The Washington herald., 1907-07-23
By a staff corrcpoudcutl

opened at $40 o'clock last night, when the
batteries. large and small. ~ FJr- Wash
ington and Fort Hunt directed fire last
ing twenty minutes on a string OF b1rges
which the tugboat Lieut.. Alonzo Cushing
was attempting TO put by the fortifca-
tions, bound for the National Capital
The heavy clouds of an approaching
thunderstorm turned the region into one
Of inpenetrable blackness. broken only By
occasional flashes Of lightning and pierre
ing streaks Of the searchIghts Of the two
forts.
Within thirty seconds after tue alaIm
was given that a ship was so5newher= in
the neighborhood, the searchlights had
found her out and the guns Of the fortid-
cations were bearing down upon her.
Each battery had fred thirty shots when
the signal TO cease was given. The l0-inch
and Pinch guns Of the fortifcations
and the mortars and the rapid-fre ma
chimes took part in the attack The Dis
trict militia aided the regulars in serving
the guns.
The affair is what is called a battle
command drill. with Col. CafHn directing
the fire from headquarters at Fort Wash
ington. Col UreIl. of the militia, OBJ
served tf1e engagement with Col. Coffin
from the latter's quarters.
On conclusion OF the engagement the
men, who had been on outpost and Te-
connoissance duty all day. retired for the
night.
Begrimed and tired, the men turned
/ IN. still on their mettle and full of enthu-
siasrh, for il was reported that another
call to arms may bring them out Of bed
before daybreak-
- Plans Carefully Evolved.
Careful plans have been made. and all
day the officers Of the opposing sides
have been plotting. planning. and poring
over blue prints in the headquarters
tents. Many reconnaissance were made
| by picked parties. and despite the con-
slant wig-wagging between the two posts,
and the exchange Of friendly messages
by signal. each kept a close watch on
the other, particularly for the disposal OF
force.
Both are handicapped to great extent,
as the trees and the hilly country make
possible a massing Of men or manning
Of batteries that the keenest observer
with multitudlnous advantages could not
detect Searchlights, that apparently
were not in existance before, threw their
I piercing rays up and down the river and
to either shore in wide circles. It will
.
can successfully pass Undetected.
The seven companies stationed az
/ Washington are divided into two sections.
supports and reserves, as are also those
at Fort Hunt. These divisions will COM
pose artillery and infantry. the supports
defending against a land attack and the
reserves aiding in the manning Of the
batteries. This division was made this
morning, and at o'clock Companies I.
X. L. and NJ. acting as supports did
some strenuous outpost and recOnnois-
sance work
They famiIiarized themselves with the
lay of the land, with particular reference
to that to the south. At the same time
the reserves were receiving instruction at
the hands OF the regulars They went
through the gun drill and showed remark
able proficiency.
Day of Instructions.
The day was in every. sense one of in
struction in the art and actual tactics OF
war. This applied to theregulars. as well
as the militiamen. Both Col. Coffin and
Col Uren. in Fort Washington. and Capt
/ BaIlantyne and Maj, Stephans, at Fort
Hunt We're highly pleased with the work
and the proficiency and interest shown by
the men. The regulars went at the work,
which is in the nature of routine with
! them. with renewed Zest.
Several officers of the regular cavalry
and infantry from For; Myer have been
i detailed to Forts Washington and Hunt
to accompany the supports and be of any
/ assistance that they can. Their partici-
patton, il is said. will be as much for
their own enlightenment as for the benefit
of the gUardsmen. 1t will fan9Harize both
with the defenses Of Washington. and
give them a knowledge q conditions that
would prove of incalculable benefit in time
Of real warfare.
| Lieut.. Rubottom, Of the Ninth United
States Cavalry is assigned to Company /;
| Lieut.. Bristol, Thirteenth Cavalry. with
Company X; Lieut.. DonrSlly, Thirteenth
! Cavalry, with Company L, and Lieut..
Brabson, Twelfth Infantry, with Com
pany NJ. all at Fort Washington. and
| Lieut. Fuqua, Nineteenth Infantry, unas-
signed: Lieut.. West. Twenty-third Infan-
| try, with Company c; Lieut. Merchant.
Thirteenth Cavalry. with Companies A
and ID. and Lieut. Dawson, Twenty-sixth
! Infantry. with Company B. at Fort Hunt.
Peace and Calm Reign.
Peace and calm and pleasant vacation
weather, with cooling breezes and lots to
see and do, marked the opening OF the
first day of real work for the militiamen.
The day was a strenuous one. despite the
TACT that number of the men had time
TO lie around and enjoy themselves.
drinking in the sunshine and the fine air.
Everybody was up with the first note Of
the bugle at reveille
After mess. Company c went on guard
mount. and outpost duty Company K
manned one OF the big gun batteries, the
mortar battery to the east, one OF the
most important in the fort, and received
instructions at the hands OF Maj. G ".
r Stevens in the manipulation Of the
guns Maj. Stevens Is an artist at this
He has been at Fort Washington for