The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-07
MOUNTED sALvArIoNIsTs.
Reasons Why Mounted Corps will Be More
Effective than Foot Soldiers.
New York Times,


New York Times,
The general commanding the Salvation Army
is about to organize a mounted corps Like the
infantry corps the new corps will consist of
both men and women-the former mounted on
bicycles and the latter on tricycles. What is to
be the total strength of the mounted salvalva
tonlsts we are not told but it is said that if
the experiment proves successful the entire
army will be mounted, except when stationed in
localities where the roads are impracticable
There are several reasons any one of which
may have led to the formation of mounted Sal
Walton corps. 1t may be that sinners are becom-
ing shy and cannot readily be caught by infantry
alone. When a detachment of Salvationists
makes its first appearance i'll any town it in
varlably attracts the attention of Sinners unless,
indeed, it meets with the rivalry of a circus.
The marching, the singing, the drums, the
cordlons, and the uniform of the Salvation
soldiers create immense enthusiasm among the
small boys and awaken the curiosity of older
sinners. Even the first sermon is heard
with attention, and it is rare that it leads
to any violent protest on the part of the
listeners. When, however, the public has be-
come familiar with the tactics of the Salvation
lists it ceases to take interest in them and even
halleluJah lass can preach from horseback
without securing the attention of half dozen
full grown sinners.
Now, it is evident that mounted Salvationists
will be able to pursue and attack the enemy with
great success. A captain on a bicycle or a halle
lujah lass a tricycle. could chase flying sin
ner, and the latter would have no chance of
escape except by darling into a house, in
which case siege would doubtless be laid to
the house until the sinner should be forced to
surrender. A squadron of mounted Salvationists
dashlng through the street in pursuit of terror
stricken sinners, and firing volleys of song and
sermon without ever slackening their pace, would
prove irresistible Several such squadrons could
cooperate in driving sinners into some public
place-llke Union square, for eXample-and then
by placing guards at all the exits the Salvation
from escaping without first undergoing sermon.
There is no ooubt that the mounted Salvationists
would strike terror to their adyersaries who
would look upon them as the Mexicans looked
upon the invincble cavalry of Cortez.
1t may be- however, that sinners are not be-
coming shy, and that there is necessity of
pursuing them with bicycles. General Booth
may intend that bicycles shall be used merely as
means of transportation. There is no doubt
that long march fatigues a Salvatonist quite
as much as it does grenadier The officer who
marches, say, twenty five miles under hot sun,
and then attacks the enemy in the evening, is
too tired to command success. 1t is true that
attachments of the army, when ordered from
place to place, can travel by rail or stage-coach;
but in that case the cost of transportation is a
heavy draft upon the army chest With the aid
of bicycles marches would become easy
and inexpensive, and military operations which
are now difficult would become simple For
amample, mounted column could march from
Brooklyn to attack Hunters Point and could re-
turn the same day; whereas an infantry detach-
ment sent upon such duty would be compelled to
pass the night Hunters Point. with the GER
tainty Of losing so per cent. of its strength by
typhoid and otherlocal fevers.
There is mother reason which, after ALL is
probably the one which induced General Booth
to form mounted corps. Nothing could be
more certain to attract the attention
of the public than squadron of
Hallelujah lasses with scarlet stockings
parading their tricycles Hitherto the SOM
Der and severely ascetic uniform of the Hallelu-
jah lass has stood in the way of her popularity.
An astute general ought long ago to have per
ceived that the efficiency of his female troops
would be vastly increased were they to wear
uniforms appealing to the worldly eye The
ballet-girl may not be half so good as the Halle
lujah lass, but she will draw hundred admirers
where the latter will draw one. General Booth
has been quick to perceive the popularity of ne
gro Ministries, and by making the religious serv-
ices of the Salvationists closely akin to the
''walk-arounds" of minstrelsy he has done
much to make them attractive. 1t lis, therefore,
not at all improbable that he has now taken a
few hints from the circus and the ballet. What
could be more certain to draw a crowd than a
corps of coquettishly dressed hallelujah lasses
trained to perform difficult feats of tricycle. and
bicycle ridingl A hymn sung by thirty lasses,
each posed on her right toe in the saddle of her
tricycle., would be received with enthusiasm and
could General Booth add portable trapeze to
his army train and engage the services of the
Only Talmage, tine Salvation Army would enter
upon a career Of victory such as it has never yet