with which every
move was executed and the absence
of bitches, constitute a most creditable
The engagement was open, every
move of the opposing parties being
visible to the spectators, and before
the engagement had been in progress
long, they observed the execution of
the various commands and discerned
the object of the various maneuvers.
The rattle of musketry and the deto-
nations of the Hotchkiss gun, which
set the echoes flying in the neighbor-
ing woods, interspersed with the
signals and the megaphone
commands, combined to make the bat
tie a most interesting and realistic af-
fair.
Running across the field at double
time, or creeping along at quick time,
the opposing forces neared each other.
After a short run the men would set
tie down, like so many crows alight-
ing, their silhouette figures outlined
against the sky, and presently a cloud
of smoke would foretell the Volley.
which followed. At times the firing
was rapid, and the resonant boom of
the big gun on the hill so frequent.
that the spectator could scarcely re-
alize that he was not witnessing a real
engagement.
Effective Work of Police.
The officers were all highly pleased
at the manner in which the police kept
the field clear of spectators. Col.
Gordon was high in his praise of the
patrol established by the uniformed
men, both during the exercises, and at
the Park during the review. The
mounted men reached the scene in al
vance of the crowd and We're stationed
on all sides of the field. Not once dur
ing the engagement was the effect
marred by the conduct of the spec
tators, and the work of the police was
the best the military have ever en-
joyed.
Seven companies of the First Infan-
try, including the Swainsboro Guards,
the Georgia HusSars and the Fifth Di-
vision of Naval Militia participated in
the exercises. The various commands
assembled at their respective armories
at 23O O'Clock, attired in the service
uniform, with the addition of blouses
which did not escape contact with the
barbed wire fences and muddy portions
of the field. The first division, com
prising the resisting forces left for the
scene of action about half an hour
ahead of the attacking forces.
The Forces OF the Enemy.
The defending army, under command
of Maj. Elliott, was composed of Com
pany d. the Emmett Rifles, under COM
mand of Capt. Leonard; Company L.
the Irish Jasper Greens, under COM
mand of Lieut.. Mccarthy; Company
NJ, the Republican Blues. under COM
mand of Capt Dreyer; a detachment
of the Georgia Hussars, under COM
mand of Lieut.. Silverburg and a de-
tachment of the Naval Militia, with a
Hotchkiss gun, under Lieut. Carter.
The attacking forces were led by Mai
Coney, and were composed of Com
pany II, the German Volunteers, under
Capt. Konemann's command; Company
/, the Oglethorpe Light Infantry. under
command of Lieut. LaFar; Company
*, the Savannah Cadets, under COM
mand of Capt. West: Company c, the
Swainsboro Guards, under command of
Sergt. Bell, and a detachment of the
Georgia Hussars, headed by Lieut.. w
II. Connerat, Jr. The attacking and
resisting cavalry were distinguished by
HNas.