'War' Begins To-day; City Under Attack.

New York Times 100 years ago today, August 10, 1912:
Regulars and Militia Working Out Problem of the Defense of New York.
20,000 TROOPS IN THE FIELD
Best Fliers in United States Army Aviation Squad to Take Part — O'Ryan Commands New Yorkers.
    STRATFORD, Conn., Aug. 9.— The troops which are to participate in the war manoeuvres, the culminating problem of which will be an attack upon and defense of New York City, are headed for the hills of Southwestern Connecticut, and by to-morrow noon half of the 20,000 regulars and National Guardsmen who are to figure in the war game will have pitched their camps in the battle zone.
    Some of the regular troops have already arrived, and in these are included the Aviation Corps, officers of which are assembling their machines in preparation for some of the most important military aviation tests ever undertaken in this country. The aerial reconnoissance work should be in full swing by Monday, and from then on until the manoeuvres end with the "Battle of New York" the army fliers, weather conditions permitting, are expected to be in action most of the time from sunup until dark.
    Capt. Charles DeF. Chandler will command the aviation squad, and will have under him Capt. Hennessy and Lieuts. Arnold, Milling and Kirtland, three of the most experienced aviators in the United States Army.
    The first flight in camp was made to-night by the Burgess-Wright machine with Lieut. Milling in the seat. Conditions were excellent and he made a spiral ascent to 2,000 feet around the wireless aerial and then with a sweep descended to the starting point.
    Major Gen. O'Ryan, commanding the New York National Guard, came into camp unexpectedly during the afternoon, driving over from New York in the machine of Lieut. Col. Cornelius Vanderbilt.
    Gov. Dix will arrive Sunday. Gov. Foss will be with the Massachusetts troops, but when he will call upon Gen. Bliss is not known. Rain was falling to-night, bringing relief from the dusty conditions of the roads leading into the camp.
    Of the 20,000 troops on the way to the Connecticut battlefields, nearly half are from New York City. Every military organization in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx, with the exception of the Coast Artillery organizations, have been ordered to Connecticut. All in all, New York will be represented by six regiments of infantry, two regiments of cavalry, one regiment of engineers, two companies of the Signal Corps, and a fully equipped field hospital and ambulance service.
    In command of this army of New Yorkers will be Major Gen. John F. O'Ryan, who recently succeeded Major Gen. Charles F. Roe in command of the National Guard of New York. It will be Gen O'Ryan's first appearance at manoeuvres as the commander of the New York State forces..
    The New York troops are organized into two brigades of infantry and one of cavalry, the other organizations operating independently, so far as brigade formation is concerned. One brigade of infantry will operate with the Blue Army, as the army of defense will be known, while the other brigade will be in the Red, or invading army. The cavalry will also probably be divided between the two opposing armies.
    In command of the Blues, on the skill and grit of which will depend the theoretical safety of the metropolis, will bet Brig. Gen. Albert L. Mills, U.S.A., former Superintendent of the Military Academy at West Point, and at present in command of the Department of the Gulf, with headquarters in Atlanta, Ga. Opposed to him will be another New Yorker in the person of Brig. Gen. Frederick A. Smith, commanding officer of the Department of the Missouri.
    The Red line will be east of and the Blue west of the Housatonic River, the line of battle extending for a distance of about twenty miles, the battle area being in the thirty miles radius between Danbury and New Haven. In the arrangement of the instructional programme neither army can battle outside of that area.
    The theoretical war that is now raging in New England started more than six weeks ago, when a certain unnamed foreign Power is supposed to have declared war against this country, defeated the Atlantic Fleet, and then established an effective blockade of Hampton Roads, Va. In the language of the General Staff of the Army, this is what has happened to the United States since June 25 last:

    Seizing: a favorable opportunity, a European power (Red) unexpectedly precipitated a war with the United States (Blue) on June 25, defeated its principal fleet, and blockaded the remainder in Hampton Roads on June 30.
    On June 25 the United States ordered the concentration of the regular army and its recruitment to war strength; the organized militia was called into the service of the Federal Government, and the President called for 500,000 volunteers.
    By July 17 one division of regulars and two brigades of regular cavalry were concentrated at Boston; two more divisions (incomplete) of regulars and one brigade of regular cavalry were concentrating near New York and Washington. The organized militia had concentrated in State camps, part having been moved to the Atlantic and Gulf seaboards and the remainder moving in the same direction. The volunteers were being recruited and their training had begun.
    On July 20 the Red Government suddenly began landing an expedition of 100,000 men near New Bedford, Mass, and quickly overcame the weak detachments of Blue troops in that vicinity. An advance on Boston was at once begun, and on Aug. 5 the Blue field army (80,000 men hastily concentrated, comprising practically all the available regular and instructed militia,) was defeated near Boston and retired via Worcester toward Albany, its new base, vigorously pursued by the Red force.
    On July 24, when the First Red Army occupied Providence, R. I., in its advance on Boston, the First Red Division was detached, apparently to move westward and cover the exposed flank of the Red line in communication, protect the line of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, and threaten the water system of New York City. This division moved west, unopposed, its detachments occupying the important junction points east of Providence to the Connecticut River, and as far north as Hartford. Small garrisons were left at New London, Williamantic, Hartford, and Middletown to protect the railroad facilities.
    On Aug. 9 a second Red expedition of 100,000 men began landing near New Bedford, and the First Red Army passed through Worcester in pursuit of the main Blue force retiring on Springfield. The Blue troops near New York City, just organized into the Provisional Blue Division, were rushed toward Danbury and Bridgeport. The leading troops of the First Red Division reached New Haven and drove back a Blue regiment which had just arrived at that city, and a Red detachment occupied Waterbury.
    The Blue Government had succeeded in withdrawing to New York City and Albany the bulk of the railroad transportation of the New England railroads. However, enough was collected by the Red forces to provide for supplying the troops, but there is practically no available transportation for moving troops. A large portion of the rolling stock withdrawn to New York City was used in concentrating the First Blue Army at Boston. This shortage, together with the demands on the railroads in transporting other troops and supplies from the Middle West, has seriously interfered with the movement of the Provisional Blue Division from New York City toward Bridgeport.
    Several secondary Blue naval craft occupy Long Island Sound, and are able to interfere seriously with the Red transportation over the shore line of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, and to give support to the Blue detachment near Milford.

    Brig. Gen. Tasker H. Bliss, commanding the Eastern Division of the army, on Governors Island, as manoeuvre commander and chief umpire, will within the next few days further acquaint Gen. Mills and Gen. Smith of the nature of the obstacles which they are up against, and it will then devolve upon those experienced soldiers to try to outwit the other and win a warlike triumph in a time of profound peace.
    Gen. Bliss will have his headquarters near this place, and under him will be a large number of regular army officers who will assist him as umpires and observers. These officers come from all parts of the country east of the Mississippi. Many of these officers have arrived, and all are expected to report to Gen. Bliss by noon to-morrow.