Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-05-02

from New London on the Long Island
Sound shore in the south. Every road
across the whole state north and south
was held by horsemen who were press
ing steadily westward. converting all
means of communication to the armys
use and cutting off the population COM
pletely from the outside and even from
communicating with each other.'
From Attleboro there was a sudden
thrust along the railroad line from
Taunton to Mansfield From this point
the enemy moved rapidly along the rail-
road line to birmingham. In two hours
he had in his possession six important
functions of the railroad systems that
connect Boston with the rest of New
England and with the United States.
The enemy was making good a great
line that extended In a semi-circle from
the west of Boston to the coast south
of It.
His grip on Rhode Island had not re-
Taxed. That whole state was in his
hands. There was not a village left in
1t that was not dominated by his
troops. Men were quartered in every
house. Officers were quartered In every
and churches were occupied. In places
whore there were not sufficient stable
accommodations, the horses were placed
in the churches.
There were proud homes there In
little Rhode Island" where crossed
swords over the old-fa shioned mantle
pieces bore witnesses to ancestors who
had fought on land and sea in the wars
of the revolution and of 1912. Foreign
soldiers sat under them. and spread out
maps of the state on the floors while
they debated over the best use to make
of roads and houses and towns.
Town and village authorities received
orders, not from officers. but from COM
mon soldiers, or, at the most, from ser
Geants or corporals. Only in the most
important places did commissioned of
hcers trouble to consult with the Of
hcials Mostly, they limited themselves
TO sending their acquisitions and in
structions in curtly written notes.
30 1t was everywhere throughout the
vader set foot, all old law ceased in
stantly and new law began. The bu1
letin boards in town halls, courtrooms
ana post offices were covered. within
LII III an nour after the Eruption of SOL
oieTy' by piacards that were headed.
Order" All
Inc people were ordered not to he
oGt OF doors after 9 o'clock at night,
Ihey were ordered to bring In an 90
counting of all horse forage. ali food
stuHs and all accommodation thew had
IN their premises for men and animals
Ihey were ordered to bring in all roll
ing stock for inspection. They were
ordered to leave their lights burning
behind lowered shades
Their officials were ordered to report
aaliy TO the army for instructions
Their judges were ordered to make re-
duty of the day to which a citizen
could turn without feeling the invad-
er's hand upon him. There was no road
on which he could move without being
cnaiieneed by a sentry. There was
no woman who dared venture on
the street, for fear Of offense which
her men could not dare to resent, or
for the worse fear of the fate that
would be theirs If they did
So, like great fan opening out from
Providence the armies expanded over
the conquered country, ard each spoke
expanded again. The divisions unfold
ed their brigades, the brigades their
regiments, the regiments their bat
talions, the battalions their companies
and the companies their detachments
reaching everywhere, and everywhere
keeping in touch with the main body
through the marvellous network of in
telligence that grew into being behind
the soldiers.S
1t was as If VAST octopus. had
crawled from the sea at Management
bay. With Its body clinging there fast
to its ocean base, it sent its tentacles
into every crevice of the land and grip
ped tight.
TT is plain now what he is doing"
said the chief of staff to the President
in Washington. He is keeping a pow
erful retaining force in Rhode Island
absolutely assuring his base and hold
ing the gate open for re-enforcements,
Westward he is throwing ma sses of
cavalry-probably most of the cavalry
that he has-to clear the way for his
infantry and artillery to march along
the coast to New York. Northward
those cavalry masses are screening him
against any attempt by our army either
to fall on his forces in Connecticut, or
to move around north of him and at
tack the rear of his divisions that are
marching on Boston. It isn't tactics.
It's simple. comrnon-sense use of nu-
merical superiority.
The President played with a pile of
dispatches. They were from Boston
and New York. You say that those
companies of coast artillery from the
south got through"
Il had a message from the comma nder
of the artillery district of Boston, he
said. THE six companies arrived at
Fort Banks yesterday morning. They
had to go around by way of Lake
Champlain and Vermont, but they got
through. That will at least give the
men some relief if there should be a
sustained action."'
You are sure it was not mistake
to-sacrifice them?" asked the Presi-
dent
The general shruReed his shoulders,