The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-09-09
CASUALTIES ARE HEAVY.
TWO DAfs' FIGHTING RETwEEN
BROWNS AND BLUES.
Many Spectators Enjoy the Sights Of q
Battle I'm Real Progrcss-liilitia
Troops Show NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Grants Forces Within Two Miles OF
the Objective Point.

NofPs aeduQuarters Gainesville, Va,
September THE first maneuyer prob
lem closed at noon today. with Gener-
al Grants force pushed through the
left wing OF General Bell. This put the
Blue force within two miles OF Thor
oughfare Gap, the objective point.
However, General Bell had Smiths
brigade on the right and Barry's bri-
gade on the left of this breach in his
line and Colonel Wagner. Chief umpire.
draws no conclusion as TO what might
happen had not hostIlities ceased under
the command previously issued py
General Corbin TO cease hostilities at
Eoon so that the tired troops might be
given relief.
This attack on the part of the Blue
force was made by General wint, with
price's brigade. consisting OF the 10Th
Virginia, the First Maine. First Ala
oama and Sixteenth Infantry.
Previous TO this there had been
severe lighting on the line to which
General BELL had fallen back during the
night. This line, the Antioch Road, was
within two miles of the western limit
OF the maneuver zone. and extended the
five miles of the width of the zone.
While General Bell was falling back
to the new line from the Carolina road,
which had been the scene Of the con-
f1ict the day before, General Grant oc-
cupied the hours between midnight and
daybreak. He withdrew ali Of his cav
airy from the southern portion of his
line, the position on the first day, ana
threw two full brigades and sixteen
guns to the point indicated. His artil-
lery was so well placed that it had un-
obstructed play for an hour on the
Brown line.
The effect of this fire was not taken
into account by a decision rendered by
the umpire on the field early in the bat
tie when the Blue force was required to
fall back, but was taken into account
later and credit given accordingly to
the effects of the fire of the Blue ar
tillery.
The spectacle of battle in full prog
ress was produced in the maneuvers
today and the field was viewed from
near and far by many spectators. Gen.
eral Corbin went among the troops Of
both armies and made close obserya-
ton of the progress of the battle. Mrs.
Corbin and Mrs. Grant and Miss Pat
ten viewed the maneuvers from an au-
tomobile. During the afternoon the
camps. to rest until 6 O'Clock tomorrow
morning when the problem will be re-
versed and the Brown army will take
the field against the Blue in the effoDe
to strike at Washington.
The militia troops displayed the usual
disadvantage of inexperience in the
field. Many of them went hungry to-
day. The regulars set them good
example in this respect, dividing their
supplies equally between the two days.
Complaint of depredations by militia
men came to headquarters today from
Wellington, where it was claimed that
the First South Carolina regiment had
cleaned out provision store absolutely.
The loss will be reimbursed to the pro-
prietor and the amount deducted from
the pay of this regiment. General
Corbin and both divisions commanders
unite in praising the conduct OF the
| militia.
A daring attempt was made last
night to capture General Bell In hts
headquarters at Thoroughfare. The
| capture was not made because Bell
| heard of the plan and Utterly took UP
| bed and walked. He secreted himself
| in a farm house nearby and slept TIL
| morning. The capture was planned by
| a scouting party, and would undoubted-
| ly have been successful had not Cen
| eral Bell made his escape in time. lie
| had stripped his headquarters of its
| guard for other duty and il confronted
| by the armed scouts would have had 20
| accompany them to the lines of the
| Blue army.
| It is estimated by army officers that
| the casualties during the two days oi
fighting have, depleted the Blue army
| by 800 men and the Brown from 1,50t
| to 1900.