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Show The Blue Army Checks Invading Army at Salinas The Utah Boys Gain Information Sought Are Stubborn in Thcir Retreat. PRAISED BY COL. W. H. C. BO WEN Special From Our War Correspondent On the night of the 12th the Red Army or the invading army consisting consist-ing of more than six thousand strong were a few miles south of Salinas in the mountains near the river. The Twelfth Regime t of Infantry (regulars) (reg-ulars) representing an army corps, vhich was driven from the fortifications fortifica-tions at Monterey by a largely superior su-perior force, was camped in Sherwood Sher-wood Park just north of Salinas. The five companies" of militia-men from Utah joined the Twelfth Regiment Regi-ment at this place becoming the third oattalion of this regiment. This constitutes the forces of the Blue Army which was sent to delay the pursuit of the invaders while an army is being mobolized near San Francisco to defend the city. The retreat of the Blues at Salinas is very stubborn, and Lieutenant Hooper with a mounted detachment of the rear guard captured an outpost out-post of the Reds guarding Salinas bridge, and destroyed the structure, thus delaying the pursuit until re-paiied. re-paiied. At night another detachment raided raid-ed Salinas and captured six commissioned commis-sioned officers and thirty privates of the Red army. Lieutenant Christen-sen Christen-sen and Private Lindburg took active ac-tive parts in this victory. The offi- t 15th, the Blue forces under Colonel Bowen , realizing that it is useless to further attempt to check the advance ad-vance of the Reds without reinforcements, reinforce-ments, broke camp from the Bald mountains position and marched to the San Juan camp. The only fighting fight-ing which took place during the day was an engagement of mounted scouts in which J. C. Ericksen jof Company D and others of the Blue forces captured six mounted scouts of the Red army. So far the Utah buys have out-done the invading forces in inarching and keeping up with the pace set. Many of the Reds have fallen out of the ranks and dropped behind. All the boys of Company D are receiving many compliments for their maneuvers in the field. They are in earnest learning learn-ing the war game. This war is in reality a rehearsal a rehearsal for a sublime drama that fate is surely writing, and that no army man floubts that some day he will be stayed stay-ed with sound and fury among those most placid hills and valleys of Central Cen-tral California. When it is stayed the incalculable value of this re hearsal will be demonstrated. The demonstrators will have the advantage advant-age of knowing their cues and likewise, like-wise, their exits and entrances. Ev- , : , I yryv ;. ,--- - . . . ; " The Boys of Company D Preparing for Mess Just After Their First Struggle. ( cers were very obstinate when they found that they were captured and objected very much in being taken, but all their pleadings availed them nothing. At early dawn on the morning of the 13th the blue forces, under Colonel Col-onel W. H. C. Bowen, slowly falling back towards San Francisco before an overpowering force of Reds outnumbering out-numbering them more than six times, checked the advance of the invaders again. Desiring to ascertain the strength and position of the Reds, he rallied his forces at Sherwood, marched through the streets of Salinas Sa-linas before the inhabitants were aroused from their beds of slumber and on to the river beyond, surprised the enemy at breakfast, captured an outpost and destroyed the " temporary tem-porary bridge which the Reds had thrown across Salinas river to replace re-place that destroyed by the Blues the day before. Here a desperate attack was made by the Blues in which Company D took a very active part. Captain Braby showed his able leadership while carrying out the orders given to his company. The boys forded the river and dashed into the underbrush near the enemies' enem-ies' quarters. After the Blues uncovered un-covered the Reds' position, gained a good idea of their strength, they withdrew, while the machine guns held the enemy in check in a rear guard action. Colonel W. H. C. Bown praised the boys from Utah for their work in obtaining what they sought for and they were given due credit by the umpires. This was the fkst engage-. engage-. ment which the Utah boys have had 1 since entering the battlefield. Col-j Col-j onel Bowen is slowly retreating to-I to-I wards San Francisco where he will ! join forces with the main army to j protect the city. Meanwhile he is holding the enemy in check in their ' advance towards the city. Frequent skirmishes are encountered each day ; but no great loss has been sustained ! by the Blue Army up to this report. ' Early en Thursday morning, the ery foot of the country will be familiar fa-miliar to the general staff at Washington, Wash-ington, and officers, now in the field here go straight to the general staff when this rehearsal is over. |