The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-07-19

At full speed with alost a. much CERTAINTY % he
we're IN ioes and nsd dead HIS knowledge Of
ana confidence N hts weapon and n bis prowess
have had the usual effect in rendering him fear-
iets and venturesomc and, take him all In ALL his equal
~ cavalry soldier 10 not 20 be fouud The Disparity
between him ana the civilized Infantry colder is
not so great, YET exists On foot the Indian 10 ltho
srousS sc Is panther rrrnns IKE deer IN op,o
cover never exposing any part Of his person TO any
bus the NEST cnancc- shot. with w,nd endurance per-
food water tor time that would ace up the best
white soldier In existence.
the ARMY AS II ~.
TO combat such an enemy, what have weY mere
skeleton oil army. scattered small detachments
over country the vast extent oil which cannot be
realized until it Is gone over; every where outnum-
sered at least i've 10 by enemy utterly ignorant
Of tho relative powers oil nations. whose estimate of
tho numbers OF the whites 10 formed upon what no
and hears OF the sparsely scattered settlements ana
whose opinion OF our power based upon the force OF
troops Ia his Immediate vicinity
Since the army has been overburdened with law II
has been discovered that dcsertiou crime.
tachcd Desertion Is now, therefore. rather tho rule
than tho exception, aud though some st loft,
'old soldicrs'' arc .iew and lar between" Tho
panes arc reduced by law 70 The mcrest skeletons,
that after the details for guards and necessary gar
rson and company duties arc made there remains
squad TOO small oven Tor nstrucslon. believe am
ssie In sayinG there arc not twenty companies on
tho ironticr that have had ten full company drills
any one year slnco the war
Tho economy OF tho Ordnance Department Is 90
rigid that but ten cartridges allowed for
zach month target practice Hunting, the mos, im
perience, giving each individual health, endurance
sclt.reliancc knowledge OF country aud familiarity
with The use Of his weapons, has been stopped BY
reason oil tho samo economy.
AN UNFRAMED CAVALRY.
There 10 no cavalry school, Recruits for that mpor
tant arm arc at sncd TO companies and put
the Same routine OF duty and labor the older
soidiers Thcmoment tho grass begins In the
spring inc cavalry on tho move. There Is Tine
nor opportunity 10 drlt and tho soldier i3arns only
just much 70 enable him mount aud dsmount
and To execute tho routine manDuvrcs incaent 70 the
march. When the company returns TO us wintor
quarters The arc broken down that drill Is
Impossible even did tho weather permit such exercise
The men havo no opportunity oven TO icarn TO ride,
much less 10 handle arms ON horseback.
Tho horses generally bought at low prices. Any
horse that passes Inspection as 70 physical points and
powers 10 accepted farmer who mas fractions nd
unmanageaole brute relics on selling him 10 tho gov
eminent, ana can do 80 II he Is sound Tho horses
trained. but distrbused n once 70 companies
anu that raw men and Greon horses should do
well ~ thcy do against tue magnificent warriors OPP
posed to them Is very remarkable, and due entirely 70
tho logged pluck OF tho soldiers
GOOD WORDS voR THE soLDfxR.
That he - overma,ched IN numbers, In horsemau-
snip and IN the use OF arms the cavaryan knows per-
fecty. he knows, moreover that u W auit OF his
that tho miserable, niggardy policy Of tho government
has developed and maintains lack OF system
under which perfection soldier - utterly
impossibo and yct, knowing this no goes into
conflict aiter conflict unttl the Anal massacrc) with
cool audacity, and has evtnced and Is daily evincng
an unyielding courage, manly forttude, under most
adverse circumstances, and . capacity Tor 'taking
punishment as remarkable a. admirable.
HARVEST DBADyANrAGEa
While the Indian was poorly armed the army beat
hin at ODDS OF ten or moro to one, because the In.
divdunl soldier was superior 10 the Indian In every
thing but horscmanshp A. Tho present time the In
divdua Indian superior 70 tho individual soldier
everything except courage
The army has not "ost tho secret OF savage
fare put reapins tho harvest Of disadvantages and
disasters, the inevitable result OF the contenptble
spirit oil measures which governs lawmakers IN
all that concerns no army. T.