The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-13
Great American Cavalry Rides.

The recent competitive race OF German and
Austrian officers between Vienna and Berlin
leads writer in the Army and Nary Journal
to make note OF some illustrious exploits OF
our own troopers. The facts accepted In
the European contest arc that the distance
covered Is variously estimated at $50 miles
and little more, but certainly short OF $40
miles. and that Count STAEREMBERu. the
Austrian winner. rode it In some minutes
less than three days. Lieut.. RETrzENsTEIN.
73E hours. and three Austrans within three
days and three hours each.
It is further noted that the roads were Of
the best. the horses all prepared by weeks
OF careful training. and probably picked for
endurance. carrying also the least posi-
BILE weights. tho winner riding only 1928
pounds. plus saddle and bride. With these
helps he made perhaps 100 miles day for
| three consecutive days. and the others less.
Many OF the animals were killed or foun-
| dered in the attempt. the horses Of
STAHREMBERo and REITZESsTEIN being
| among those that died.
The first comparison from American
sources offered by the writer just spoken
Of. is that OF q professional express rider
who used to carry the mail from I'll Paso to
Chihuahua. Col. Il. I. DODGE is authority
| for the statement that. as tho country was
| infested by Apaches. the man had to ride by
| night and hide by day. and used to accom-
| plish the distance. which was 300 miles. in
| three consecutive nights. This was about
| one-seventh less than the distance between
Berlin and Vienna: but when it Is added
| that the 800 miles were really made within
about sixty hours. or in three nights with
the intervening two days. which is higher
rate while going than that Of STAuREM-
BERG; that it was done once week for six
months longer. and probably at night.
over country having no roads deserving
the name. with only bunch grass for fodder.
and with the pony carrying at least 200
pounds. including the mail, it is Justly con-
sidered better performance than that OF
the winner OF the Berlin-rienna race, whose
horse died within 4 day or two after.
The fact that the ponies in the European
race came in less injured than the other
animals will not. it is said. surprise our
army men. since. while n thoroughbred
may outpace pony. "a tide which will
kill him will not permanently disable the
little runt of the prairie. Tho latter's nm
cestry has had to struggle with too much
hardship to be easily killed, while the
thoroughbred's. has been warmly housed
and artihcially handled. His heritage is to
do and endure: the thoroughbreds, ia
make pace"
Turning to individual riders in our cav.
airy. the writer notes that in 1879 several
couriers rode from Major THoRNBuRG's
command. then beseged by Indians, to
Gen. MERRITT's column. n distance OF 17C
miles. In less than "a hours. Only last year
two troopers OF the Eighth Cavalry rode
with dispatches ITO miles in 20 hours and
Capt. FOUNTAIN rode "a miles In hours
and ITO miles in %. Rides OF from l2O to 15l
miles have repeatedly been made within
the day and night by our ordinary troor
horses. without special preparation and
generally without injury.
Indeed. 1t Is in marching considerable de-
tachments over great distances that GU,
cavalry officers have won their greatest sue
ceases, since the speed and endurance of tho
troop are that OF the poorest horse. and tho
more numerous the individuals tho slower
the speed. Our cavalry horse. too. is not O
the highest lineage. and on the march usu
ally carries little less than $50 pounds
while lie cannot always be regularly ane
well fed and watercd. Keeping these point:
in view. the writer In question notes that II
1873 Col. MACKENZIE. during n raid int
Mexico after Indians. made las miles il
twenty-cight hours. and tho next year. il
pursuing horse thieves. he led his com
mand eighty-flve miles In fifteen hours Ii
1880. Capt. WOOD. while pursuing desertel
who had run off with the company.
funds. rode with eight men lao mile.
In thirty-ons hours. and not horst
was injured. During the previous yea
Capt. DODGE. with his troop. rode 8,
miles In 10 hours: Lieut.. WooD. with
his troop. 10 miles in IL hours; Capt
FEcHEr. with two troops. IS miles in /.
hours; Col. HENRY. with four troops. lOl
miles in 80 hours. In this last case they
were In the saddle go hours; and though
| one horse died at the end Of the march