Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-10-04
GEN. FROST DELIGHTED.
Says Connecticut Soldiers Behaved
 Splendidly at Manassas.

 ed the Fourth brigade, first division, of the maneuver forces in Virginia, i'll an interview to-day, reviewing the work of the Connecticut troops at Manassas, said:
 "Connecticut sent the largest force of all the states, and was highly com mended by the military authorities for her wide awake energy in cooperating with the national government to make the maneuvers successful. Our three infantry regiments and separate com pany, with battalion of the Fifth U. s. l., was organized as the fourth bri- gade, first division, under my com. mand. For two days, while the Third Connecticut was detached on outpost duty, the First Texas was assigned to our brigade and was with us In the longest march and heaviest engage. ment we had. Our cavalry, Troop A, served in the First division of cavalry, and our signal corps was assigned to this division. Our field artillery, Bat tery A, and machine gun battery, were under General Bell of the Second divis- ion. The medical force served with our troops and the hospital corps had duty with the base and field hospitals as most needed.
 "The troops were in Virginia just a week; day for transportation each way made the total service nine days The severe service began Tuesday morning at 4:3O o'clock and continued four days. The maneuver plans com prised two problems the first taking two days, in which the Blue army was the attacking and the Brown the de- fending force; the second, also lasting two days, in which the Brown army made the attack and the Blue the de- fense. For four days and three nights there was but little opportunity for long continued sleep. The Third Con- necticut men went on outpost duty Monday night and were out two nights in succession without even pitching their shelter tents. They were Ghere- fore relieved from hard march Of Wednesday. their place that day being taken by the First Texas, which with the irst Massachusetts field artillery, was attached to our brigade to make a strong attacking force. Wednesday morning our brigade, after breakfast of bacon, bread and coffee, at 2:3O, started on nine-mile march, much of the way until daylight through dense woods and pitch darkness, making 1t almost impossible to follow the trails which had been located the week be- tore by the division and brigade com manders. About o'clock the men felt compensated for the hard march when we developed tho main defensive position of the Brown and made our formation for the attack. Nearly all of the Connecticut men of the brigade got on the firing line. Two field bat teries Of regulars, besides the Massa- hcusetts battery, came temporarily uni der my command, and were ordered Into immediate action, supported Dy the Texas regiment Sixteen three inch guns, well maskedy were firing simultaneously upon the enemy at close artillery range Their fire, with the strong infantry attack of the First and Fourth lbrigades, secured the de- cigion of the chief umpire In favoring the attacking force. It is only stating the plain facts to say that the conduct and discipline of the Connecticut Itroopse in this action was the, subject |10f an exceptionally high comniendatiOM by regular officers. The march back to camp, over the ten miles from where the action ceased, was the hardest ex' perience of the service. The reaction following the strain of the early marcn and the excitement of the engagement left the men in poor condition Tor ten mile hike. But 1t can be said with pride that no regiments of state troops
  | in better discipline and with fewer stragglers than our own. That fact Is recognized and favorably commented upon at a meeting of the brigade com. manders with General Grant.
 In the second problem our work was not so severe, although we had no better chance to sleep, Our longest march was about i've miles and the men had considerable rest in the day. time. The battalion of regulars, the Second infantry and brigade headquar. ters had to move at midnight TOT march of couple of hours. A bread and bacon breakfast was had ~ o'clock to enable the troops to make defensive disposition by daylight. The First and Second infantry in. trenched themselves along the ridge commanding the approach from Bull Run, the Third and the regulars hold, ing d line near the stream. We held that position all the morning awaiting m attack. Heavy firing was heard north of us, but our orders to noid that position prevented our getting into a general engagement. Suddenly an order from General Grant came to withdraw and to move with all possls ble speed to the Warrenton pike, two miles away, and there attack the en- eI0y. beIOTG we COuAu @CL " GlAS PAnS and into action, the recall sounded and the contest was over, 1t having been terminated by orders from corps head. quarters two hours before the expect ed time.
 ''The closing event of the weeks ser vice was the review of the entire ma neuver corps, Saturday, by Lieutenant General Chaffee. Our brigade being the last to pass the reviewing officer, profited by the faults of some of the preceding organizations which did not pass close in mass sufficiently com pact to suit General Chaffee. No time was lost in seeing that our troops were completely massed. Our organizations went by like so many blocks. A friend, ly officer on General Grants staff re- ported to me that In his hearing Gen eral Chaffee complimented the Con necticut regiments by saying that they passed before him in the best forma- ton and appearance of all the regu- lars there.