Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-14
DEFENDERS OF
: STATES MEET
IN BIG BATTLE
REGULARS AND MILITIAMEN IN
HARD FIGHT
ATAscADERo TROOPS ARE PUT
TO GREAT FINAL TEST
Maxim Machine Guns Demonstrate
Efficiency-SoIdiers Have Realis-
tic Conflict Through Hills,
Brush and Valleys
TBy Associated Press. !

four hours today the 5000 regulars
~ and state militiamen at Camp
Atascadero representing the combined
organized fighting forces in California,
Arizona and New Mexico. which would
first be called out in event of war, en-
gagged in a battle which was fought
over the greater part of the hills,
mountains and valleys of the $4,000
acre maneuver grounds, and marked
the termination of the instruction or
the National guard in strategy, tao
tics and general principles Of warfare.
The "blues," under Colonel Frederick
A. Smith of the Eighth infantry, rep
resenting a hostile force which had
landed at Monterey bay and was NOV
ing south, forced back red brigade
under Lieutenant-Colonel H. B. Moon
of the Twentieth infantry, which mad
been sent in advance of division
concentrating at San Luis Obispo, with
instructions to harass the enemy until
reinforcements arrived.
The blues being stronger in numbers
and especially in artillery, and the
division commander at San Luis Obs
DO sending word that reinf6rcements
were delayed, the reds were compelled
to fall back to Bartoli Springs, where
Colonel Moon entrenched in a strong
position, enabling him to effectually
check the advance of the blue invad-
ers.
Machine Guns Efficient
The efficiency of the Maxim auto
matte machine guns, raining a leaden
hail of 800 rifle bullets a minute, as
an auxiliary arm to the infantry, both
defensive and offensive operations,
was one of the results of the battle.
The mobility of this weapon, un-
loaded from the back of a mule on
which it is carried, set upon tripod
and in operation within a couple of
minutes, made it possible to keep up
with the infantry, dash through the
dense brush and scale steep hillsides
with it, occupying positions which COM
manded the roads and enabled them to
sweep the valleys.
Lieut.. Kalde, commanding the ma
chine gun platoon of the Eighth in
fantry on the ''blue" side, practically
carried off the honors of the day by
appearing to retreat, but suddenly
sweeping around a hill and gaining
position from the opposite side so
quickly that he put a red" battery of
three-inch field guns under Capt.
Langdon out of action before the bat
terry could train and fire its guns.
Battalion Declmated
Lieut. Bowen, commanding a plat
oon of machine guns, caught battal-
ion of "blues" infantry at short range
and, according to the decision of the
umpires, practically decimated it.
The brunt of the fighting was done
by the national guard.
The operations began early in the
morning in a thick fog which rem
dered objects a hundred yards away
practically invisible and gave the ma
neuvers a touch of realism.
Col. Moon. with his red" brigade,
began moving from Meyers ranch.
where he camped last night, at 8
o'clock.
The "blues" under Col. Smith, who
had made his headquarters at Asun-
cion railroad. three miles north of
Camp Atascadero, began to move at
1880. The Second California, Col w.
G.. Schneider, went forward as advance
guard. The Fifth California, under
Col. David A. Smith, which had acted
as outposts for the blues" during the
night, fell in behind.
About o'clock the blue and red
cavalry patrols reconnoitering sighted
each other. A few minutes later the
skirmish lines of the advance guards
of the two forces were in contact and
a scattering fire began which quickly
developed into a fierce infantry duel.
Hidden by Fog
Under cover Of the fog, which hid ev-
cry movement, a red battery had TAX
en- a position near Round Mountain
and opened on the blues.
This brought a blue battery under
the personal command of Acting Major
A. u. Faulkner, galloping up a thickly
wooded hill a mile north of Atascadero
creek. This battery began to thunder
away at the position held by the red
battery and also theoretically opened a
fierce shrapnel fire on Round Noun
tain, occupied by the reds.
On the right Col James, H. McClin-
took, commanding the right flank, COM
posed of Arizona militia, by a quick
movement stopped a charge of two
troops of red cavalry and opened a
whitening fire on them, according to
the umpires, putting the two troops
out of action.
Until dislodged from their command
ing position on Round Mountain the
reds drove the blues advance guard,
under Col. Schneider, back to cover.
Supports were sent UP and the blues
again advanced. the battle centering
around Round Mountain, upon which
a terrific infantry and artillery fire was
concentrated.
Is Forced to Retreat
Not receiving the promised rein
forcements, Col. Moon and his red
brigade was, according to the decision
of the umpires, forced to retreat to
Bartoli springs, four miles south, where
he entrenched and checked the blues.
The operations were closely observed
by Col. Marion p. Maus, who took
Adjt. Gen. Loucks, Brig. Gems. Wan
kowski and Roster of the National
guard along both lines of the two sides,
pointing out the salient points as the
battle developed and progressed.
Hundreds of sightseers afoot, on
horseback, in wagons and in automo-
biles watched the battle from the roads
and from the heights of Camp Atas-
cadero.
Tonight the umpires and officers dis
cussed the maneuvers and pointed out
the errors in the movement of troops
by the various commanders.
Col. Maus said that while many er-
rors were made, the problem had
worked out WELL and he believed the
lessons of the day would be of much
practical value to the men and officers
of the militia.
Tomorrow morning three California
regiments will begin to entrain, and be
followed Thursday night by the Ari-
zOna battalion.