New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-19
BLUE ARMY RETREATS.
Trying to Regain Enough Strength
for TO-day's Fighting.
TBv Telegraph TO The Tribune. !


GRv Telegraph 10 The Tribune
North Plympton Mass. Aug. 1S.-Battered ny
the defeat Of the early hours of the morning,
the soldiers Of the Blue sank in their tents to-
night and tried TO regain enough strength 10
stem the tide tomorrow. Despite every effort
Of theoretical or real warfare which the boy in
Blue has shown. he has been forced to march
backward. While the Second Brigade
saved by hair from capture day. the main
forces Of General Pew were retreating with the
flying squadrons of the Red in full pursuit
When the morning broke General Bliss sent
his troops in a solid phalanx chasing the
Blues back. Tonight IL seems though the
Blue army must again retreat and make des-
perate stand at Whitman TO the Reds from
rushing through a breach and into Boston
The main body Of the Reds was in action as
dawn broke Scattering bodies of
troops in Blue sent along the road 70 in
tercept and draw 'he fire Of the Red Iegions
until some semblance OF decent order could pre-
vail among the troops in the main body OF the
Blue. The troops thus scouting and fighting
ran right into trouble when they reached the
main road through Middleboro and down into
South Halifax and North Plympton.
The scouts spied the Reds and fired a few
desultory shots. These answered in turn
by a scattering fire and a cavalry charge that
swept back the scouts into the main body Of the
Blue. Hardly had this feeble sortie ceased be-
fore word was sent TO General Pew that unless
he had the Army Of Blue in readiness for a
sudden attack. HIS left wing would he broken
and the troops would get to hts rear and an
initiate his men.
GAINS PLACE OF VANTAGE
BY the time the Blue Army was ready for the
Reds the latter had gained a place Of vantage
a mile and half away from the battle line OF
the Blues. This at Silver Lake. and near
Monponsett. The camp Of the New York brigade
was In field Proctor's farm where were
also the 9Th and 22d New York Infantry. Across
the road. which was foot deep in mud. the
Red field artillery was stationed on low land
surrounded three sides by thick woods II
through these woods that the Blues at
tempted 10 steal their way upor the Reds. The
22d Engineers Of New York had been expecting
some such move. and quickly, threw out skirmlsh
lines 10 test the Blues strength and more espa-
cially 20 locate their position. As soon as the
engineers had esta hlished the Rlues' defence two
field pieces of Lieutenant Stevens's "a New York
Battery began Smelling the Blues with shrapnel
timed IN explode AT one thousand yards These
field guns have effective range NJ two thousand
10 twenty-five hundred yards. and the firing
was kept up for moro than half an hour. the
Blues being dslodsed.
During this engagement at North PIvupton
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Talbot Of the First
Corps Of Cadets, was thrown from his horse and
suffered so severe an injury 70 leg that he
removed i'm an automobile 10 the division
hospital for treatment.
About the same time the Reds at Prospect
Hill whore were stationed the District Of Column
ba troops, under Brigadier General Harries at
the extreme right OF the advancing column of
pany Of the Sth Massachusetts Regiment
Captain William T. Jones i'm command of
this company. which is from Lynn and which
had been stationed two hundred yards from the
crossroads at the brow of Prospect Hin. Cap
tain Jones's company had been with Major
Perrys battalion. which was trying to hold the
full right OF the Red army with a force out
numbered ten to The captured company
ordered ont of the fighting until tomorrow
morning by the umpire at this point. Major H.
b. Hodges. of the LIST Regular Infantry.
FIRST REAL BATTLE BEGINS.
BY 8 O'Clock there was general engagement
of the Blue forces by the Reds all along the line
Of march extending back several miles from the
head Of the column. When the orders to move
from the position occupied We're given by Gen
eraI Bliss the Washington brigade was at the
head of the column. and General Bliss and his
STAFF followed close behind. This was the begin
ming Of the first real battle OF the game i'm
which practically all OF the Red forces were
hurled with telling effect against the weaker
forces Of General Pew. The Reds drove straight
against the Blues. heading very nearly north
and working the Blues back for FIVE or six miles
before noon.
General Bliss held his headquarters at the
of last nights camp until the cavalry could
come up at a m and form a screen for his ad-
vance. Then he pushed the Red army against
the Blue. which appeared to he massing its
strength quickly possible in attempt to
block the Reds. The Washington and Connecti-
cut troops were in the front of the Red line and
took conspicuous part in the fighting from the
very beginning OF the battle They also did GOO
work for the Reds later on.
When nearly the entire Red force was en-
gagged along the main and cross roads and in the
fields and woods for several miles extending
back from point near the railroad and Silver
Lake, several stands were taken by the Blues
only to be driven back before the stronger Red
column. The Reds marched steadily on at
every point sending the Blues i'm retreat before
them. The centre of the fighting in the most
picturesque engagement of the entire battle
was on the hill and lowland around Plympton