The Washington times., 1912-08-26
BIGGEST WAR GAME
OF CAMP IS BEGUN
Reds and Blues Scattered Over West Virginia Hills for
Last Battle-Guardsmen Will Eat and
Sleep in Open.

CHARLES TOWN, w. Va, Aug. 2e.-
The big battle Of the 1912 maneuvers is
on. Between Charles Town and Camp
Ordway, six miles to the east, two big
armies are preparing to come face to
face In the final struggle of this cam
paign. All the afternoon. and during
a part of the night. the Red and Blue
forces, both hidden In sections unknown
to the other, will fire imaginary bull
let's at each other in an effort to solve
problems laid out for them by the regu-
lar army instructors in charge of the
maneuvers.
whether the problems will be solved
depends upon the work of the officers
and men during the next eighteen hours.
All Jefferson is turning out to get
glimpse of the mimic warfare, the like
Of which has not been seen since Stone-
wall jackson led his brigade toward
Charles Town during the civil war.
Excursionists Flock In.
Excursions trains from Maryland. Vir-
ginia. and West Virginia have been un-
loading sightseers into this town all
day. But the visitors are doomed to
disappointment, for the two armies are
scattered over such an area that moth
ing short of an aerial fight can give
anyone a perfect idea as to the position
of the troops.
complex one ever submitted to the Dis
trict National Guard. The plans Of
Stonewall Jackson when he swooped
down on this county, have been brought
UP to date and are to be carried out. II
possible, today and tonight by General
Harries, commanding the Army Of the
Blue.
The smaller army, commanded by
Capt. H. D. Berkeley, of the fifteenth
Cavalry, will endeavor to checkmate
and tonights skirmishes should occupy
a prominent page in the history of mill
tary maneuvers in this country.
Organization of Armies.
The Red Army consisting of Troop B,
Fifteenth United States Cavalry. COM
manded by Lieut.. william w. Overton,
Battery Z, Third Field Artillery, with
the exception of two guns, commanded
by Capt. Fred T. Austin. and the Firs,
Separate Battalion, commanded b.
Major James Walker, is guarding, IL
| theory, a quantity of valuable stores
| twenty miles west of Charlestown. The
| Blue Army, under General HarTies, con.
sisting- OF brigade headquarters, the
Ourand, the Second Infantry, under
| Col. William E. Harvey, two guns fror
| the Third Battery, Field Artillery, COM
| manded by Lieut.. F. w. Stewart. tht
| Signal Company, under Capt o. c
Terry, and the ambulance company
commanded by Capt William s. Hud
son. has been sent out to defeat tn;
Reds and cut o fftheir retreat aftel
| capturing the stores
| Captain Berkeley will endeavor to IN
duce the Blue army to come into his
| territory where his forces are safely
| hidden. AS the Red army Is the weaker
| body, II will be necessary for him tt
| entice the enemy on to his own ground
II he hopes to be victorious.
Equipped for Field.
| At II today the first division of the
Red army. the First Separate Bat.
talon, left Camp Ordway marching ir
double quick time. Every man was
| equipped for spending a night in the
| field Blanket roll and shelter hall
across shoulder. with a rifle and num-
ber OF shells fondled gently. the Reds
filed through Ordway and soon disap
peared down the dusty road towart
Charles Town. The remainder OF the
| Red forces left camp at 1890 o'clock.
| An hour later the Blue army fileC
out of camp and took up the Ions
hike, which will not be concluded til
| tomorrow morning. The Red army II
completely hidden this afternoon.
All efforts on the part of Genera
Harries' scouts to pick up informa'
tion concerning the position OF tn,
enemy have failed thus far. The arm,
men want the battles fought with al
few casualties" as possible, and fol
that reason they will be kept as ia!
apart as possible.