The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-08-27
DISTRICT GUARD
INF|NAL MANEUVER
Blue Army Encamped Hear Charles
town-To Invade Red Territory
to Destroy Supplies.
SOLDIER BOYS PLAN
TO BREAK CAMP WEDNESDAY
Men to Be Paid Of on Final Day.
Trains Obtained for
Return Trip.

Charlestown, w. Va, Aug. 26. Head
quarters of the Blue Army)-with camp
fires dotting the meadows half a mile
west Of Charlestown. the Blue army to-
night is bivouacing in an open field
with a threatening sky giving half
promise Of rain. Somewhere to the east
ward the Red army. under Capt. Berk-
ley. Fifteenth United States Cavalry, is
lying close behind the ridges. and with
outposts strung around its front In fan
shaped formation, Is expecting an at
tack from the heavy armed forces OF
the Blues under Gen. George H. Harries.
The Red army marched out from
Camp Ordway at noon to-day. II con-
sisted of Troop B, Fifteenth Cavalry:
cne-half of Battery z. under Capt Fred
T. Austin. Third Field Artillery. and
all OF the First Separate Battalion. n.
g. ID. c., under MAJ. James Walker.
Capt II. d. Berkeley In command had
turned over Troop B Of cavalry to
Lieut.. Overton.
The Blue army, with Gen. George H
Harries commanding. left camp an houl
and a half later. Maj. Leroy w. Heron
acting as adjutant general, had disposed
of the troops SO that Col William Z
Harvey and his Second Infantry acted
as the advance guard. with the leading
battalion of this regiment carrying ar
extra heavy supply Of ammunition. In
dicating that sharp and prolonged skir.
mishinS might be expected.
Ournnd on Rear Guard.
The First Infantry. under Col. Charles
II. Ourand, was acting as a rear guard
with a battalion armed with an extra 10,
of blank cartridges The men so equipped
later In =
guard. as attacks might develop from
any quarter, although the inadequate
strength Of the Red army leads Gen.
Harries to believe that he will have TO
force the fighting. and that the Reds
Will do all they can to hamper his ad-
vance without actually offering any Sc
rious opposition.
There has been shooting at outposts all
afternoon and evening. While the men
were preparing their own suppers over
fires built Of fence rail. the outposts.
half a mile ahead and to one side. have
been carrying on a desultory pot shot
ting at the cavalrymen OF Lieut.. Over
toms scouting patrols. who have been
wheeling around the camp trying to get
an idea of what the next move would be.
Men Carry Meals.
Two meals will have to be cooked in
the field by the men and the haversacks
were stuffed with easy cooking food
when the armies left Camp ordway for
this practice. Cans of baked beans and
bacon seemed 10 be the predominating
element OF the menu. Blanket rolls had
been examined carefully and as soon as
the men found their camp site at this
spot. near Charlestown, the little shelter
tents were raised.
Lieut.. Stewart, OF E Battery, Third
Field Artillery, has two guns with him
on the Red side. and to-morrw will en-
gage in an artillery duel with Capt
Austin, who has the remaining two field
pieces OF the battery. The batterymen
carried fireless cookers. and did not de-
rend on individual cooking.
Capt Oliver Terry's signal company
has been in demand in the Red Army
ever since II arrived in this camp. The
men were tired from the patrol duty
when they turnbled into their cots last
night but were up bright and early to-
Gay ready to string a line Of field
buZzers, or military telephones. around
the camp so that each outpost would be
connected with the headquarters tent
Information Of the enemy has been sent
in over this single line at various times
Lieut. William B. Hudson, in command
Of the ambulance company. has estab-
nshed a field hospital and has selected
a site for dressing stations for the fight
which must surely occur tomorrow.
To Destroy Supplies.
The Blue Army has a mission which
must be completed tomorrow before
noon. The Potomac River Is supposed
to divide hostile States. The ground
north of the stream is Blue territory and
that to the south Is Red. A Blue force
including Gen. Harries' present command.
has been sent into West Virginia with
orders to destroy a large quantity Of val
liable stores which the Reds have coll
lected twenty miles west of Charlestown.
and which are reported to be inadequately
guarded.
On the other side OF the problem. Capt
Berkeley Is tonight at Halltown. w. Va.
and has organized strong patrols Of his
own cavalrymen under Lieut.. w. w.
OvertUn. Capt. Berkeley's orders are to
find Gen. Hairless to report on his
strength. to hang on his fianks and to
keep him worried, but not to get In a
position where he will have to pit his
strength against the overwhelming force
under Gen. Harries. The Red commander
in-chief is supposed to be in Wheeling
for the purposes of this maneuver, and
the problem states that II is his desire
to lead the Blues well into his territory
so that heS can later cut OF their retreat.
Cavalry Is Seen.
When Gen. Harries and his column
reached the scene of their actions to-day
the Red Cavalry was seen occasionally
pairs and three of the riders skulking
upon the ridge tops. and hiding behind
bushes in the distance. Mai. Clarence
Sayers Battalion of the Second Infantry
was spread around the Blue Camp as out
posts and pickets. with instruction to
keep in touch with the Blue headquar-
tiers at all times and to drive off all in
quisitive cavalrymen who were trying to
get a line on the Blue strength. For
that reason there would be isolated rifle
duels all along the curved line Of pick
cts and outposts.
The men went to sleep under their shell
ter tents when taps was blown at 10
o'clock tonight. Sentinels will pace the
darkened camp until dawn. and the bat
talon Of outposts will be awake to scare
of by their firing any one who attempts
to sneak close enough to the Blue lines
to make a sketch map of the situation.
or to CLEAN any other information.
ARTILLERY Coming Home.
First Battery. Field Artillery, left
Camp Ordway at o'clock this morn
ing en- route for home. The frst camp
was scheduled for Leesburg, Va. and
the battery commander. Capt. J. Harry
20 raa,h Iyo - q, 81