The Washington times., 1911-08-25
TROOPS IN BATTLE
FOR THE DEFENSE
Of FREDERICK CITY
Blues And Reds In "Des,
perate" Conflict Near
Camp Ordway.
CCortinued from First Page)

,Cronin. the appointed umpire, closed
the battle at noon.
During the fire of the infantry, the
entire twenty rounds OF ammunition is
sued TO each man were exhausted, and
the supply wagons had 10 be drawn
upon Colonel Durand succeeded in ad-
vancing his forces to a point so close
TO the Blue army that a decision would
have had to be given if the battle had
been continued.
As this IS never done in maneuVers,
Major Cronin declared the exercises OF
the day finished, and at 1890 O'CLOCK
sent a wireless that the troops were re-
turning to camp.
Scouts Early In Field.
Scouts from the Red army who were
GENT out early this morning 10 locate
the enemy and gain a knowledge OF
the proposed movements of the Blues
returned to Camp Ordway shortly De-
fore 9 o'clock, with detailed intorma-
ton. Immediately long lines Of khaki
clad militiamen, each wearing con-
spicuously on his hat band OF req
calico, rushed down the long hill into
the valley of the MonOcacy. and hetore
they were aware, were face TO race
with the enemy.
The first real fighting of this years
rnaneuvers was on. The men in both
armies who have been permitted - oil
nothing except drill ard search for an
imaginary enemy which they knew
never did exist or never would exist, to-
dav were given their first smell Ot
powder. And with the first crack OF
d. Springfield rifle, fired by an cNc'tGi
guardsman at a blue hat band hall
euVers was born.
For hours the men fired away at each
other. and as long as eaCh supply OF
ammunition lasted, even the brigadicr
general could not restrain the anxious
militiamen from blazing away.
The scene Of the battle was yellow
Springs Last night, the Blue army Is
supposed TO have biouvaCked at that
point Col. William L. Harvey, COM
rnanding the Second Infantry, was in COM
mand of the Blues, while Col. Charles
H. Ourand and his First Infantry, the
First Separate Battalion, under Major
Brookes Cne detachment of Signal
Corps men, and the light battery, con-
stituted the Red, or defending army.
Scouts from the Red army, disguised
as much as possible as corn shocks and
hedge fences, slowly CTawled toward
the camp of the Blues this morning.
and, with note books and scratch pads.
totted down the vulnerable points of
the camp and its position. They CraWled
back to safety. and. when outside the
firing line, ran madly 10 the first wire
less station and fired their Information
10 headquarters.
Kept Posted BY Wireless.
Colonel Harveys detachment of sig
nal corps men were not asleep during
this time With the first touch OF the
wireless key calling the Red army his
operators began to sit up and take no
tice. No codes were used. Colonel Du-
Fand's men reckoned without their host.
The scouts sent accurate Information
TO Colonel Durand, and. as the latter
was receiving and directing his officers
to make certain moves, Colonel Har-
Vey, several miles beyond, also was re-
ceiving the same Information.
Scarcely had the Red army should
cred its muskets and started toward
Yellow Springs, before orders had been
given by Colonel Harvey to his officers
army reached Yellow Springs, instead
of finding a sleeping camp OF militia
men, they came face to face with
prepared Iot of youngsters.
Red Army Advances.
The Red army advanced from camp
shortly after o'clock. AS the long
lines Of militiamen disappeared in the
distance in a crowd of dust, scouts from
the invading forces caught their move
ments. Signal corps men, unable to
string their invisible telephone wires,
took positions on nearby elevations, and
wig-wagged and photographed their in
formation TO other operators thousands
OF yards away.
The first clash Of the day came when
the advance guard of the Reds came
suddenly upon a Blue outpost which
was in waiting for 1t. The Blues fired
away at the detachment Of Reds, and
the regular army officer, detailed for
the day as an umpire, declared the Reds
officially dead. The men were sent back
10 camp, under great protests. there to
await the coming of the remaining part
of the troops. \
Scarcely had the Red advance guard
been annihilated before the main army,
advancing quietly toward the Yellow
Springs hiding place of the Blues, sud-
denly came face to face with a thunder
Gus roar of canronry. The men were
taken literally of their feet. Where a
moment before had stood a harmless
locking rail fence, with mere and there
q scarecrow, now seemed living, NOV
fig mass of humanity.
Blue calico WAS seen down long line
half a mile in length. Rife barrels
flashed in the sun, and in an instant
stream Oh UTe as lOIB as IIe line Oh
crouched guardsmen spurted at the de-
The Reds were ordered to fall back
under cover, but this was not accom-
plished till five rounds of blank cart
ridges had been fired into them.
place of safety having been reached
by the Reds, the army Immediately be-
gan to plant its machine guns and light
artillery. The Blues began to shift
their positions. but it was too late.
A ceaseless fire from the machine guns,
which sent 800 paper wads in the direc-
ton of the Blues each minute, was be-
gun. The small rifles cracked away.
and now and then the cannons of the
light battery doomed and swept the en-
tire field.
Blues Forced to Retreat.
The Blue army was unable to face
such a fire, and was forced to retire
under a rain of papier mache bullets.
A cornficld in the rear provided a tenn
porary shelter, and here they collected
their forces. and gathered together the
.'wounded" The hospital and ambu-
lance corps rushed up and down the
lines, attending imaginary wounded SOL
dicrs, and cnterprising Frederick hawk
ers. with large pals OF root beer and
lemonade, followed in their wake. and
took from the guardsmen every nickel
they possessed.
Starts on Overland Trip.
After the battle this morning, the ar