Evening star., 1940-08-16
Gen. Reckord's Ruse
Enables 29th Division
To Smash Enemy
Commander Lets 18th
Capture His Plans,
Then Changes Them
BY ROBERT A. ERWIN,

RENSSELAER, FALLS. N. Y, Aug
16-A trick play by Maj Gen. Mil
ton A. Reckord of Baltimore gave
the 29th Division an overwhelming
victory over the 28th Division of the
Pennsylvania National Guard on
the battlefield west of Ogdensburg
today
Changing his plans overnight, the
general retained the copy of his
originally scheduled operation and
allowed it to fall into the hands of
the enemy" The ruse worked. The
enemy positions conformed to the
29ths discarded plan and early to-
day the 91st Brigade from Virginia,
reinforced by Marylanders, smashed
through the center of the Pennsyl-
vania line to wipe out" regiment
and rout the enemy.
Gen. Reckord placed the first set
OF plans in the. hands of 1t. Col.
Edwin P. Conquest. division intelli-
gence officer, and shortly before
midnight the colonel gave, them to
Capt. Charles Haig. District Ma
tional Guard State staff officer as
signed to 29th Intelligence Capt.
Haig hoped into motorcycle side
car and set out for the enemy coun-
try. ready to be captured.
Allowed to Go Twice
On his first two efforts he failed
to fall into the hands of the enemy.
He stopped twice to ask 28th Divi-
sion troopers, bivouacked north of
the 29th and with their backs to
the st. Lawrence River, for direc-
tions back to his own camp. They
obligingly gave him the directions.
The third time was charm, and
the captain fell into the hands of
the 28th Division chief of staff.
His plans were examined, throwing
the 28th into turmoil The Penn
sylvania troops were far from set
to meet any such left or right flank
attack as Gen. Reckord had planned.
The entire division made feverish
disposition to meet the invading
Marylanders, Virginians and Dis
trict troopers.
Col. John Fulmer Bright. Mayor
of Richmond. acting commander of
the 91st Combat Team. as the Vir-
ginia brigade is designated with
its reinforcements in the field, ad-
vanced on two fronts Aided by two
battalions of Marylanders from
Brig. Gen. Amos w. w. Woodcock's
58th Brigade, he launched his main
attack at 5 am.
28th Loses Whole Regiment.
After the 28th had lost an entire
regiment under the decision of Army
umpires, the Pennsylvanians started
to retreat northward on the road
to Lisbon, small town in st. Law
renee County west of Ogdensburg
and not far from the river itself
Acting on the abandoned 29th
plans, Maj Gen Edward Martin
and his 18th staff had sent a combat
team with artillery almost to the
river to guard their flank. This left
the center exposed. The change in
operation gave the 9lst Vrginians a
much shorter distance to march
during the night. The action de-
veloped rapidly, and by 7:30 am.
columns of the losers were retreat
ing through the streets of Lisbon,
hard pressed from behind.
The 121st Engineers of the Dis
trict National Guard assisted in the
deception. Located on the left flank
of the 29th, where the 28th also
anticipated an attack, they made
vigorous demonstration, accompan-
led by a smoke screen.
According to a review of the sit
uation at critique for 29th Divi-
sion officers on the grounds of the
church at Flackville at 10 am, Capt.
Haig was captured at 11:15 o'clock
last night. He was held captive
for more than 80 minutes.
Early morning observations by
the 104th Observation Squadron.
Maryland, over enemy lines showed
that the 28th Division had been de-
ceived.
Speaking at the critique. Gen
Reckord said: I'VE struck the first
blow yesterday morning and thus
had the advantage. Therefore, we
endeavOred to keep 1t. l visited
the command post of the 58th Com
bat Team at $50 pm, planning to
follow the first overnight procedure.
On the way back to the division
command point, however, I changed
my mind, and instead Of trying