Norwich bulletin., 1912-08-14

Manoeuvres Headquarters Strauoru, Conn, Aug. 13-The advance of the Red enemy against New York was pushed forward today nearly ten miles after hard and spectacular fighting. The line of the Blues had been forced back towards it's base at Danbury. The inter tion of General Frederick A. Smith, the commander of the Red army, to take the metropolis by rear attack was disclosed by creating diversion at the north, bringing on the battle of Great Ring Hill. He found little opposition in placing his Mas sachusetts brigade of infantry across the Housatonic river at Derby and sending it into bivouac at Long Hill, Huntington, where he can use It against the First New Jersey brigade of the Blues, which was last heard from near there.
 Can Use Their Pontoons.
 He left the First New York brigade of infantry still in Orange, support ed by the Twenty Second New York engineers. The air line distance from the Massachusetts troops is about four miles with the river between, but II General w. A. Pew, Jr., of the Massa- chusetts brigade is hard pressed the engineers can put the New Workers across with their pontoons or they can make a forced march.
 The next defensive move of General Mills is awaited with keen interest by the on-combatants. The Reds are ex- pected to push on and decisive battle may soon be fought. They are mass ing for the encounter as today's bat tie has made it possible for General Smith to make a juncture of all his forces along the west bank of the Housatonic.
 Blues Massing Artillery.
 The hopes of the Blues rest in Gen. eral Mills concentration. Today he brought his Second New York brigade of Colonel James Parkers provisional cavalry brigade, and he is presumed 10 be msssing his artillery in the hills to the west, over which the Reds must go to reach the Hudson river.
 The Red army has not disclosed it's weight of field guns. Tomorrow all artillery can be brought into action If needed. as heretofore 1t has been non -cOmbatant for the instructional period
 Aerial Scout Proves His Value.
 A great feature of the day was the aerial scouting of Lieutenant Foulois who mapped out the location of the forces while going irNo battle, their formations, their defensive works and the wagon trains along the highways returning quickly to make his re- port. The significance of this was mentioned in General Bliss report of the day. Two machines were slightly injured in landing from flights.
 Big Battle Begins Friday.
 On Friday, which will be the first day of the big battle, Major General Wood, chief of the general staff. will , come from Washington to witness the fighting. Governor Dix of New York has returned home
 Great For the Spectators The light today around Great Ring Hill developed, as do few manoeuvre battles between the militia and regu- ', lar troops, into the prettiest engage ments imaginable from the standpoint of spectators, hundreds of whom view ed the fight from tops of walls, porChes carriages and tonneaus.
 Picture two long lines of the oppos- ing armies, stretching over country fields for nearly a mile-the Red in vad1ng foe prone upon their stomachS in the cOncealing grass or behind tht stone walls; the Blue defenders find ing security behind the high stone wal |, at the cross roads; imagine a steady fire splitting from the stone walls, witl the Reds coming back with heavy firC in like manner: umpires and com manding officers of both sides gallop. ing up and down behind the lines, anC General Bliss and staff just behind thu extreme left wing of the Reds; con. 4l- of the picturesque and stirring spec ' 4acIe & moment after the two armies ciashed.
 Reds Crossed Zoar Bridge.
 Over the winding Zoar bridge, be. <, tween the lower Berkshires and alone the bank of the mirror-ltke Housa. RFomptly at in the morning anC crossed Zoar bridge.
 The Blue defenders, knowing of tht strength of the Reds at a norther1 point, also set out to take this struc lure. but the Reds had the shorte distance and the Blues were not within four miles of the bridge when the clasl came.
 Connecticut Regiments in Action.
 A company of cavalry from the fight ing Tenth, acting as an advance guar, of the Reds, had run into the advanc of the Blues and scampered back t the line with the warning. The Con nectiout regiments, First and Second under Colonel Cowles, were in iron of the Red army. and 1t took then only a jiffy to whip across the fiel into a line of battle, the First regi ment going to the right of the Zoa road and the Second to the left. Tn Blue commander. Colonel Kirby. sen the First Vermont to the left wing and the Fifth United States as tn right wing.
 Tried a Flank Move.
 Colonel Kirby. after drawing ou the Rcd fire. saw that 1t was weases toward the left flank and directed hi forces toward that point, bringing u two troops of Cavalry to.. .,aid in tn attempt to turn the field wing of tn Reds. Between the two armies at tn extreme end of the position oneupie by each. rose Great Ring hill, ereste ; bv a red farmhouse, which made tn 2. liope conspicuous, TO the traine eys of the army strateBist this was tn kay to the situation. Whichever sid ;. 'Ssok the mll would win tho day, fo from its heights it could mow dow rho enemy with murderons Ire fret behind stone walls and other points 6 vantage.
 At first its capture by the Blue seemed certain,
 Rad RaInfayeepne1ts Needed,