The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-09-09
PLAYING AT WAR.
ThoPoughfare Gap and Manassas.
Gen. Grant and Bell arrayed A
gainst Each other in Command Of
the Blue and the Brown--Boys Get
q Taste Of Army and Camp Life.
The Fight Is on.

| Cn0 blu6 ana Cno bPOW0--BOyS Jet
Taste Of Army and Camp Life.
The Fight Is on.
.e.sy
! Corps Headquarters, Gaines
vile, Va.-The net result of the
day is that Gen Grant, who is.
charged with forcing back Gen.
Bells Brown army through Thor
oughfare Gap, has not been able
to break the lines of defense es-
tablished by Gen. Bell during the
early hours of the morning. This
line extends north and south, BIZ
secting the manoeuvre zone and
is composed of infantry and ar
tillery. Gen. Grant opposed this
force IN the extreme north earlya
in the day but with no success.
After five companies of the Blue
army had been ruled off the field
for attacking in the open a strong
i concealed defense, hostilities
ceased for three hours. During
this time Gen. Grant swung the
bulk of his infantry and artillery
to the south in an effort to flank
Gen. Bells line of infantry on
the right. Gen. Bell, however,
learned of the movement of his
adversary and rushed UP his re-
serves to the threatened point.
The two forces came to combat
shortly after 2 o'clock, artillery
was brought into play by the
Brown army and the rapid fire
of guns spoke on both sides,
while volley after volley of mus
ket fire added to the sound of the
battle which could be heard
through the Virginian hills for
miles. The battle had proceeded
but short time when an order
from the umpires was given to
cease firing. At this time the
forces were practically equal and
the situation was such that de-
cision from the umpires seemed
to be demanded. Instead Is min
utes was granted each side to
rectify it's lines.
ACTION RESUMED.
Then at signals from the chief
umpire the action was resumed.
The First Vermont, portion of
the Twenty-frst New York, the
Eigth Massachusetts, and the Sec
ond Maine made a charge on the
blue position moving over open
ground and under very heavy
fire from the Seventeenth Vir-
ginia, the First Maine and the
First Texas. The Brown charg-
ing force was ordered back after
sustaining heavy loss. The sue
cess of the blue army at this time
was but temporary as an enfilad-
ing fire of infantry and artillery
from theBrown troops on the right
and left made it impossible for
the Blue to hold it's position and
t an order to fall back was given.
!. Gen. Bell had ordered reinforce
ments consisting of the greater
part of Barry's brigade, which
had been holding the line still
/, farther to the south. The imme-
diate line of the Browns defense
then consisted of the Second
: Maine, First Vermont, Eighth
!: Massachusetts,, Fourth New Jer-
3 sey, Ninth Massachusetts,
Twelfth New York, Ninth regu-
lars, Third North Carolina, and
Second Georgia, amounting in all
to 60 companies of infantry be-
=. sides battery of artillery.
Opposed to this force was the
Seventieth Virginia, First Maine
and First Alabama. The situa-
ton was critical for either side.
The fighting forces were ap-
: preaching closer and closer and
the firing was brewing hotter.
A decision from the umpire would
{. have been imperative had halt
not been called.
THE RECORD OF THE BLUE.
The record of the Blue army
v for the day is summed up by Col.
. Wagner, chief umpire, as follows:
e Gen. Wint's brigade, which took
y up position early in the day on
the extreme right of the attack
! line, has not been heavily engag-
J. ed and his troops are in bivouac
d tonight. Price brigade has been
. seriously engaged and has suffer-
8 ed great loss. Frost, on the left,
has not been heavily engaged,
: while the brigade of Bliss still
further on the left has not been
in action. The fighting for the
Blue army was done almost ex-
clusively by Prices brigade and
, by the advance guard of Wint.
On the mart of tho Rro,ur q ,.,,o.,