River. It was reported that two companies of infantry, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, had attacked enemy cavalry outside of the town and had defeated it. A little later came a report that the Americans had been surrounded and forced to surrender. Then Taunton was cut off. Boston telegraphed to Washington: “We have practically stripped ourselves of militia and demand help at once.” “Hold the army where it is!” said New York, promptly. “To move it toward Boston would simply uncover us, and open all Connecticut to capture.” “Protect Boston!” demanded Lawrence and Lowell and Haverhill. “Hold the army in Connecticut!” telegraphed New London and New Haven, Bridgeport and Hartford. “Most of our militia is with the army!” urged Philadelphia. “We insist that our men be kept between us and the foe.” “What is the disposition of the enemy forces now?” Washington asked army headquarters. “Disembarkation proceeding swiftly,” was the reply. “The line Providence to New Bedford appears to be strongly held. Main strength, however, evidently being thrown to face our front. The original army is being steadily augmented by additions from the forces now landing. Believe that hostile line stretching across Rhode Island and threatening us is now fully eighty thousand men, with preponderating artillery.” The news bulletin that the War Department in Washington gave out as a result of this information was that the American army, though numerically inferior, was holding the invader in check for the time. No immediate movement, said the bulletin, was expected. To the General in command, however, the Department telegraphed: “It is of the utmost importance to know if you can maintain present position, and if so, how long. We wish to work Springfield arsenal to the last moment. Must have twenty-four hours to dismantle it and ship machinery away.” _Two Days in Which to Make Ammunition for the American Army!_ Springfield Arsenal, lying behind the protecting army, was a-glare with light at night and a-roar night and day with labor. It was toiling almost literally over a mine; for the foundations were mined, ready for the dynamite that was to blow them up when the need came. An army of workmen, each provided with his own specific instruction, were ready, when the word came, to tear out what machinery they could and load it on the trains.[74] Thus, with men standing ready to pull it apart, the great place was being “speeded” to turn out rifles. Under civilian and military experts all the workers who could find room were working in eight-hour shifts. They had increased the output from the normal one hundred rifles an hour to three thousand in the twenty-four hours.