Norwich bulletin., 1909-08-20

/ which has been c0nducted IN SOUTH
eastern Massachusetts during the past
week. ended today, but whether Bos-
ton, which was the objective point of
the invading army under Brigadier
General Tasker IL. Bliss, was really
captured theoretically, or whether the
| Massachusetts troops commanded by
Gen. William A. Pew succeeded in
/ repulsing the attack of the Reds and
blocking the path of Boston, Is
matter which is still clouded in mys-
terry. General Bliss expressed conf
dence tonight that he had won the
victory and that the decision OF the 4
umpires. when 1t is ultimately given.
will be in his favor. He declared that
he had opened a way to Boston.
/ All Depends on the Umpires.
on the other hand General Pew
and his lieutenants and some OF the
umpires and other regular army OFF,
GERS in the Blue camp declared that
the advantage of position at the close
of hostilities lay with the Blues
Armies 200 Yards Apart Last Night.
Tonight the head of the army of in
vasion was at Assonet, a mile and
one-half or two miles from Hanover
-Four Corners, while the head of Cen
eral Pew's army was not more than
| two hundred yards distant. and was
said by the Blue officers to occupy
position where it could rake with
deadly fire the troops of the Reds
should an advance be ma de along that
road.
Red Soldiers Start Home Today.
Already orders for disbanding the
army of the Red have been given and
tomorrow morning viii see the troops
from New York. New Jersey and the
District of Columbia on their home
ward way. The New York men and
the Essex troops of New Jersey will
go to Fall River to embark, while the
Connecticut regiments and the Dis
trict of Columbia troops will go
aboard transports at Boston.
The District of Columbia troops will
go to bingham camp ground by invi-
tation of the First corps cadets, Bos-
tons crack military organization; and
will go into camp there for day be-
fore taking ship for New York.
Hardest Fighting of the War.
The head of the Red army tonight
rested at Assonet, three miles from
Hanover Four Corners while the main
body was at Hanover Four Corners,
, which, according to General Bliss, rs
: the objective point he has been aim
! | ing to reach ever since he landed his
forces at New Bedford. The result
: was accomplished after the hardest
day of fighting that the war game has
witnessed in fact after the only real
battle of the campaign.
Guns Recaptured by Connecticut In
fantry.
! The Reds began their fighting early
in the day by throwing their left wing
the Tenth cavalry, the New York
caValry. the District of Columbia and
Connecticut infantry, against the right
of the Blues. which were gathered in
considerable strength near Gurney's
Corner for two miles along road
! through Bryantville to the shores of
Sandy pond. In the Blue line. we're
the coast artillery corps, the Second
, and Sixth infantry and the First corps
of cadets. For three hours the fighting
at this point continued fiercely and the
! Blues held back the Red attack Aft
, er disagreeing somewhat, the umpires
: ! decided to set the Reds back short
distance Troop B of the Massachu-
! setts cavalry succeeded in creeping
through a piece of woods after hav-
. ing dismounted, and captured two field
guns and shot" forty horses of the
New York field artillery which had
been shelling the Blues from the rear
: center of the Red forces at this point.
AS the cavalry were riding off and TAX
ing with them the captured guns, the
Connecticut infantry fell upon them,
captured about half the troops and re-
captured the guns.
The orders which had been given by
General Bliss early in the morning TO
this detached wing OF his army were
! to hold back the Blue forces and oc-
( cupy their attention until the middle
of the forenoon. This plan was car
ried out Later. after their purpose
was accomplished. the Reds fell back
: in good order around Little Sandy
pond and Oldham's pond to Pembroke
| ~ rrf huf gl IA
battle took place. The Red detach-
ment was trying TO rejoin the main
;. army two miles further up the road
when a large force of the Blues was
encountered. This Blue force consist
{ ed of infantry, which had been hur-
ried over a cross road with the hope
!; of destroying a bridge at the foot OF
Oldhams pond.
, Prepared to Riddle Red Column.
If the Blues had succeeded In dy-
namiting this bridge it might have
caused considerable trouble for the
Reds As soon as fighting began here,
MACHINE gun platoon of the Tenth
! cavalry, the only organization OF the
kind in either army. galloped up and
quickly opened fire, and held pack the
attack of the Blues. The Connecticut
and Washington troops were at the
| time coming up in the rear and as
! soon as the engagement at Pembroke
Center had ended they Joined the
main column of the Reds.
The Second and Eighth Massachu-
sets regiments and the First corps
of cadets of the Blues at this time
occupied the position on the west shore
} of Little Sandy pond, prepared 10 rid
die the main Red column. or at least
the flanks of the Red which they ex-
) pected would pass in full view on the
: other side of the pond. In this they
were mistaken. however. for General
Bliss and the Red army were at that
time about mile off and on another
road farther to the east and already
the heads of the column were at Han
over -Four Corners. The right wing
of the Blue was then ordered to rein
force General Pew's main army just
west of Hanover Four Corners. The
greatest battle of the day. which last
! ed nearly four hours. occurred near
I the Four Corners
Although General Bliss regarded
Hanover -Four Corners where roads
lead off in many directions. as his OBJ
. | jective point. he came to the conclu
sion that the Blue general had left the
t road leading in the most direct line
\ to Boston unguarded. and he therefore
sent Col James Geddes with the Con-
: necticut brigade and the Fourteenth
/, 1 New York infantry on ahead to As
! a ho4f4 t,,ifn and a half hnx0pd