New-York tribune., 1910-08-18
BATTLE At PINE CAMP
Niuht EyoIutions Resemble Real
Warfare.
RED ARMY HOLDS BRIDGE
Many See Brilliant Spectacle
Combined Maneuvres of Army
and Militia To-day.
3rr telegram to The Tribune. ]

Irsv Telegram to The Tribune ]
Fine Camp. \. Y. Aug. 1..-Fiewed as
spectacle. the night nan9uvres Of the reg
ulars which ended al a. m. to-day were
the closest approach 10 real war Of the
present encampment. The Red army sue
cessfully held a bridge against az assault
by the Blues.
T'ht. general situation was as follows:
The Black River formed the boundary line
between two hostile states. the north
Elue: the south. Red. A Blue division was
concentrating ten miles north OF Philadel-
rhia. a Red division ten miles south OF
Great Bend. Red troops, consisting OF the
2sth Infantry. Companies B and c. engi-
ueers. and a detachment OF the ambulance
CORPS crossed the Black River at Great
Bend under orders TO hold the crossing
there. At n m. August 16. while in
camp near -Four Corners. the force under
command of Major Elmore F Taggert,
oath Infantry. learned that hostile force
Of all arms moved south from Philadelphia
that Gay. He at once decided 10 prepare
his position for defence
4 Blue force, consisting Of the 5th In
fantry, 1oth Cavalry, Battery D. Sd Field
Artillery. a detachment Of engineers and
detachment Of the ambulance corps and
one ambulance. was on reconnaissance
the afternoon Of August 10 at point about
TWO miles from -Four Corners.
Informed of Enennys Movement.
At p. m August IS the Blue army
troops. under command OF Major Charles
II. Grierson, 10th Cavalry, received The fol-
lowing message:
Hostile detacfment, strength unknown.
crossed river to-day at Great Bend Move
II
MAJOR GENERAL COMMANDING.
The Red army was protected by a long
line Of trenches in the shape of half
moon, which extended from point the
river about quarter of a mile above the
bridge which they had to hold to a point
on the river about a quarter of a mile
south Of the bridge. At the right and left
fanks powerful searchlights were kept con-
stantly in operation. In the pine trees far
,n front Of the line men with sisnal rock
cts were stationed. II was one OF these
Cutposts that first sighted and signalled
the approach OF the enemy at n:S9 p. IA
About midnight the searchlight picked
up the enemy they prepared to charge
the left flank The attack was unsuccess-
full and the commander Of the Red army
then concentrated his attack on the centre
of the line Supported by his field artillery,
which shelled the intrenchments and COW
ered the infantry advance, vigorous as
sault was made, bat, like the attack on
The left flank II was unsuccessful, and as
the recall was sounded the bridge was in
no greater danger of capture than II was
f,efore the rnanouvre.
Scene Long to Be Remembered.
The flash Of the nusketry. the boom of
the cannon. the eleam Of the searchlights
all contributed to make the scene one long
I onI-{ -{-,cy -h.a
trenches toward the enemy's position,
dark thicket would suddenly break into
line Of jewel points of fame, followed a
moment later by the rattle of a volley-
From right to left and back again the
volleys came while from the otner side the
renly flashed back. The hoarse shouts of
The officers giving orders TO their men
echoed among the trees. and the steady
hang. hang. hang of the machine guns
added TO the dir.
Far 10 The north the sky would tighten
LIZ interr7ittently with the flashes of artl-
ler-v. followed few seconds later by dull
reports of the guns. The white rays of the
searchIights swept over the plains and the
leaves and grass touched by the light
CLEANED like silver The men. when the
light touched them. appeared with start
ling distinctneSs. II was amusing to see
the men drop into The grass when the
searcnlght picked them up. At times the
beam would swing up into the air, leaving
the plains in darkness. This would en-
courage the attackers to creep forward,
when suddenly the shaft of light would
fall on them, revealing their movements
and exposing them to whitening fire from
the trenches. II must have been very diff
fcult for the attackers, blinded by the
alternate light and darkness. to aim with
anv precision at all or even TO be sure
where they were going.
The whole scene was realistic, and was
witnessed by many of the inhabitants of
the surrounding country Only the burn
ing of building two and the cracking
snd whine of bullets were need TO COM
plete q picture OF war as it really is in
the twentieth century.
Ready for Big Battle at Sunrise.
Tonight the combined manpuvres of the
army and the militia encamped here as the
hostile armies OF the Red and the Blue are
being worked out for the second period
at 3 O'Clock this afternoon all the troops
with the exception of few companies left
behind 10 guard the encanpment, marched
out in two large detachments to positions
wide apart on the reservation. They viii
bivouac in shelter tents, and tomorrow at
sunrise the big battle will begin. The
problem involved has not been announced
by the umpires-
Following the combined man9uvres to-
morrow, manpuvre in which only the
militia Will take part viii be executed on
Friday. and on Saturday the Brooklyn
troops viii entrain for home. This will
complete the second period of the encamp-
nent- Sunday the third and final period
viii begin with the arrival of the troops
from Rhode Island, Vermont and Massa-
chusetts.
During severe thunderstorm lightning
entered on the camp telephone exchange
snd l.. !. Hamilton, Of the Signal Corps,
the operator. knocked down and
slightly burned His injuries were not
serious. and the damaged system has been
repaired.
RIIcrXI cu0p