Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-18
WIN FIRST BATTLE
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ICplllHlcu AIOllI EilEl II dBC'J
encountered and then either captured or
driven in.
Blue Detachment AnnIhIInted.
How expeditiously and scientifically this
was accomplished was best illustrated at
Middleboro Green. Here Major Charles II.
Cutler Of the Blue army. with three skele.
ton companies OF the Eighth infantry. was
encountered and rendered noncombatant III
quick time. While the Connecticut squad
ron Of cavalry. engaged the Blues front,
Major Grierson Of the Reds, with his three
troops of the Tenth United States cavalry
(coloTed) dismounted, and acting as infantry
and supported by two. machine guns. turned
the right flank of the Blues, while at the
same time Major B~ridgeman, with the New
York cavalry, executed the same movement
on the left. If it had been actual warfare
1t is believed that there would not have
been a Blue soldier left half an hour after
the engagement had begun.
General Bliss in his advance placed all
his cavalry, consisting Of five troops, OH
his left flank and they easily dislodged all
the Blue infantry on General Pew's eX-
treme left as the advance was made. Cen
eral Bliss moved his two brigades massed,
the first under command of B%rIgadier Gen
eIdl HtOIkt II. IdIIltS anu llS btCOllNl
under Colonel DAME Appleton, together
with the Twenty-second regiment of en-
gineers and all his field artillery. He ar
rived at Eddyviller where the road forks to
the east and north, at noon. The first
brigade took the eastern road, which carried
it around Pew's left end, while the second
brigade took the northern road, heading
directly for Boston.
Blue Wins Decisive Victory.
On this northern road tho Blue army
gained a decisive victory that did much
to make up for the reverses at Middle
boro green, and the procariOus condition
Of the left wing. The second brigade of
the Red army had proceeded less than a
mile along the northern road when 1t re-
ceived a genuine surprise. Companies G,
H, NJ. and d of the Eighth infantry, under
Major w. II. Perry, occupied a magnifi-
cent hilltop position supported by bat
terry b of Worcester. The entire Blue
force was well concealed with the battery
posted 50 that it could sweep the highway
with a pIunging cross-fire. Into this trap
the Red army marched The Red front
had advanced we'll into the trap when in
fantry and battery opened a murderous
cross-fire. At such a range In actual
warfare, the front of the Red brigade
would have melted like snow before an
April rain. The red brigade fell back
while General Bliss endeavored to get his
artillery located. Before he could do this
l O'Clock arrived and hostilities were sus-
pended for the day.
Today's battle took place under condi-
lions strongly resembling those Of the
Peninsular campaign about Richmond In
the civil war. These country roads, for
days inches deep in the dust of a long
summer drouth, were changed into rivers
Of mud before the most severe northeast
rainstOrm Of the summer, The soldiers
suffered severely. The suspension Of hos
tllities brought no relief. as the rain con-
tinued in torrents. The shelter tents of
both armies were quickly soaked through
while the bitches dug around them filled
with water and overlooked into the tents.
Rear Attack RePuIsed.
Outside the precarious condition Of the
left wing Of the defending army, the fea-
ture Of the day was the repulse Of the
enemy in its rear attack on Boston, Two
companies Of the Red army, numbering
about 200 men, were landed early in the
morning by the transport Sumner near the
Ocean house, SWampscott, and after a
bloody encounter were driven off.
Wireless telegraphy figured In today's
movements. The signal corps Of the Ma
tionaI guard Of Washington, d. C.,
brought the wireless telegraph outfit to
the front Of General Bliss Red line and
kept headquarters well posted on the pro-
CeedingB at the front.