The San Francisco call., 1908-10-14
REDS FIGHT BLUES
IN DRAWN BATTLE
Force Under Colonel Smith Given
Task of DisIOdging Defend
ers From Position
Colonel Moon Shows He Could
Maintain Stand for Sew
eral Hours Longer
SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE CALL

CAMP ATASCADERO, Oct. ia
heavy smoke haze hung over the Henry
ranch this morning when the Atasca-
dero forces, for the time being repre-
senting San Luis Obispo and Monterey,
closed in mock combat. From the open
ing shot at a. m. until Cease firing
sounded at 1850 the maneuver area
than a thousand visitors thronged the
highways, at times even blocking the
passage of troops engaged in the prob
lem. Cavalry, artillery and infantry
changed position. wheeled, deployed,
advanced, retreated. And at the end
neither side had won or lost.
The blue" forces under Colonel
Smith, operating in a hostile country,
were given the difficult task of driving
the reds" back upon their defenses
beyond Larsens. The reds tried des-
perately to hold their advancing and
stronger enemy in check. After a few
small cavalry clashes earlier in the
morning the blue advance guard, un-
der Colonel Schneider of the Seventh
California, deployed to check two dis
mounted red troops of the First Cali
fornia squadron. From this time on
developments were rapid, and at s
lem was promulgated.
ARTILLERY FIGHT DUELs
This required the withdrawal of the
red lines to new position beyond
Atascadero creek This was part of a
preconceived plan and contained no
reflection on the retiring troops. In
fact, 1t is almost certain that the red
position was so superior that Colonel
Moon could have held his own for sew
eral hours at least
During the second stage of the en-
gagement there were several stirring
artillery duels between Captain Lang
don's battery and Captain Faulkner's,
located on opposite sides of Atasca-
dero creek and firing from mutually
concealed positions.
Captain John Henry Parker and his
machine guns carried off the palm for
effectiveness, scoring during the day
on two squadrons of cavalry, two bat
talions of infantry and a platoon of
field artillery. Bescides this they COW
cred effectively the exposed f1anks of
the red line and thereby released a
regiment of infantry which then en-
tered upon the main line defense.
The Arizona troops, under Colonel
O'Neil J. n. McClintock, acted as right
flank guard of the blues, and gloat to-
night over the fact that. they put two
troops of cavalry out of the fight.
PRAISE FOR EFFECTIVENESS
Adjutant General Lauck, General
Wankowski and other prominent Cali
fornia national guardsmen, rode the
lines and were more than gratified at
the showing made by their troops.
Colonel Maus was kept in constant
communication with events by means of
the field wireless and was loud in his
praises of its effectiveness.
Only one accident marred the day.
That, however, was slight and oc-
CURED at the county bridge, when in a
jam, Private Charles f. Ross of Bat
cry E, First field artillery was thrown
from a caisson and received bad
blow from the following horses. He
was rendered unconscious, but the sur
geons state that his injuries are not
serious.
During the discussion following to-
days problem Colonels Smith, Moon and
Maus took occasion to commend the
earnestness, efficiency, discipline and
department of the national guard
troops that have been present during
the last 10 days. Colonel Maus spoke
in particularly complimentary terms
and regretted that tomorrow would
mark the severing of ties with the
California troops, which will then start
for their various home towns. The
Arizonans will leave on Thursday