The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-09-04

H sas, and where should 1
L Il stand to see the troops fight
ing?"
Hundreds of persons I'm Washington
have been asking this question for the
past week, and now at last their curl
osity is to be gratiied.
The first act in the big spectacular
war production will commence Monday
morning at 10 o'clock. The firing of the
guns will probably not be heard in
Washington. but there will be almost as
much interest here in the outcome as IL
real battle were in progress.
Practically all the troops who are to
participate IRE now on the field. There
are about 10000 OF them. and they come
from nearly every State in the Union
as far south as Texas, and as far east
as Maine. The militia forming an i'm
portant part Of the forces gathered in
these maneuvers, this being their first
experience of the kind.
An Historic Scene.
Picturesqueness will be perhaps the
most prominent feature Of the immense
gathering. The evolutions will be of
SURPRISING interest because they tran
spire over the same green fields of
Virginia" once trod by the graphing
The ground that ran red with blood
from the wounds Of brother fighting
against brother viii echo again TO the [
tread Of warriors. But this later battle |
Will be one Of peace. The casualties will /.
exist in Imagination only. There viii be /
spectacular features TO the struggle |
but # VIII not have the horrors.
Washington people won't miss the op- /
portunity for seeing this big battle /
cyclorama within such close reach Of I
them, and thousands are contemplating ]
trip 10 the battlefield With Manassas |
only forty miles away this city is I'm /
close touch.
Will Defend Washington.
one OF the armies. that Of Gen.
Frederick d. Grant. is supposed 20 be
operating in defense Of Washington. The
tactical problem" presented to him is
10 defend witt 5000 men the National
Capital against an opposing force led
BY Brig. Gen. Franklin j. Bell. who IS
forcing an entrance through THOROUGH
fare Gap. having just made his victor
ious way through the Shenandoah Val
Icy.
It's all con paper" so 70 speak but
81 means "A lot TO the 10000 men who are
taking part. and for the ordinary citi-
zen who. at most. can act only as q
spectator. there IS a fascination about
the mimic war which viii make tho sol
diers the heroes Of the moment.
with the ladies who have a prover-
bal admiration for the brass buttons'
the spell viii. Of course. ne even more
effective. and Manassas and Washing
ton may be united by other bonds than
those effected by a military Gordon.
War Officials O,,or,,,-
War Department officials remaining in
Washington have been fairly over
whelmed during the past week with
communications from persons who de-
sired 70 act as spectators at the battle
Of Manassas. and who wanted TO secure
reserved seats for the performance.
II can't tell what sort OF replv TO
make 10 these people" said one Official
last week, 'for in the first place we
are not supposed TO be looking after
the show part Of 81, and then again I
don't know myself where anyone could
obtain a fair view Of what Is going on
from day 20 day in the way OF fighting
The troops viii be maneuverina over
the field in such a way that no one can
tell exactly which army IS the victor o.
vanquished. and when a whole re0inont
is captured according to the rules Da,-
haps there viii not be one out OF the
many spectators who will know what
has happened
Each company or regiment has ns
flag. and the umpire stationed at a
point Of vantage watches for that VERY
often one man carrying one flag will
represent a whole regiment. for the
forces supposed 10 be engaged are far
more numerous than what the. com
10 9y.frr.rr.- 4. |
There is for instance "a whole imapf-
nary division in support OF either gen
eraL General Grant has one in sup |