Thomas County cat., 1889-11-07
CAVALRY MARCHES.
nov MoenfeA Troops Arc Moves -
Times Of Peace and War.

CAVALRY MARCHES.
How Mosassa troops Arc Moves -
Times Of Peace and War.
Owing to the peculiar nature of the
service demanded OF the cavalrv force
OF our army-service for the greater
part In new and unsettled country,
and against the most willy and expert
OF savage enemies-the experience
gained in the moving of mounted
troops has been OF such a varied nature
that probably no other army can boast
OF superiority over our troopers in this
respect, and the proper conduct of the
marches OF cavalry commands requires
experience and judgment. intelligence.
activity and endurance Of a peculiar
nature on the part of both officers and
men. Ordinary marches are general
~ made at the rate of about twenty to
twenty tive miles aday. this being ac-
eomplished in from five to six hours.
although there are times when the
days journey may be shorter or long
er, owing to the distance from one
another OF desirable camp!ng-places,
the Importance of good grazing
and sweet wates for the
horses being evid snt The start
from the previous mig hts camp is US
ally made between six and seven
o'clock although in some, of the hot
ter parts Of the count " an earlier time
OF day is considered advisable By many
cavalryrren, and the iirst. halt is made
after the column has Deem an hour Or
SO on the road. This is generally the
longest halt Of the day. when saddles.
are adjastetS and the horses, allowed
to rest and Craze for few moments.
Once every hour afier that a short.
pause of about five lainutes. the men
, invariably dismountirg g. is made. The
gait is, as far as the writer's expert
ence goes, habitalallv rapid walk,
although General Merritt recon-
mends a trot for ten or fifteen min
utes after each halt, when practica-
BILE. which appears to be the custom
in most of the European services. In
a country where the near presence of
an enemy is, known or suspected
marches are conducted with great
caution, and every precaution taken
by careful soldiers to guard against
surprise. Advance guards and fankers.
are thrown out il, front and on the
sides of the column. and every ravine,
cOulee or canyon, every rock and bush.
or group of trees large enough to con-
ceal lurking foe, is carefully exam
ined. 1t is while making forced
march. when perhaps the safety of
some little community of settlers or
detachment of comrades. cut off and,
surrounded by savage foes. depends
upon the speedy arrival OF the reliev-
ing column, that the training. the
pluck, the perseverance and endur-
ance of the American cavalry are
shown to the greatest advantage.
In the rapidity with which such
marches have been made. the distances
that have been traversed. the rough
and inhospital counauy-often swarm
ing with savage foes-Over which the
journeys have BEEN accomplished. 1t
has proved itself the equal, if not the
superior to any troops of the kind in
the civilized world. A column of the
Fifth. Cavalry. under the command of
General Wesly Mernitt, marching to
the relief of Thorn5urgh's brave fell
lows in the, Ute campaign of 1879,
made one hundred and seventy miles
from IL a.. IN. October I'd to $50 a. m.
on October 5th. without losing or dis
abling a horse, and was in good fight
ing trim on its arrival at its objective
point Among many instances of the
kind that have come under the knowl-
edge of the writer; thu following cases
of hard and long marrhes by individu--
ais may be quoted to show the sterling
qualities often exhibited by our
troopers.
In 1870 the. present commander of
the, troop OF cavalry attached to the
brigade OF the National Guard in New
York City-at that time Lieutenant
IN the First United States Cavalry
rode with dispatches over a rough
broken country onR hundred and forty
miles in twenty-five hours. including
halts for rest and refreshment. He
was accompanied by sergeant and
one man of his own troop. After rest
ing one day, the journey back to- his
post was made in a little over two
days the marches being from fifty-fye.
to sixty miles \ day. This feat was
without any preparations
the officer and his men being
ordered out without any warning. Ten
years afterward Lieutenant Robertson.
Of the same regiment. with Sergeants
Lynch and Price. rode one hundred
and two miles in pursuit Of deserter.
through snow and ice, between ten
o'clock one night and $50 the next