Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-08-23
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FROM MIMIC WAR
Received Honorable Mention from
Army Officers
Wlthstood Effects Of Heat and Lona
Marches Like ResuIars-vermont Reg.
iment Gave Good Account Of Itself.

Marches Like ResuIars-vermont Reg
iment Gave Good Account Of Itself.
After a week of hard work in the field
playing at war. Company I, LIST Vernon
regiment, arrived home about 33,
o'clock Monday morning. Following
week at the state camp grounds nea
Essex Junction, where the company die
not fare particularly well in the
craftsmanship contests, they went Sat
urday, Aug. 10, to Connecticut and unit
last Sunday night were active in tn,
war game arranged by Uncle Sam il
which the Red army tried to captur,
points surrounding New York city and
gain possession of the watershed which
is the base of the water supply of the
metropolis. The Blues were the army
of defense, and of this Company i was
a part. To the local company were as
signed 10 Norwich university scouts UNI
der command of Capt. Barber, a gradu-
ate of the university, who did praise
worthy work in obtaining information in
the field for the commander of the
Blues.
The boys left on the train from Bur-
lington at p. m. Saturday and ar
rived in Hawleyville, Conn, about 6
o'clock Sunday morning. The camp was
made two miles south of the town and
except for drills and muster during the
day the soldiers had an easy time. Some
of the company performed outpost duty
that evening and early Monday morning
that section of the Blues of which they
were a part broke camp and hiked to
Newtown, six miles away, arriving at
noon. From Sunday to Thursday the
armies were taking part in game
which had previously been planned by
army experts, and everything was pre-
arranged. Positions were taken and
battles fought with the idea of showing
the officers and men the conditions of
actual warfare and of preparing for
actual hostiities between the armies the
last three days of the week. The boys
remained in camp at Newtown the rest
OF the day and early Tuesday morning
hit the roads for Berkshire, short hike,
and took a position a short distance
east Of the village Here the provis-
ional brigade, consisting of the 5th
United States Infantry from Plattsburg,
the LIST Vermont regiment, and an en-
gineering corps came in contact with a
portion of the Red army and opened
fire. The Reds consisted of three regi-
ments, enough, in actual warfare, to
wipe out the provisional brigade, but the
Vermonters and the regulars from New
York fought valiantly and held their
ground until the umpires came along
and, noting the number of their men,
told them that discretion was the better
part of valor and ordered them to fall
back before they were theoretically an
initiated. The recall sounded at noon
and the third nights camp was pitched
at Cold Springs, giving the boys an
eight mile march besides the sham bat
tie.
Wednesday morning found the brigade
closely pursued by the Reds and a re-
treat was ordered. The sun beat down
on the soldiers that day with relentless
fury and 1O-mile march was made.
When Easton was reached the boys
were given orders to pitch camp and
officers went along the line to see what
effect the sun had had on the privates.
1t was then that Company l received
honorable mention. Not a person had
dropped from the ranks and one man had
Travelled more than three miles with a
bleeding nose. Every other company
showed that their numbers had been de-
pleted by the sun and even the regi-
ment of regulars, including men who
had seen service in Ouba and the Phil
ippines, had lost men by the wayside.
The regular army men said it was one
of the hottest hikes they ever had
taken.
The regular war game began Thursday
and at o'clock the local bows
broke camp and marched to Hattertown
with the main body of the Blue army.
which consisted of the provisional brig
ade, full brigade of infantry from New
Jersey, eight battalions of artillery, sig
nal corps and half the 10th United
States Cavalry from Fort Ethan Allen
The local company and the others We're
at Hattertown and headquarters were
established at Redding. Col Kirby, in
command of the Blues, desired Informal
ton regarding the Reds, and regular ar
my scouts were sent out. They came
back without word of the enemy and
the colonel called on the Norwich boys
Shortly after o'clock Capt Barber and
his men returned. They reported the
position of the enemy and the exact
number of tents in the army's camp The
colonel is reported as saying afterward
that he secured more information from
the Norwich boys than from any other
source during the maneuvers.
About o'clock Friday morning the
Blues took up the march and 12-
mile hike took them to Dodgeingtown.
The LIST Vermont was sent on outpost
duty and that evening found them in
practically the same spot as the first
night at camp The two armies were
close together and the outposts kept
popping away at each other during the
night. On Saturday morning the word
was passed that battle was coming
and the Blues hurried to position on
the top OF Totten hall, expecting the
Reds to advance within a short time.
Their position had been misjudged, how
ever, and an aeroplane scout was sent
out He returned with the news that
the Reds were near Newtown and orders
were given to march. hard hike
across cultivated and uncultvated land,
through gardens and over private estates
brought the Blues in touching distance
Of the Reds who advanced from New
town.
The battle was a hot one and the 5th
Infantry and the LIST Vermont were
forced back because expected reinforce
ments did not arrive. new position
was taken and the fight was resumed.