Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-04-24
Infantrymen Scale Rim of the
Stronghold Covered by The
oretical Artillery Fire

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That infantry. covered by artillery
FIRE directed at the rim of the crater,
could. scale the heights of Diamond
! Head and force an entrance into the
/ big basin that lies between the mortar
battery and the position finding sta
, tion. has been demonstrated, it is de
clared. within the last few days by
the second battalion of the Second In
fantry. It is not the mere fact that
the foot soldiers could make the as
cent that is of interest. for that was
! q foregone conclusion. but rather tiiat
successful attack could be, made
along practically onethird Of the cir.
acnmfe1Enee, In q surprisingly short
time.
In the early hours of yesterday
morning. the Tour companies COM
manded by Captain Shuttleworth.
which have been encamped in the
crater since Sunday last, made the
attack, the line extending from a point
close to the battery. around the Koko
Head side of the crater almost to the
beach road In IL minutes after the
signal to rush the hill had been given.
the major part of the command had
reached the crest. Experts figure that
the indirect FIRE of the artillery from
its position just mauka of Fort Ruger.
on the inner rim of the crater, would
have successfully covered the advance
OF the infantry, which, once having
gained the crest, could have rushed
the troops within the crater
A number of problems involving the
defense and attack of the Diamond
Head position are being worked out by
the battalion, which will be.in camp
within the crater until the 30th of this
month. Yesterday afternoon at 4
O'Clock the four companies left camp
for a night problem in full field equip
ment, it being the intention to bivouac
and remain out until this morning, to
work out another problem of attack
from another quarter.
This work with infantry supporting
The coast artillery position, throws
some interesting side lights on the
original plan for fortifying Diamond
Head, which was to place the mortar
battery inside the crater. 1t was
claimed by the military experts who
originally figured on the defenses of
the island that this was the logical
position for the mortars, as it pro-
tected them from attack on the land
side. On the other hand, mortars are
only effective beyond certain ranges,
and to do away with any safety zone,
inside of which ships might be inn
mune from mortar fire, the batteryi
was placed beyond the crater, instead
of inside Of it, Another objection to
the latter position was that it would
be very difficult undertaking to gel
the mortars and carriages and ma
terial for the implacements over the
ridge. This latter objection, however,
was done away with when the tunnel
was run through the hill, between the
Battery Harlow and the floor of the
crater plain.
The second battalion is camped in
the small grove located about midway
between the entrance tunnel and the
face of the rock in which the range
is cut II is a comfortable Scamp,
though the temperature is somewhat
higher than is exactly pleasant at mid
day, and on the whole the men of the
command are enjoying the change of
scene, and regard the ten days in the
field as something of an outing.
Monday night the whole of the men
of the battalion climbed the hill to
watch the searchlight drill by the
coast artillery, and this, being nov
city to most of them, was followed
with keen interest
There have been a number of signal
drills, men being posted on the era
ter's rim and relaying messages Civ
ing the movements of the Honolulu
shipping to the troops within the
crater a
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