New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-04
CADETS ON HORSEBACK.
CAVALRY DRILL OF THE WEST POINT
GRADUATES.
CHARMING LIKE FRENCH oHAssDUns OR cos
SACKS OF THE DoN-EvoLUTIoNs THAT
,SroN1sHEp THE SPECTATORS.

eACKS THE DON-ENOLUI1ONS Thai
.sroN1sHEp THE SPECTATORS
West Point jane lspecal-heissonier's picture
q, ~. chasseurs before Napoleon was reproduced In
.asure IN the West Point parade this afternoon when
49, mounted cadets swept past crowd Of appaudng
roctators at a mad gallop with their naked sabres
ahrs On high in the afternoon sun and their horses
a., ,ather Of foam The cavalry drill at the Academy
is ~ course the most picturesque OF exercises But
ghtseers to-day were by no means so numerous as IN
nrev,ous years, when brilliant parties have come UP
from Nev-York In drags and tallyhos especially to
,vtnes the cadets horscmanshp. Nevertheless there
was plenty to look at and old soldiers admiringy com
o.nded the tactical and equestrian excellence OF the
ovo1ttons Colonel Wilson and Governor Buckner re
viewed tho exhibition from the middle OF the iong nne
Of parasos under the trees the edge OF the sravee
,arde- ground. With them were nearly all the boeru
Of Visitors excepting Senator Pugh, OF ALABAMA, Who
pfcdly reviewed the furious onslaught OF the 0no e
t,om a shady corner Of the hotel veranda-
AT noon the ninety-fve horses OF the commanu
uere hrought by their keepers from their snug sVss
and tethered 10 two ropes in the staoie'aru WV.
they fisked for nearly five hours III enlosIneu' ="
the breeze and the Sunshine. just oeiore niAS
tonr of them were led up TO the east SIDE OF 'ie
80 "a ronged in a row near the library soon
s,ar the entlre first class OF cadets marched out III
fours from the barracks and formed line III Hol'
az the horses. They were accoutred In gray HVusS
with crsy black braided blouses, oucEsAu hohs
gloves and dark blue cloth ridngcaps OF the coS'el
moneer pattern, sabres and spurs. Captain LOUIS
A craig OF the 9th Cavalry. the senior assistant
,Dstrpctor In cavalry tactics presently rode up oefo
the line accompanied BY a bugler on risky soriel
that persisted In tossing his head ana geuAis VIC
reins over his ears critical moments. Inc c"uoOs
AT such drills choose their horses oeiorehshu' anu
after responding to ron-can pick them out by the
brass nnme-pates on the browband. There was d
good deal Of backing and rearing and several sdmom
tory blasts of the bugle while this was done Iheh
the gray sixty-four mounted as one man. WIN the
bearer Of red and white gu!dOn In We oeh"o.
sixty-two Of the steeds were bay or chesuhue @lu
only two gray the favorte Of all, big gray named
BERNARD having stumbled in high jump In the
nding hall during the afternoon and fallen on 'ls
rider, Cavalry Sergeant McDuh
Old troopers aver that The most important Cavalry
evolution is forming and keeping straight inc.
After Captain Craig had demonstrated the skill Oh
his command in this respect, he gave the order
aDraw sabres" and followed them toward the hotel
In sort of plantation walk round" Then he made
trsm wheel and trot fours right and left obhque
and describe true lovers knots and other intricate
patterns with facility that bewildered the un-
initiated. lie caused column to open out at the
end and form straight line and then punched the
centre and sides again until the riders were huddled
together In compact All this, of course. was
scientific but the fun for the spectators began when
short quick bugle-cau sent the troop of az flying
GALLON amid a tremendous clanking Of sabres ana
inging OF bride chains, and IN an obscuIfng cloud
OF dust above which the gudon nuttered like fame
After this Captain Craig held a short conference
with the cadet captains Tho viglant Colonel wilson
sent an orderly to keep the crowd back. Then
platoon of cadets moved forward at stealthy trot
AS they neared the revewinzpost the troop broke into
a gaDOp and the sabres were raised. see her eAuehu
herself cried an excited trooper in the crowd as
big bay rushed forward from the hne and IN an instant
the platoon mady chasing her in the direction OF
hg.fal Af1Arf
plaoons had troted themselves out the whole squad
ron was trutted back quietly toward the library Tmr-
teen or fourteen OF the cadets rode out OF the line on
the grass and command dismounted ana made their
charges lie down Then they drew revoavers from the
saddle holsters threw themselves on their sides and
emptied their barrels at imaginary foe over the
horses heads. one or two of the beasts squirmed
little at the cracking fire. but gallant old stager VINO
was evidently accustomed TO the smell Of powder
munched the grass he lay with every appearance OF
contentment and unooncern. The lack OF suitable
horses at the Academy is perennial grievance. The
BOARD of Visitors already taken ii under oonsid-
grafton and the drill this afternoon furnished them an
additional demonstration. The riders kept well TO-
ether while The pace was Slow but at the end OF the
charge they were scattered all the field like the
This was not at all the fault Of the cadets who really
hang TO their saddles Ike Don Cossacks But the
WesI point horses are badly used. The Academy re-
ceyes lis quota through the QuaTterma terenera out
OF the annual Conglessio. uiuro pflalioh lor army
horses They come from Missouri and Kentucky, ana
compare well with the ordinary cavalry charger.
But In Colonel Wilson's own words, ii seems almost
price authorized 70 be paid they are, mVreo'e e.
made TO double duty. As the academy has no
artillery horses, they are required 10 ara" the mer
pieces and cassons. which are altogether 700 HeaVy
for beasts of their build. what Win nara WORK IN mar
ness and rough treatment by 200 raw riders they are
selected for either cavalry or artillery service anu 50
II happens that West Point graduates s0meumes serve
for wears in the artillery before they discover that
cavalry troop can actually be kept together throughout
a charge The present stables not what they ought
10 be besides they arc three quarters OF hlIe irVn
the cavalry barracks that the soldiers III the winter
have sometimes 10 through the snow In storm De
fore daylight. The rdingha with is PICTURESQUE TTl
roof and green creepers is iea!Iuly oOlo IN VIII
ter The tanbak freezes and yes the 3d hqr n1s
Americans and nearly a fifth Of the horses are
annually dropped from the rolls as unserV1ceaoie.
The artillery harness naturally does not NJ ana Only
two sizes Of bits issued from hesdquerters IN spite
OF the difference in mouths. colonel NlsoD mas
strongly urged the post 70 have separate detachment
n thirty artillerymen with fOrtyelgt horses, enough
Mr. six gun battery. The could prOntabiy assist
in caring for the heavy guns and might be housed
The forty-two applications by cadets last year for
ave 10 wear spectacles have also impressed the Board
and buildings are lighted by gas with the exot2uon
Of the riding hall. which Is lighted by elecuic hght
HV Al mnorapi addition 10 the ornamental features
81 West Point will be made this fau when the batOc
Monument will be AT last erected on Irophy P0nt q
was subscribed for at West Point during the CIVIL
War TO be raised In memory of the officers aud men
~ tho Re-ular Army who were killed and dled OF
,rcrnde received in action. owing 70 some hitch the
sum raised invested in Government bonds ana
permitted 10 draw interest Inc fuad now amounts
C So and Mrs Wilson tonight entertained at
dinner senator and Mrs MandeF>3n, senator or FNn M
Muriee. David W. Payne and Judge Waymore
DoINGs AT THE NAVAL ACADEMY.
..DoI,s Ma lime a-The quiet pleasures of tfe