Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-09

Special From Stan Correspondent.
CAMP ORDwAY, Harpers Ferry, w.
| Va, August 9-After strewing its dead
along the mountain slope of cloudy noun
tain the District national guardsmen
this morning. by flank movements, as
cended the slope and attacked the enemy
| so fiercely from both sides as to COM
pletely wipe it off the earth.
The Signal Corps, working with caval-
ry. succeeded in establishing wire COM
munication with a point near Shenan-
doah Junction on one side, and with
HalltOwn on the other, interrupted rail
communication on the main line OF the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad and the
branch line to Halltown, and thus pre-
vented the advance of the West Virginia
cavalry on the retreating wagon train
representing Maryland.
The battle of the clouds was begun at
10 o'clock this morning with the main
force Of the District national guards
men representing an American attacking
body, and firing squad picked from the
several companies as an opposing army
The firing squad was located on the tor
of one of the mountains in the vicinity OF
Camp Ordway, and the main body OF
troops was seeking to reach the top OF
| the hill and capture it. The mountain
side was literally strewn with dead. But
as. a District boy fell out under the
| slaughtering fire of the enemy there was
some enthusiastic youngster to step into
his place in the front line Of battle.
| Despite the fact that the enemy had
| the advantage at every point, the Dis
| trict boys advanced slowly but surely
up the mountain side. leaving dead and
| dying in their wake. The sight was hor-
rible. There was certainly no battle in
American history which conld surpass
| that of today.
| Early this morning the infantry left
Camp Ordway, where they bivouackec
| for the night, and started on the road
| to Charles Town. The vanguard had
| just reached the summit of Fire ridge
| when scouts reported back that the
enemy's artillery and infantry wer'
deployed along the mountain side JUS
| above the clouds.
/ The sun was shining brightly wher
| the first of the District troops left
| Camp Ordway, but heavy thunder couls
be heard in the distance:
Rainfall Settles Dust.
1t was at first thought to be blasting
but gradually the sky darkened and
began to rain very hard. The Distric
| boys were without their ponchos, bu
fortunately for them the rain did no
last long. 1t served to settle the dust
which is now thick about the camp.
The clouds gradually hid the mountain
tops, and as the main body of guardsme
| reached the foothills Of Fire ridge tn
enemy's artillery began raining fire
while their infantry pumped their bull
let's. How those District boys did 3
forward,
Up the side they went, fallen conrad
marking each step. But they drew IN
fire and attention OF the enemy, 1orcin
the latter to concentrate on the mai
body While this main body unfiinching
" accented the fire of the enemy, nan
movement went after the enemy fror
both sides and from last reports receive
at headquarters, was making Tdpio prog
ress up the hillside.
Toward noon the heavy cannonadin
ceased, but the sharp cracking or mus
kerry fire was kept up at frequent In
tervals. Ii has not yet Deen repOrle
whether or not the fianking armies pu
the batteries out OF commission or not.
From the meager information at han
the battle is likely to run into the mid
die of the afternoon. Judging from IN
, sound of the firing the District guaros
at 10 o'clock seemed to be gettin
fainter. although at that hour ma
chine gun was broSght into play as II
sound could be plainly heard a
headquarters. The District boys oil
not have a machine gun with them, $
/ il was probably that OF the enemy.
Solid Front of Imaginary Cavalry
West Virginia is coming back at Mary
land for the defeat given the former i
the fierce battle of yesterday. This par
ticular war has not settled into strictl
: Signal Corps problem; and althoug
Maryland defeated her enemy yeterda
, the Rip Van Wrinkle stunt is being work
! ed. While the camp slept last night thre
weeks elapsed, during which period Yves
Virginia obtained achievements, and tn
Maryland fighters have been driven bac
as far as Harpers Ferry.
Only the cavalry organi zations of thes
; mythical armies are now fighting. TIL
! Continued on Second Page.)