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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 10, 1914)
DEFENSE OF FOOT BROWN EXCITING BATTLE BETWEEN BATTALIONS 2ND BATTALION DEFENDS CAMPUS AGAINST 1ST & 2ND. The day of the battle dawned with the sky heavily overcast with clouds and the possbilities of it raining were great. At 7:30 “fall in” was sounded, and the three battalions at Camp Hutch ings assembled to receive ammunition. The Second Battalion, which for brev ity’s sake will be called the “Reds,” commanded by Major Lenert, received twenty rounds of ammunition per man. The “Blues,” made up of the First and Third Battalions, commanded by Colo nel Parr, received foruteen rounds of ammunition. At 8 o’clock the “Reds” left Camp Hutchings and proceeded to the cam pus, which they were to defend. It was supposed that the “Reds” had a quantity of war supplies at the col lege, and the “Blues” were sent to capture the college and destroy the supplies. The “Reds” after arriving on the campus marched to the rear of the main building, and from there be gan to send out scouts to watch the surrounding country. The height of the main building gave the “Reds"' a fine view of the country. A line of outposts was placed along the railroad to act as a guard for the west limits of the campus. A short time after the “Reds” left camp, Colonel Parr and his “Blues” left camp also, and struck off to the west. “D” Company had the ill luck *—or was it luck?—of having to guard the camp that morning. After march ing down the road for about two miles, the “Blues” came to a place where a lane led off through the woods from the main road. They entered this lane and made their first halt. Outposts and scouts were then sent out to patrol the woods from the lane to the rail road. After a short halt the “Blues” were again in action and marched slowly forward through the woods. Wire fences, creeks and tangled underbrush made the march slow and tedious. A “Blue” scout who climbed a tall tree reported that all the college buildings had “Reds” upon them, but they after wards were found to be innocent spec tators. A few hours of marching brought the “Blues” out of the woods in the neighborhood of the H. & T. C. sec tion house, about two miles south of the depot. Here a halt was made and many “fish” were sent sprinting to ward a nearby farm house heavily laden with canteens. Under a screen of woods the “Blues” were formed for their march into the open fields. To make it look as if only one battalion was entering from the south, two companies were combined under one command. To further this plan a small body of men attacked the campus from the northwest. When all was ready the command was given to move forward, and the “Blues” in close order marched into an open field in sight of the main building. In the meantime the “Reds,” not knowing from what direction the “Blues” were to attack, were con stantly on the alert. By means of field glasess and scouts the “Reds” soon learned in which direction the “Blues” were advancing. One body of “Reds,” thinking that the “Blues” might enter from various directions, were in readiness to defend the campus on the north and west, but when it was seen that the “Blues” proposed to concen trate their attack on the south they were rushed to that part of the cam pus. The “Blues” marched to the dry creek bed which skirts the campus on the south, deployed along the em bankment and awaited the advance of the enemy. The “Blues” being in readiness for the attack formed again into the oroginal companies and deployed in line of battle in double time. The “Blues,” charging down upon their un seen enemies, were met by a steady and rapid fire from the “Reds.” The charging men, the sound of the bugles and the noise of guns furnished a scene which would have gladdened 'the eye of a Napoleon. As the “Blues” still continued their charge even to the entrenchments of the “Reds,” although many of them should have been lying dead upon the field, the “Reds” left the creek bottom and retreated back along Quality Row, still pumping a stream of shot into the “Blues.” A counter attack was made by a body of “Reds,” but was soon quieted. The arrival of the reserves of the “Red” army marked the end of the battle proper. For the next fifteen minutes the two armies staged a hot battle along 'Quality Row for the bene fit of the campus residents, who were unable to witness the hardest part of the attack at “Bull Pens.” WHOSE VICTORY? This is a sad and lamentable state of affairs when some of our Sopho mores, who are supposed to know something about “Bull Ticks,” cannot, or, may be, will not unanimously give the victory of the “Battle of College Station” to the brave troops of the Second Battalion. Without further expostulation, we give herein five reasons why the bat tle belongs to Major Lenert’s troops: 1. The Second Battalion was first to reach cover in a deep draw, well covered by trees and shrubbery, and was in position to commence fireing before the attacking troops were en tirely deployed. 2. Col. Parr allowed his troops to appear upon a sky-line, absolutely void of any protection whatever ; against the fire of the hostile troops. 3. Parr’s troops were deployed in full sight of their enemy and within close range of them. 4. The attacking troops made their advance upon the protected position, not by their lines or short rushes or by any other precautionary means, but by merely walking in a thick skirmish line. 5. Parr and his whole army were exposed and within very close range during the entire battle and under the heavy ire of high-powered rifles. Stop and think a minute, fellows, and try to imagine how long you would have lasted under these conditions, had it been a real battle. Many of you would be down there now, may be, dancing the tango “At the Devil’s Ball.” WHO WINS? The result of the famous battle of “Bull Pens,” foubht in the vicinity of the Agricultural and Mechanical Col lege of Texas, on April 1, 1914, will probably never be known. It would. -a- S O ■a •a a- a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a <x <s s> <s <s <s <s <s <s <l <s <s <s <r <s <s <s <r <s <x <r <s <s <1 <1 <! <s <s <s <s <s <x <i <s <s <s <i <x <s <s <s <z <s <s <s <s <s <s <s <s <s <x <i <x <s <x <1 <s <s <r <s <r <s <x <s <s <r <s <x <s <x <s <1 <s <s <1 <x <s <1 <x <i <x <s <t <x <1 <x <1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a ■ a a a a a a a a a a a a a There is no more important factor in the banking business than scientific farming in all its branches. The future development of this State depends upon the young man of today—help him all you can. The Lumbermans' National Bank Houston, Texas S. F. CARTER President GUY M. BRYAN Active Vice President H. M. GARWOOD Vice President J. P. CARTER Vice President Wm. D. CLEVELAND, JR Vice President LYNN P. TALLEY Cashier M. S. MURRAY Assistant Cashier H. M. WILKINS Assistant Cashier a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a. a <1 <x <j <i <i <r <1 <i <i <i <x <x <i <1 <i <x <r <r <1 <r <i <r <i <i <1 <z o < <1 <t <1 <i <r <r <1 <x <1 <1 <t <j <t <1 <j <t <1 <! <1 <j <1 <1 <1 <1 <x <i <x <i <t <x <t <i <x <i <r <1 <i <i <x <x <t <r <r <x <i <1 <1 <1 <1 <r <r <1 <x <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <X <1 <r <1 <1 <t <1 <r <X xj[ j5i ^ Jji ^