Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-08

2od Engineers, of the organized militia
of New York, under command of Maj. D.
j. Murphy.
Lieut. Col F. T. Leigh, n. G. n. Y,
will have command of the signal troops.
composed of a detachment of the Signal
Corps Company, N G. D. c.. the list and
the 1st Company. Signal Corps. N. G.
Conn.,, and two companies Of the Coast
Artillery Corps. Z. s. A.
The division field hospital will be under
command of Lieut.. Col. L. II. Reichel-
port Fitzpatrick will be used as a supply
ship.
All officers and men of the Red, or in
vading army will wear broad bands of
red around their hats. The Massachusetts,
wear blue bands. The uniforms of the
two forces will be Identical, and the diff
ferent colored bands will be the only dis
tinction between the hostile armies.
X X
Opposed to Brig. Gen. Bliss, president
Of the Army War College, and said to be
one of the most experienced oficers in
the army. will be Brig. Gen. William A.
Pew, jr., a lawyer. who has been active
in the volunteer militia Of Massachusetts,
for the last twenty-five years. He was
formerly in command of the 9th Regi-
ment. NJ. V. NJ The adjutant general OF
Massachusetts. who will be chief assist
ant of Gen. Pew, is William H Brigham.
The Massachusetts, troops will consist
of the I'd. 9Th. Sth and 9th Infantry. with
bands; the Coast Artillery Corps, acting
as infantry, the list and I'd Corps of Ca
diets, the LIST Battalion of Field Artillery.
the LIST Squadron of Cavalry. the Hos
pital Corps and the Signal Corps.
Col. Frederick E. Pierce. I'd infantry.
will command the 1st Brigade,and Col.
William H. Donovan. 9th Infantry, the I'd
Brigade. Arrangements have been COM
pleted for assembling the troops from all
parts of Massachusetts in the armories
in or near Boston next Saturday, which
is the day that hostilities will commence.
After assembling his forces. it is thought
that Gen. Pew. as soon as he discovers
that no attempt has been made to land
in the immediate vicinity of Boston. will
establish his line of defense about twen-
ty miles south of the city. with his left
somewhere near Plymouth, and his right
near the boundary OF Rhode Island, and
his center somewhere near Taunton. This
line of defense would extend about TWEEN.
ty-f1ve miles.
X
| 1t is not public information where the
Red army will land, and the transports
and other boats bringing the troops to
the coast will sail under sealed orders
| The troops will not all land in the same
| embark at Plymouth and some at Fall
River, but the most likely point of de-
barkatfon for the main body will be at
some point in BuZzards Bay, such as
New Bedford Wareham.
While Gen. Bliss masses his Red army
for the march on Boston. Gen. Pew
and his Blue forces will endeavor to as
certain the exact location of the invading
forces and hold them In check or defeat
them Hostilities will commence as soon
the cavalry scouts of the OnnOSng
forces get in touch with each other, and
there will probably be daily skirmishes
and fighting for nearly a week before the
decisive battle will be fought. Plymouth
and Bristol counties will probably be the
principal scene of the hostilities. and
the territory covered will be about thir-
ty miles square. Both armies will be de-
ployed over large area of private prop
erty and through several cities and
towns. The decisive conflict might take
place in Norfolk, just south Of Boston,
IL Gen. Bliss succeeds in driving the Blue
army back.
The Red army will land within forty to
sixty mics of Boston and the march to
the city. If the Red forces are victorious,
Will probably take five or six days, thus
averaging about ten miles day. This
Is considered relatively short hike for
infantrymen. even during the first week
in the field, and it will not be increased
by the necessity of having to march
back and forth to camp after each hike. :
hV iiich Will pIOUdUly CdIHp just dUOuI
where they halt at the end of each day.
The country through which the troops
will march Is made up of level or gently
undulating plains, broken up by many
small lakes, ponds. streams and cedar
swamps. The soil Is sandy and stony,
which is said to make healthful camping
ground. The low Blue hills, just south of
Boston, are the highest elevation. and 1t
is possible that they will be the scene of
several skirmishes or combats
The climate Of Massachusetts at this
time OF year will, it Is considered, be a
most agreeable change to the troops from
the District. The men will pitch camp
each night and sleep under shelter tents.
In the morning the tents and blankets
will be rolled and the command will move
to some other part Of the country before
the next night. The field kit Of each
soldier will consist of blanket, ponchO
towel, underclothing, comb, tooth brush,
shelter tent and a mosquito bar to every
TWO enlisted men. Dismounted men will
carry the kit on the person. the cavalry
men and other mounted troops on their
horses and the artillery on the carriages
or mounts. Each soldier armed with q
rifle Will carry twenty rounds OF blank
ammunition and each man armed with q
| revolver will carry ten rounds. Fifty
rounds of ammunition will be carried for
| each field piece. Haversack rations for
one day will be carried as an emergency
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