New-York tribune., 1912-08-25
Revolution in Art of War Indicated by Connecticut Campaign

Next TO the aeroplanes. the wireless
ouit OF Company \ Of the signal corps.
from Omaha, was the centre OF interest.
This apparatus was imported from Ger
many for use in the United States army
not many months ago. There is a jointed
mast, with black rubber-coated tentacles
spreading from the top TO the ground
and a mule-drawn wagon. which sep
arates in two parts. the rear end con-
tanning a gasolene engine dynamo and
the front end the delicate machinery FOR
receiving and sending messages a dis
tance OF 200 miles or so has been covered
by this travelling outfit. For smaller
field use receiving instruments may be
carried by a single man. and there is
complete sending and receiving outfit for
distance OF a dozen miles for which
electrical power is generated by hand
turned motor. Besides the use or big ana
small wireless outfits In the maneuvres'
telephone and telegraph wires were laid
in the field for distances Of many miles
The map making OF the engineers under
CAPTAIN Willing Is a story in itself.
Every dav the manpuvres and positions
OF all troops, as learned from scouts and
umpires were plotted on large scale
maps, Of which many copies were made
by a mechanical process. IL was inter-
esting also TO see the solitary map maker
in the field, who made an up-to-date
version Of road shown on an old gov
ernment map. Distance was measured by
counting steps. and direction was OBJ
tained BY compass fixed in a board
beside a roll OF thin paper. The road
was pencllled on the unwinding roll.
AS for the general strategy OF the war
game, every move was planned in advance
by headquarters UP TO the last two days,
and the opposing generals had little
chance TO show what they could do. They
could not help doing what they did at the
finish The movement OF the Reds under
Brigadier General +. A. Smith was
semicircular sweep TO the northwest,
crossing the Housatonic River and threat
ening the base Of the Blues at Danbury.
The Blues, under Brigadier General A. l..
Mills. protecting themselves. retreated on
a similar sweep to the southward and by
fanking march concentrated north at
Newtown in front of their base TO meet
the enemy in a last engagement. Ii Gen.
eral Smith had dared the swampy ground
due west of his position at. Monroe on
Thursday, he might have cut his oppo-
nent in two. Neither general seemed
very anxious to hurt the other II was
sa i'd that General Mills was the more con-
servative I'm his movements.
In the grand finale on Saturday, which
outrvalled any war game ever seen in
this country, the entire horse, foot and
artillery OF both armies ciashed In a mag
nlfcent natural amphitheatre. The boom
ing OF cannon was heard twenty-five miles
away. The Blue right was driven back
by the Reds and the Red right was
fanked by the Blues. After FIVE hours
hghting the Blue battery on the crest
OF Hill SOS was charged and taken by the
Reds, chiefly the Sd Battalion of the 7th
New York Just a few minutes later. at
u o'clock. Chief Umpire Bliss had the
recall sounded. The battle was over. Tn
officially. the opinion was expressed that
General Smith had won and that his men.
after refreshing themselves with the ac-
cumulated rations at the Danbury base
OF the Blues. would march on to humble
this proud and arrogant city. Instead OF
that, all hands joyfully fraternized and
prepared to return 10 home and mother.