The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-08-13
WAR MANEuVERS
Results of Yesterdays Fight Told in official Report From Gen.
 Bliss.


 The war maneuvers of yesterday are Sbest told in the official account which vas given out at the head terday afternoon, the report coming from Brig-Gen.; Tasker H. Bliss. The account is as fellows:
 ssThe plan deaided upon by the Red commander, General smith, for the day had In view an attempt to re- pair the bridges at Derby and Shel- ton and send his cavalry across at that point While, at the same time. send ing his left brigade near Tyler's sta ton, southwest to drive the Blue forces out of Milford seiging the bridges across the Eousatonic river at Naugatuck Junction.
 The Blue commandsr, Gsnsrat era northeast of Milford to resist any ad-' vance of the enemy until relieved by the provisional cavalry brigade which was ordered to move east from it's biouyac jus$ north of Bridgeport. The first bridge, N.G., N. r. Red moved and started southwest along the Mii- ford-New Haven state road. The Sew entla regiment, N. G., N. r.. formed the advance guard with its mounted scouts advance of the point. At the cross roads about three miles north east or Milford, the Blue outposts were encountered but those outposts tinued it's advance towards Milford Meanwhile tho second brigade, N. G., N. Y. Blue was retiring toward Mill ford without opposing the Red ad-. vance.
 s'When the rear forces Gone bat talion) of the Blue troops had arriv ed within about a mile and a half of Milford, General Eddy directed it to take up position across the Milford New Haven state road and resist any advance of the enemy. He turned one regiment off to join the other two to the north of the Miiford-New Haven state road about a mile and a half northeast of Milford.
 s.The advance body of the Seventh regiment, N. G., N. Y., Reds soon encountered the Blue rear guard and a lively fight ensued. The Blues maintained their position by reason of the fact that the leading troops of the Seventh regiment could advance only through a narrow defile.
 '"rhe main body of the first brigade, N. G.. N. F.. Red was turned to the right and moved north from the Mill ford.NeW Haven state road in order to reach position from which it could advance from the Blue left flank and cut them off from their line of retreat
 
 while the provisional cavalry brigade, Blue passed through Milford about 9:15 a. m. and moved north of the Milford-New Haven state road9 The long column of cavalry soon encoun- tered the leading clements of the Red command. General Dyer had halted his main body at a cross road about two miles south of Orange. The Sev- enth regiment, N. G., N. Y.. Red was lighting on the Milford-New Haven state road to the south and in the wooded country to the north.
 General Dyer finally ordered the 18th and 6eth regiments forward to- between Orange and Milford.
 Colonel Parker, commanding the Blue cavalry brigade pushed his con- mand forward to this vicinity in time to meet the advance of the leading ale~ ments of the Red brigade and alively cavalry appeared to be in danger of being cut off. battalion of the 71st infantry, N. C., N. r.. Red appearing In it's rear. Fortunately this battalion was not aware of the disadvantage in which it had the Blue cavalry and when. it finally started it's advance command to prevent being cut off from his line of retreat.
 'tAt this time the 12 troops of cav. airy were fighting about double their number of Red infantry and the Blue infantry had taken a position SO far to the rear that it could not support the cavalry.
 General Dyer then received a mes sage from General Smith, his division Il commander at Orange, to withdraw his brigade from the fight and join he troops at Orange. This movement was made desirable by reason of the fact that the Red troops had devel- oped a larger force of Blues in this vicinity of Milford than was expected ind the Red cavalry having succeed sd in crossing the Housatonic river 1t Shelton, thus obviated the necessi- " of making hard fight in order to 1 ,ecure the bridges at Naugatuck Juno ion. s'.The Blue infantry brigade (sec- ,ng brigade, N. G., N. Y.,) took up ts march to the rear and was cover | sd ny the Blue cavalry in this with irawai"