The sun., 1909-06-28
THE SEVENTH IN THE FIELD
THEORETICAL BATTLES on THE
SLOPES OF WESTCHESTER.
Regular Army Man Observes and Then
suggests That Privates Needn't Garry
the Commander in Chicf's Worriea as
Well ss Their Own-Other Advice.

he cracKle OF Bpltnterlng DrancheS
striking on the still air OF the dimly lit
woods came to the Lieutenant and his
souad of patrol and they halted in their
tracks.
Who's there?- whispered the Lieu
tenant. No answer came.
Then through the twill ght Of the ravine
lie discerned the blouse Of a single soldier
cautiously approaching. 1t was a gray
blouse. not like the olive drabs the Lieu
tenant and his patrol we're wearing.
"Aha!' muttered the patrol in unison;
the enemy!'
Advance. soldier OF the Gray army
commanded the Lieutenant: you're cap
tured.'
Not so that you can notice it," was
the answer. as the blouse and its wearer
came ripping through the underbrush;
you're the ones that are captured. I'm
a whole damn companyl'
.Cursesl' exclaimed the Lieutenant and
his patrol as. realizing the futility of
attempting to foe before such over
whelming theoretical numbers. they sur
rendered.
You have to understand the intricacies
OF theoretical fighting to see the meaning
Of the above dialogue. But this was only
one of many such conversations that
occurred on the wooded slopes overlook
ing Battery Farm. up in Westohester +.
where four provisional companies OF the
Seventh Regiment. N. g. N. Y. and the
First Battery. Field Artillery, have been
mannuvring for the last two days.
BY $50 Saturday morning the column
OF $50 men or more under Major Francis
@. Landon, known for the morning 8
tactical problem as the Gray army, had
left the we'll ordered streets OF shelter
tents to march away up the road for a
secret destination. The Brown army
under Major Robert Mclean. dallied
around the camp for an hour or SO and
then also marched away. According to
the problem which had been arranged
by the umpires. Capt Irwin L. Hunt Of
the Regular army. Col, Daniel Appleton
of the Seventh. Lieut,-Col. Willard G.
Fisk OF the Seventh and Capt. John +.
Organ Of the First Battery. the Brown
army had to locate the Gray, bring on an
engagement and hold the position. until
ordered to fall back on the camp.
The Grays had circled around the hill
Of wooded land by the time the Brown
the only visible trail. Major Landon
went clear around the woods and took
up his position in the hilly. rough fields
that lay beyond. Then he divided his force
into the reserve and the support. and
ahead of these were two outposts. Coesack
posts still beyond. and then the sentinels
stretched out like fan into the nearest
part of woods through which the Major
had an idea. and good one. that his ad-
versary would come.
He sat with his staff and the indicated
main body, where very few had topretend
that they were at least 1000, and received
messages which his trusty scouts near the
front were constantly sending back This
conveying Of information was one Of the
CHEF objects OF the problem. Relays of
soldiers. hidden behind rocks and In the
most unlikely places you could imagine,
were ready at all times to grasp pieces OF
paper brought them on the nun from the
firing line and dash of at a breakneck
pace toward Major Landon- The out
posts had been ordered to send back a lot
Of news.
Capt. Louis j. Stotesbury. in command
Of Outpost No. 2. was about the busiest
information dispatcher. Absolutely
nothing got by him. II branch waved
with any greater frequency than ne
deemed proper Capt Stotesbury would
scribble a few lines with great haste.
write down the time OF sending after a
quick glance at his watch, and a perspiring
soldier would leg 1t of to- the rear, crouch
ing behind stumps and boulders to find
cover from imaginary bullets. When he
wasn't sending messages this intensely
active captain was exhorting his troops
STEADY how. men, he declaimed IN a
voice Of thunder. Don't get excited.
men Keep behind cover. men! Don't
FIRE till give the word. men! Ready. now,
ready. ready! Where's that fountain
pen?'
Capt. W. @. Underwood. commanding
Outpost No. !. on the right. didn't see the
necessity to send back messages too often.
Once his Major got theoretically worried
for the safety Of his troops when no word
came for some time and II was theoretically
feared that theoretically they had been
fallen upon and cut into a thousand theo-
retical pieces.
b By the time the Grays had had lot OF
practice in carrying dispatches to their
leader the rattle OF guns along the rail
fence which lined the woods told them
that Major Mclean had located their
position. A few minutes later these first
reports we're confirmed by the boom OF the
field gun, concealed at the very border
OF the trees. Capt. Stotesbury and his
men, seated behind stone wall 200 yards
from this heavy piece, commanded by
Lieut.. Edwin w. Hiscox. stood very good
chance Of being blown into thousand
pieces for. theoretically, the field gun
was aiming at their wall. The guns on
both sides continued their volleys for
several minutes. the Gray reserve and sup
port coming to the aid Of their outposts.
and 1t was a case Of nip and tuck. just
when things were getting good and lively
the umpires had the Cease Firing call
sounded.
The next hour was given to Ma or
Landon to make reconnaissance OF his
opponents position. His men must have
figured it out pretty exactly, for when
Major Mclean led the Browns in the re-
troat which was tho seCOnd part OF his