The Arizona sentinel., 1888-09-15
BOOTS AND SADDLES.
Sights and Sounds About Cavalry Cain
 In the Far West:

campment of the Eighth Cavalry, U:
 S. A., which passed through this point
 on its way from the pests on the Lowef
 Rio Grande to Dakota and Montana.
 The regiment had -bivouacked on a
 broad, level plain just at the edge of
 the city. Long white rows of army
 tents scattered here and there sug-
 gested one of the mushroom towns
 which in the far West Gfter spring up
 in d day: Each troop encamps by
 itself and so regularly are the tents
 pitched that from the head tent to the
 foot tent a straight line might be
 drawn touching each tent between.
 As soon as the tents are pitched all
 the stock tiiust Be attended to, and the
 regular duties of the day keep the
 men occupied till evening: Then
 guard mount takes place, twilight
 gives place to dark, and soon
 nothing remains of the busy
 hive but few ghostly tents, lit up
 by. the fiickering light of the camp
 fires. Every half hour the senti-
 nels pacing their weary beats called
 out the hour and "all's well:" Every
 two hours came the guard relief, and
 thus the night passed just as the night
 before had gone and just as many com ing nights will go with these men.
 At half-past four the bugle reused
 the sleeping camp, and just as the first faint streaks of dawn appeared the
 camp once more became scene of busy activity. The stock must be gall loped off to the river mile away, and
 then horses and men return to their morning meal The horses are fed in feed buckets which are fastened Under their mouths by a band passing over the head. In short time horses and men, jaded with thousand-mile jour- ney, are reinvigorated and ready for another days march, To the uns initiated these ordered preparations appear like the most reckless con- fusion. Privates in dirty blue blouses and grass-stain trousers run to and fro; every now and then some teamster gallops off to the river, followed by an animated chorus of army mules; wag- ons are being loaded; men rushing debauchees of the former night, frantic- ally trying to clear up their bleary eyes. A few minutes before six gen. eral call is sounded, and chaos assumes order. Shortly after comes the order to strike tents, and in an instant, as if by magic, the encampment has disap- peared. While you are watching one tent pulled each man has done his work, and once again the miniature town gives place to the plain of day before. The tents are quickly rolled up and put in the wagons and the "boots and saddles" is sounded. Every man takes his station. They are ranged in troops, men and horses alternating. Each trooper has his right hand on his horses bridle, faces vacant and ex- pressionless, eyes adjusted certain distance to the front, hoping nothing, awaiting nothing but the order to mount. This is presCn ly given, and like an automaton each man springs to the saddle. The days march has now begun.
 The men all wore cavalry boots somewhat the worse for wear and dirt. Their coarse, heavy trousers were tucked tightly within. They were fnA io1, nh unlike the cowboy saddle of the West. It had a small horn, and looked like an extremely comfortless seat. The stir rups are covered and worn very long, compelling the riders to rest the weight of the body on the toes. On the right side of the saddle the carbine is slung, and on the left the canteen and feed bucket must be disposed of. Strapped to the back of the saddle are the un- failing slicker and army blankets. A coarse, blue shirt and an army slouch hat complete the outfit, and the private may pass on secure in the conscious ness that nobody will envy him all he possesses. The officers were but shade better off. Their clothes looked little newer and their faces were a little cleaner, but the bronzed faces showed a life of hardships. One fine-lOoking old gentleman had a villainous-looking old pipe and a sack of tobacco hanging to his saddle-bow It took about a quar- ter of an hour for the regiment to file past. A huge cloud of dust was raised, and "glory and dirt disappeared to- gether. The entire isolation of army life and its dreary regularity must be- come monotonous in the extreme. Social advantages are entirely cut of the | question; friends must be forgotten as soon as made; new scenes come to | mean only so much ground passed | over, and new towns are only another | camping ground. In winter quarters, | however, pleasures are not so infre- | quent. Amateur theatricals and social | events relieve the unvarying monotony | of camp routine. The life must unfit | one for any kind of business. When a ndIl HetS DOOu otOOuoOOLhOu 1o 1IlO IOu- tine of orders prepared by superior of- ficers he finds it almost impossible to redirect his energies bank into plane of perfect independence. It is at it's best a wandering life, with DO home ties.-Arkansas City (Kan.) Cor. St. Louis Republic.
 True greatness shows itself in ig- noring, or quickly forgetting, per- ,onol i,,i,,riac whan maonar na+,,rac |