New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-29
SOME INTERESTING INCIDENTS OF AUTOMOBILE TRAVEL

road, as he could tell his commander all that the
scouting party had learned And the final laugh
was thus with the cyclists
clists had to stick to the roads In several in
stances they proved themselves efficient as the
horsemen In 'cross-country work. The men on the
machines. where fences did not bar the way. had
no hesitation in jumping dityss and taking to the
detachment OF the motor men rode their machines
into field and Joined with their brothers OF the
horse in opening the last big fight that broke
through General Pew's line and pushed the Red
army the triumphant road to Boston. They
dropped their machines in the field, unslung the
carbines from the crossbars and. standing astride
OF the wheels. joined in TIE fray and the charge.
But the most spectacular feature OF the autoulO-
bile end OF the game furnished by the big war
cars. with their machine guns mounted in turrets.
Americans became familiar many years ago with
the field guns mounted fiat and sheltered
behind armOr plate. That one of the devices
adopted in the Civil War And in the Boer war
Lord Roberts again made the armOred train a ia
miliar spectacle. Long lines of communication
held and great stretches of country made i'm
possible for the Beers by these rolling fortresses.
hut it has remained for the United States army to
demonstrate the value of the automobile
moving fort. The experiment has been tried IN
Continental maneuvres. but not with the same
thoroughness here. over there the automobile
has been used plains smooth and level
eheckerboard. In our war game the country was
purposely chosen for it's difficult nature. and when
the armOred automobile went into action IL in
a country as rough and wild any that would be
found in actual warfare But the machines stood
the test in magnificent fashion.
They formed a sight calculated to cause terror 10
an opposing force as they rolled smoking to the
field and charged back and forth the battle
ground. with the gray turrets vomiting continu-
Gus stream OF shells from the rapid hre guns And
il showed the strength of construction OF the mod
ern car when these machines came out of day
long battle ready either for the road another
fight.
The drivers Of the cars were as proud OF them as
ever d lean old eavaryman was of his troop horse.
less lovingly did the automobiles oil and polish
loving were the names Iavished on their pets
and no less lively with the trick OF life the
anecdotes of their steeds In the fray. The leather
vsaged cavalryman looks with disdain on the
strange engine % war, but the general in
command has learned its value. and. though he
may mutter unkindly under his dog tent. the
trooper knows that this test mas ushered In with a
brilliant dawn the day of the automobile in war,
Governor Draper proved the valuIe of the auto
mobile IN another way. and at the same time
proved the truth of the saying. "tIe who, fights
and runs away may live to night another day
Without his trusty automobile he would have been
a captive of the Red scouts. The Governor, who by
virtue of his Office the commander In chief OF
the Blue militia In the field. was out on a scout
Ing tour Of his own. and incidentally was cheer