The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-10-29

Y of foreign troops getting tooth,
;****** X x y x X **** *&* **s
at Fort Shafter, near the rifle range,
Icing awakened by bugles at three
o clock. In drizzle of rain the horses
were groomed, watered and fed in dark
ness, the officers and men having break
fast at five clock. The red dirt was
changed into gumbo and every man
walked as if he was shod with patters
instead of army shoes.
AT quarter-past six all the Shafter
organizations filed through the post,
slippery walks. At the foot of the
Moanalua hill, the Third Squadron,
Fifth Cavalry, met the Third Battalion
of the Second Infantry, under Captain
Jameson, coming down from Halawa
to go into position on the left flank
by making detour through Mr.. Da-
mon IS estate to the south side of Salt
Lake. They were to be Joined by the
Kamehameha Cadets, but late orders
changed this disposition so that the
Cadets could so into action on the right
flank. The Third Squadron of the Fifth
Horse was commanded by Captain Or
ton, and this was swung around to
Salt Lake to act as dismounted troops
in reserve.
The Second Squadron, under com
mand of Captain Hall, was sent for
ward to scout and protect the advance
of the invaders from their camp at
Pearl City. The orders to this squad
ron were to locate the enemy's advance,
engage it, communicate the iuforma-
ton to headquarters, which Colonel
Wilder decided to maintain in the vi
cinity of Hopkins Battery, and direct
ly on the county road overlooking the
Ientire country from the Haawa hill to
Eva. The scout organization was also
ordered not to attempt to have a
pitched battle with the advancing
army, but to delay it and then retreat
TO the main line of defense.
The Second Infantry, commanded by
] Colonel French, three battalions strong
] was ordered to extend line from Tri
} angulation Station hill, south of the
, main road, extending down to the era
ter and salt lake and then on toward
the Puuloa7 Honolulu road.
! The Kamehameha School Cadet line
which was expected TO come into action
, about eight O'Clock as a reserve, was
to occupy a position screened by bushe:
overlooking the Halawa gulch, just OF
the Eva side of the national guard
campground and mauka of the maiT
road, Holding the right flank was al
imaginary force of five companies OF
the National Guard of Hawaii, but be
ing imaginary, the umpires ruled or
that portion of the line at the outset
and declared that, being so well GOV
cred, any attempt to approach the hill
through the canefed by way of the
plantation railroad would be impossible
Ready for the Last Stand.
When the artillery numbered in thu
open field on the Honolulu slope, Sc
that the guns were concealed from thu
country through which the enemy would
have to advance, buzz telephone lint
was stretched up the lava slopes from
the battery to the summit, where thu
tatterv commander erected his tripod
through the delicate instrument oil
which he obtained his range and de
Election, and was able to give accurate
information to the officers handling thu
! guns as to Just what ammunition tt
employ.
/ a.
! RVS detail of signal men of the Fifth
Cavalry, which, by the way, has repu
tation for being better up in all classes
of signal work than my other organ
/. ization in the service, located in re
doubt of piled rocks, from which
! they received messages from the fielC
and communicated them to headquar
. tiers below.
The road on the Honolulu side o.
Halawa hill presented truly MARTA
aspect in the early hours of the morn
ing as the organizations went into &C
ftion. At one time the field artillery
/. battalion of infantry and squadron
of cavalry occupied the road at ont
time, in parallel columns. and not MAI
was hurt or horse injured
Colonel Wilder and his staff and head
quarters detachment of mounted mel
was out of the headquarters camp neal
the polo field, early, the colonel dispos
ing his forces in the able manner which
, he has employed since nc first was eiveI
, command of the Blue army.
The infantry was early on its line
and so completely was the line con
. cealed on the slopes and down the ridGi
|, hat it was only by straining the vision
that the men could be distinguished
, For several hours the only portions Of
the Blue army visible, even on the de
, Tenders side, was the artillery. The
line of defense formed crescent witt
the longer end rounding along the low
rim of crater and salt lakes. giving posi-
tions which enabled the infantrymen t,
enfilade the county road for long dis
tance and 10 render such position un
tenable.
Reds Hard Problem.
II must be said in truth that the in
vading army, under the rules of man
euvers, had not the best opportunities
10 advance and deplOy, but the problem
of piercing the Blue had been giyer
the invaders. They failed to do so, anc
: were fearfully cut up and whole bat
teries and columns OF infantry swept
of the roads, even the Red commander
being reported among the slain. this
making the third time such a report ha'
reached the Blue army lie appears e
have a charmed life with as many as o