The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-08-14
CITY THREATENED BY INVASION OF
 REDS LAST NIGHT

Blues Protect Bridgeport and
 Furnish Many Amusing Inci-
 dents and Scenes Typical of
 War Times
 After the smoke had cleared from the battle fields following the activi- ties of yesterday, Bridgeport found it.
 self still in the possession of the Blue army, but with. the Reds bivouac only few miles away last night. The city was under the shadows of the
 Red army throughout the night and
 realizing this, the Blues who have a regiment in camp at Brooklawn, kept
 the city streets we'll guarded and the outskirts closely protected to prevent a sudden invasion of the foe.
 The official report of the activities of yesterday, follows:
 This morning, General Smith com manding the Reds, had for his object
 the crossing of. his troops west of the Housatonic river. General Mills com manding the Blues, knowing that hos tile cavalry had crossed near Shelton, and desiring to create diversion to 
 men of which took part in the fight yesterday, to join them, decided to make a determined effort to seize Zoar bridge and prevent the enemy from crossing to attack him from the north.
 Accordingly. Colonel Kirby's bri- gade (Blue) was ordered to seize Zoar bridge. This decision brought on the, engagement near Berkshire, for the Red forces had been able to cross in. greater numbers than was anticipated by the Blues, and had taken up a defensive position The engagement was preceded by the contact of hos. tile cavalry forces and pretty little mounted fight ensued, the cavalry withdrawing as the fight developed to the south, where they continued to have a running fight, and to harass the movements of the hostile troops in that direction. e gy5 ifki
 ! on the Red side, the first Connec- ,ticut. was thrown into. line north of the z Berkshire- East Village road To them was opposed the First Vermont. The. Second Connecticut (Red) was thrown into line south of the road and held their position for some time while (Blue) continued to advance and to develop their line to the south. Just as it appeared that the Second Cont necticut would be enveloped their line enfiladed and forced withdrawal. The Second Maine, which up to this time, had been held in reserve, was put in the field and coming in on the Blue right flank. forced it's withdrawal.
 Having developed the Red force much superior to his own the Blue commander decided to withdraw. The withdrawal was accomplished under service conditions, and considering that this was the first time. that many an actual withdrawal from a conflict, it was we'll executed. One battalion of the Fifth United States infantry covered the withdrawal of the Blues. The Reds having prevented any hos tile advance to Zoar bridge, withdrew their command to keep a watch on the enemy and to warn them of any hostile advance.
 .Particularly gratifying to those1 concerned was the operation of the aviation squadren. This squadron ters to make report of the engage ment. This they accomplished, for they were able to ascertain and locate on the map the advance of the two forces the deployment and location of their lines, the positions of the re. serve and the location and direction of the march of their wagon trains"
 The Worcester, Mass, city guards, Worcester light infantry and Yelling ton Rifles, A, c, and H companies, 2d regiment, and Emmet Guards, G Co.,, 1 9th regiment, with Milford, Clinton, Orange, Natick, Hudson and Fitch burg companies of the 2d, 9th, 9th and 9th regiments of Massachusetts Infan~ try, comprising the 1st and 2d brig ades under Brig. Gems. Frederick E. | Pierce and William A. Pew respec- | lively, went into camp late yesterday | 24~wa A4m~~ ton center, after having crossed the | Housatonfc river on a pontoon bridge | and g. highway bridge just above | Derby. The Massachusetts brigades are to-day in position to get the heavy part of the work and are in | line to continue following up the ad- vantage of the Red army of invasion. The s~6th regiment comprises the ad- vance party of the red army at Hunt ington, with it's camp just the foot | of the hill on the Housatonic valley side of Huntington. The 5th regi- is barely 300 yards in it's rear. The 9th regiment is encan1ped practically in the next field, hundred yards away and the 2d regiment is close by also.
 The Red army expected resistance at Shelton where the 10th cavalry broke through the Red lines, yester4 day, but when the Reds appeared | looking for trouble the Blues had flown and were contemplating a stubborn position to the Red advance in the of Danbury, Thursday. Dan- bury is 15 miles nearer New York, the object of capture by the Red army un- der Brig Gen Frederick A. Smith, and at the present time there is a possibility of the Red forces now at Huntin ngton and in the vicinity of Berkshire and Sandy Hook, beating