The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-08
GEN. GRANT WINS THE BATTLE
UMPIRE'S DECISION AWARDS
VICTORY TO HIS ARMY.
Grant Massed His Force on the Epemys
Right Flank and With His Artillery
Compelled Them to Fail Back-An
Assault by Infantry Then Won the Day.

NBnt RANK ana WIN HE MuheTs
Compelled Them to Fall Back-An
Assault by Infantry Then Won the Day.
Corps HEAD yUARTERs, GAINESVILLE, Va"
Sept. 7.--According to the decision of the
umpire Col. Wagner, Gen. Fred d. Grant,
commanding the First Division OF the
manu- vre corps, the Blue Army, achieved
a complete victory in to-day's operations
having practically annihilated the brown
force during an attack with artillery The
Brown Army lost about 1900 men and The
Blue Army about 2,OOn. but nevertheless
the Blue force is considered to have per-
formed the best days work.
II was seen early this morning that yester-
days manpuvres were merely preliminary
and for the purpose OF compelling Cen
Bell. the commander OF the Brown division,
to fall back to the southwark. This be did,
with disastrous results. At midnight last
night Gen. Grant, commanding the Blue
Army took up his task Of forcing the Brown
Army. through Thoroughfare Gap. AL
though the actual fighting did not begin, at
that hour there were continued clashes
between the outposts and patrols OF the
two commands, and the realignment OF
positions and the assuming OF new lines OF
defence and attack occupied both armies
until daylight.
The imaginary reenforcements OF the
Blue army which, according to the pro-
visions of the problem, were expected to
arrive during the night from Fairfax. Court
House, reached their destination and we're
placed in strong supporting position on
Gen. Grants left flank. On the principle
that Gen. Bell could have ascertained the
arrival Of actual reenforcements through
his scouts and spies, the Brown commando;
was officially notified by the umpire OF ~
arrival of these imaginary reenforcementS.
All of the men of Gen. Grants command
who were ruled out during the engagements
OF yesterday as having been killed or cap
tured, were placed on his lines again to-day
it being assumed for the purposes of the
problem that he had brought forward new
division, holding the division engaged
yesterday in reserve.
Notwithstanding the fact that the at
tack on the Brown centre, which was In
progress yesterday afternoon when the
engagement ended at the theoretical night
fall, was repulsed Gen. Bell considered
it advisable to fall back to a shorter and
more compact defensive line. During the
night this was established from auckland,
on the extreme southern limit OF the man
auvre line of operations through Thorough
fare, which is about one mile and half
east of Throughfare Gap, to the extreme
north near Antioch.
The brown line of defence was established
at daylight, and Gen. Grant Immediately
advanced on this post ion. The second
III
by Brig Gen. I. H. Barry, held the line
from auckland TO Thoroughfare, where it
joined Col. Regan's brigade, which ex-
tended it to Little Bull Kun on the north.
The line was complet ed to Antioch by
Gen. Smiths brigade of the Browns, Gen.
Lees brigade having been held in reserve
in the vicinity Of Thoroughfare,
Gen Grants main assault was made by
Brig Gen. Whit, commanding the right
wing of the Blues. The Second and Fourth
brigades, commanded by Brig Gen, Tasker
H Bliss of theRegular service and Brig Gen.
Russ Frost Of the Connecticut Guard.
which were not actively engaged yesterday,
bore the brunt of to-days attack
1t was said at corps headquarters tonight
that Gen. Grant had damaged his campaign
most shrewdly. TIE attack on Gen. Bells
line yesterday, j. was said, was merely
feint, SO conceived as to give the impress
sion that tie Browns right flank was In
danger.
Inste,.d of this, Gen Grant massed his
infantry in force. six brigades, on Gen.
to sixteen guns of his artillery, and com
PEELED the Brown forces to fall back. An
assault Of infantry completed the nanpu-
vre.
The progress Of to-day's engagement
can be better understood when it is known
that Gen. Grant massed six brigades OF
his force on the right wing OF the Brown
Army, while at the time Gen. Bell was able
to call up only three brigadcs Of his forces
to resist the attack.
So far as is known. the only man wounded
in to-day's engagement was Private Will
liams OF the Seventh Cavalry, who received
a blank cartridge in the right lung at short
range. While the wound is serious, Will
liams will probably recover.
The most interesting feature of last
nights work was a determined attempt
to capture Brig-Gen. Bell, commanding
the Browns. Gen. Bell was informed Of
the plans of the enemy at about / o'clock
this morning, and as his personal guard
was insufficient, was forced to leave the
Thoroughfare camp and seek refuge in
farmhouse Because of the exhaustion
of the regular and militia troops engaged
in to-day's operations, som" &: whom had
been marching continuously for forty-eight
hours, Major-Gen Corbin, commanding the
manpuvres corps, ordered that hostilities
cease at IL o'clock to-day instead of at
o'clock, as originally planned.
At o'clock tomorrow morning the
second problem will Lc taken up and it
will be assumed for the purlxee OF the work
that the Blue army Is based on Washington
and Is preparing to move on Brown Army
which is operating in the Shenandoah
Valley against the capital.
The advance corps OF the Blue Army con-
sists OF two divisions. one OF which lrcah
has been pushed forward in observation at
Manassas, the other Imaginary at AMMAN
dale, where IL IL receiving rations and am
muntion preparatory to moving forward
to Centreville to support the first division.
The other corps of the army has one division
in the vicinity of Thoroughfare, the re-
ma lining division being at Salem.
The Brown Army, the main body of which
is at Front Royal has orders to concentrate
at Cal nesville. The Brown commander
learns by reconnaissance that Blue division
is at Manassas and he has received informa-
ton that the other division is a few miles
west of Alexandria.
The problem for the commander Of the
Blue division is to resist the attacks of the
Brown division, knowing that reinforce
ments are rapidly approaching in its rear.
This to certain extent instructs him in
regard to making any counter-offensive
movement by the flank,
The problem Of the Brown commander is
to engage the Blue as quickly as possible,
knowing that he can receive reinforce
ments before his opponent can be REINFORCED.
He accordingly has more latitude to take
offensive movements than his opponent.
ROOSEVELT CONGRATULATED.