The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1893-02-02
CAVALRY HORSES.
How They Are Obtained For the
Mounted Service.
Like the Raw Recruit, They
Must Be "Broken In"

Horses for the cavalry service are
purchased mostly in St. Louis, and
occasionally in Louisville, Kansas
City, Omaha, San Francisco, and
other points. The prices paid for
them under the contract system range
from $40 TO $175. They are usually
shipped in herds Of from thirty to
sixty direct TO the headquarters Of The
regiment for which they are designed,
without being put through any course
of preliminary training for the new
life they arc to lea |, and after q few
days rest arc delivered to the various
troops where rcmounts are needed,
due regard being given to color.
The arrival of herd Of new horses
at a cavalry post is always n source of
much interest to the garrison. Officers
and mcn-partcuarly the latter
take the first opportunity that occurs
to visit the corral or stables, and have
look at the recruits, as they are justly
regarded, and their qualities, good,
bad, Il Indifferent, arc commented
upon and criticised by all hands, from
the dignifed commanding officer down
to the young imp Of trumpetcr born
| and bred in tho service.
Like the newly Unlisted soldier,
when he first enters the army, where
everything is SO different from the life
| he has been accustomed to rs q civilian.
the ''recruil' cavalry horse is surroud-
ed by things new and strange to him,
and it takes some time for him 10 be-
military duties and the regular and
orderly manner of his new code of
life. His stable, where he and some
scores of his companions are housed,
is usually very good nowadays, al
though it is not very long ago when
at some posts the buildings and ac-
comodations for the horses left much
to be desired in their general adapta-
bility for the purpose required.
Before dawn of day the horses are
awakened to be fed, and the recruit
frequently has his digestion inn
paired by the shock and fright caused
him by the sudden boom of the morn
ing gun, and the unaccustomed clang-
ing trumpet notes, as the field music
ians sound rcvcillc. But lie soon be-
comes used to this, and eventually
recognizes many Of the calls, particu-
larly those referring to anything
affecting him individually, as "stabc
call" or "watcr call" the halt, tho adj
vance, and others, and have time and
again noticed the impatiencc of horses
Oh herd to return to the picket line
when stable call has been sounded IN
camp some distance away. That the
sound conveyed n distinct meaning TO
them other than the frequently rccur-
ring calls of the camp during the day,
which they never noticed, was evident
by the action of the horse--ihcir rcst-
lcssncss, their raised heads, and eager
ncighing.
Horses that have become panic
strckcn-"s "stampedcd' the soldiers
say-are often recalled by the quick
sounding of "stablc call' by as many
trumpelcrs as can be assembled at the
moment. know Of an instance of
the kind where six troops on herd
were "stampeded" and were gallop,ng
madly away, utterly beyo tho con-
troll of the hcrdcrs, when the trum-
peters Justify sounded "siab!c call"
Like human beings horses have their
leaders; how sccclcd, | will not ven
turo TO state. but in every troop ccr-
tain horses lead the resi-; and 10 SOON
cr had the notes of the call rung out
over the din and roar of tho furious
rush of the horses, when the leaders,
circling around the camp several
times, finally brought them to their
several picket lines [llarpers
Weekly.
Magnitude of the Exposition Buildings.