Henderson daily dispatch., 1940-01-13
Company "C", Under
G. B. Sturges, And
Machine Gun Detach-
ment, of Durham, Are
Enemy; Camp, Sol
diers, Leaders Are
Praised.

Amid the rat-atat-tat of machine
guns and the crack Of rifles. pune
tuated with the roar OF exploding
aerial bombs, stimulating trench
tlLur1arS. t!elu maneuverS OF the
lSt Battalion. l20th Infantry, N. c.
n. c.. eliminated 4 week OF lnten-
sive training here with sham bat
tie with invading red forces late
Friday afternoon on high ground a
few miles northwest of the city, and
off the Dacney road
At the CONCLUSION OF the battle,
the soldiers returned to the armory
on the Dabney road, received their
pay checks and began preparations
for breaking OF camp, which began
at s o'clock this morning, and was
likely to be completed by mid
afternoon.
The six military units encamped
here during the week Tor the first
peace time winter maneuverS IN
the modern history OF national
guard; were under the command Of
Major Claude Bowers. of Warren
ton. Daring the week, intensive
field drills were held, leading up
to the battle" Friday.
Yesterdays problems for the
blue" forces were 10 develop the
enemy situation and 10 secure high
ground northwest OF Henderson
from which i major attack could De
launched against invading red
forces. coming southeast from
Clarksville. Va, patrols already
having reached the Dabney section.
Co. &C" Enemy.
Co. C.. HenderSon'S own, with d
detachment OF two machine guns
from Co. D.. Durham. was the in
vading army of reds. Captain e..
B. S,urgeS. of the local company,
was in charge of the invaders, with
First Lieutenant Henry F. Pickett
in charge of the machine gunners:
LieutenantS G.. NJ. O'Neil and
George D. Williams had charge OF
the Co. &C" platoonS.
The enemy left the armory at
4:O5 o'clock. ana went into the
woods at 4:25 o'clock at point
along the Dabney road where tele-
phone cable crosses the highway
The invaders reached their position
at 4:-5 o'clock. and set up their
defenscs 1t the edge OF a broad,
oDen field With i machine gun
on either flank and infantrymen
dcployed al strategic points.
Corporal Stainbaci. with a squad
oil scouts. was Immediately dis
patched to the front TO intercept the
blue forces" ascertain their di-
reCtiOn Of attack.
Night was falling and the weather
was hay, it'll a heavy fog set
ting over Inc terrain. The ground
was covered with snow and ice, and
had a muShy crust of about an inch
thick.
At 5:25 o'clock, first shots were
heard when the red patrols fired
on blue scouts. The reds gradually
fell back, keeping up the firing.
With the opening of the attack, the
aerial bombs began bursting with
a tremendous roar. Stimulating
trench mortars. These were Smelling
the advance of the blues. The blues,
in turn. returned the compliment,
with d few of their own.
Captain Stlrges sounded his
whistle, and bedlam broke loose as
the two machine guns went into
action simultaneously with the
riflemen. AS the blue forces drew
nearer, the commander ordered a
lull in firing, quickly shifted the
positions of his guns, then waited
for the blues to walk into what
would have been certain death had
real bullets been used. Both sides
opened up again with terrific firing,
and in the dark the flashes of the
guns were clearly visible, with the
muZZle of the machine guns look
ing like glowing torches as they
fired.
About $50 o'clock, the "War" was
concluded, and the troopers liked
back to their encampmeut.
Major Claude Bowers was in
command Of the blue forces, and
had the other members of the bat
talon in his troops.
Men, Camp Praised.
rartni,, I ,ttI Pn,.tNn,,,. 6 ~,