Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1911-07-22
FIRST OF SERIES OF MANEuV-
ERs BY euARDsMEN ExEcuT-
ED TODAY
SOLDIERS BEHAVED BRAVELY
IMAGINARY BATTLE AT sIBLEY
MADE NATIVES THINK WAR
HAD BROKEN OUT
LIKE CAPTURE OF JUAREz
COMBAT CLOSELY RESEMBLED
DECIDING ENGAGEMENT OF
MEXICAN REVOLUTION

Opposing forces under the COM
mand of Major Ludwig, William IL
field and Major Arthur Bail this
morning participated in an interest
ing maneuver in the immediate
neighborhood of Camp, Mills, north
west of this city. In Major Ilfeld's
command, the Reds, were five COM
panies. The force under the leader
ship of Major Bail, the Blues, was
made up of three companies. Major
Balls troops were encamped at Sib-
ley, a small town almost directly east
of the range house at Camp Mills at
the foot of Beecher hill. Major
HlNelds command made an attack. |
Some clever work was done by both |
majors and there was brisk skir-
mish at close range within the town
of Sibley.
The maneuver as planned by First
Lieutenant F. S. Young, U. S. A.,
and General Brookes, was as follows:
Maneuver No. l., Camp Mills, July
%, 1911. c
General Situation t
A blue division is in camp twenty b
miles northeast of Las Vegas. A red r
force is advancing from the west. II
Special Situation q
Blue 81
A blue regiment which arrived at N
Sibley on July 81 departed at once O
for Onava, leaving blue battalion o
to guard the village AT 10 p. M, a
July 21, the battalion commander re-
ceives information that a red battal- a
ion which had previously been report r
ed at San Geronimo was advancing to a
attack his position. o
Special Situation q
Red II
A red battalion sent out from the o
red force to push back the enemy .
on the night Of July 20-21 o
at San Geronimo. On July 21 it ad- u
vanced eastward and on the night of o.
July 21-22 went into camp west Of m
hill 71OO (9-F on the map) About
dusk right flank patrol drove off a.
of hill ZOO (10-C) a blue patrol q
which retreated to the northeast. At
Z p. m. ranchman named Ortiz was ef
brought into camp and reluctantly Ia
stated there was battalion of blue I'll
Infantry in Sibley. The battalion COM Sc
mander decides to attack W
The maneuver was carried out as
planned The red force sent forth
a secondary attack as feint against
the village of Sibley from the west CT
FOR the purpose of holding the enemy til
In his position and endeavoring to VI
'orce him to send forward his re- 81
serve. In the meantime the main at M
Jack advanced under cover down the e;
arroyo west Of the camp, passed
south of the asylum under protection
Of the hill and along an arroyo to Y
he Gallinas river. Thence, under 81
he protection of the Hot Springs
)ranch railway embankment, against
he southwest corner of the town.
This movement was highly success
ul up to the arrival at the railroad 81
bridge. At that point, however, the
defenders discovered the advance of
he attacking force and threw all
If their available forces in at the
ront to block its further advance
The two opposing forces came into :.
contact with each other on either
'ide of an open field, the defenders %
N the north and the attackers try A'S
ng to advance from the south side ve
'he attackers, however, were unable ~
o cross the open ground and at this iue
began a very successful
lank movement, carried out by to'
Major Ilfeld with the bulk of his tie
orces against the enemy's left flank. the
his flanking movement advanced re'
rom the orchard under cover of an An
rroyo and high intervening ground he