The Washington herald., 1908-08-04

enemy, whose battle ships are anchored
IN the lower Potomac, viii attack Fort
Washington tomorrow night and en-
deavor to storm the ramparts was learn
ed late tonight
The infOrmstiO IS not generally known,
but II leaked out. and the plan OF de-
fense viii be issued tomorrow
The attack Will be made at night. IN
der cover OF darkness On Wednesday
night this hostile force will attack Fort
Hunt Col Cofin has issued orders that
al the submarine mining yawls and other
small craft be taken TO Fort Hunt early
in the morning. and the attacking force
viii undoubtedly disguise them and en-
deavur 10 slip up on Fort Washington IN
noticed
To Be on Defensive.
On Wednesday the Fort Washington
forces viii be on the offensive against
Fcrt Hunt Early in the morning there
viii be the first real noise, with the boom
ing Of guns and the smell Of real powder
The first blank charges OF the campaign
viii be fired from the batteries lining
either shore. and war. cruel bitter war
VIII be upon US Theoretically. The dead
and wounded viii lie n heaps. and the
EGr CarlACE "a hL1AAD4E Ll-All anu ltELeL-
day viii give way 20 cruel war
Tonight the miIItiamen got their first
suaeu OF powder At S o'clock the guns
were manned. and the signal corps per
fected its practice by the use OF rockets
and night signals. while the gun crews
manned their pieces, and the details IL
the battle and FIRE command stations re-
peated their drill of the morning 10 give
the final touch of perfection and precision
Of -~4rr--s1---1-- he
ginning the mimic war Tomorrow. As
was predicted. the maueuvers viii begin
early II was inspiring 10 watch these
colored lights and rockets. the hello
graph and other signals and 10 see the
men working with silent precision in their
various stations Col Coffin issued an
order this evening that blank ammunition
was 70 be supplied 10 the guns. begin
ming tomorrow morning. and then in
creasiug until the final defense on sat
urday- The forts VIII be worked as one
unit Jo-mOrrOW. and for the first time
Col Jrel and the other officers viii IN
derSo the test OF fighting Uuaided the
extensive defenses.
Has Run of Hard Luck.
Company u Of the First Regiment IS
earning a reputation for hard luck Seven
days ago this company. with Capt. For
sythe in command. was annihilated in a
preliminary skirmish
Following the two days rest this com
pany, with the other support. was in the
fed early, on the most strenuous days
work Of the campaign digging trenches
Capt F'orsythe's command lit IN a hor-
nets nest ia the ravIue above the pump
iug station. and for the first time fed
precipitately from the enemy This enc
my. vicious and malignant at beng dis
rurbed, and with common consent, ducked
back for cover The men wealhered the
storm. vel screened by the uuderhrusl,
and then sailed forth 20 their tents
But tradition was not 10 be dOwned-
There had 10 be three mishaps in 2 row
All Of the other companies threw Up their
trenches with varying degrees Of diff
Guilty. but the men Of Campany II. some
Of them having uuwilIingly imbibed the
ginger Of the hornets. dug with ferocity-
They had reached a depth Of two feet.
when their trench rapidly filed with
water from several natural springs This
water had evidently been seepinE 10 the
river bed IN subter-anean cavarus- Work
had TO be given up for a time The men
said 1t was Company II luck Not
virhstandiuE all these difficulties. how
ever. the men worked hard, and at no
stage were counted out
Men Form Intreuchments.
When the assembly sounded this morn
ing the men formed In close formation
and marched to the imaginary front.
They wheeled 10 the left of the parade
ground and began their work OF intrenCh-
ment Companies and G. Capts. Ed
wards and Bean. were under instruction
Of Lieut. Pike Company H Capt Och
man, under Lieut. Duke; Companies L.
and n. Capts- Hathaway and Forsythe.
were under instruction Of Lieut.. NIaEhee.
and Companies and K, under Lieut.
GunneI
The intrenchments were 10 be on the
hillside, Just above the pumping station.
and each command was assigned in posi-
Jion before starting The men were fur
nished with picks. shoveIs. and axes. and
the intrenchmeats were 10 be Of differ
ent types, all Of them concealed
The work Of digging them was real, ar
dUous manual labor and the men per
spired freely In the broiuag sun Each
trench was Of g practical nature and
couformed 10 the regulations. being a
copy either OF those used in the United
States or by some foreign power Each
was 10 be finished IN one hour and forty
minutes. Il can readily be seen. there
fore, that the task was no mean one.
Must Conceal the Dirt.
IN the face Of an imaginary enemy. the
men were supposed 10 dig without being
detected. and were to conceal the trenches
and the earth taken from them. This
was done by removing the earth under
the cover Of shelter tents and then dis
tributing it in the undergrowth. so that
81 would not show.
Company Is trench was Of a foreign
pattern. and the dirt was 70 be hidden on
the crest above It in the shape Of a para
pet TO be used by the reserves stationed
IN the rear Each one Of these trenches.
according to the requirements. had 10 be
Is feet long. 4 feet 8 inches deep. and 81
inches wide
Company A s trench was OF the Spanish
pattern, as were ali the others. with one OF
two exceptions This trench is also conceal
e6. and is followed out IN front. making
shelf for ammunition. The most successful
types were those used in the recent war
by Japan and BY the Beers Each trench
in itself was practical demonstration
70 the militiameu. and although the work
was gruelling. they again came on with
flying colors-
The militiamen wer also given an ex-
hfbition OF rssourcefulness, when it was
found that Company Ms trench was
flooded This one was converted into
decoy trench TO attract the eneuy's fire.
The earth was placed so that II could not
help but attract attention, and yet at the
same time was placed in such 3 manner
that Il would give a clear idea OF at