Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-26
THE FORT MYER CAVALRY.
High Praise Given Them by the Inspector
General
The Difficulties That Have Been Over
come I'm bringing Them to Such
o State of Excellence.

The inspector general of the army, in his
annual report to the Secretary of War.
uses the following complimentary language
in reference to the cavalry garrison at Fort
Myer, Va: THE command is the best in
structed cavalry battalion / have yet seen
in an army. There is a promptness and
alacrity. an exactness and simultaneousness
throughout the whole that I have never
seen excelled in our army"
The high praise embodied in the above
words cannot be appreciated in its full
force except by a person familiar with the
difficulties in the simplest movement of a
body Of mounted troops. An army officer
of experience was talking with a Star re-
porter today in regard to this matter, and
expressed his views tersely, as follows:
THE average citizen does not realize how
hard 1T is to accomplish the result referred
to by the inspector general, but having been
a soldier myself, infantry and cavalry,
can testify that II is a work that must be
constant in its details before it can hope to
succeed. The horse has to be taught that
with the legs in rear of girth, he is to
gather his forces, so that on command
movement may be at once. The head and
rear man of a column of a squadron of 100
men or more should move one man on
anu matt as well, OF take the
changes of gait. The intelligent horse must
also know that closing the leg in rear and
carrying the bridal hand to the right means
he is to turn to the right on his fore hand,
or. his fore feet being in same position, to
the left the reverse; that carrying the hand
to the right, so as to get the horse in an
oblique direction, and followed by left leg
pressed in the rear of the girth he is to
passage, or move sideways; that closing the
leg in front Of gfrth and carrying the
bride hand in the opposite direction he is
10 turn on his launches. the heels being
kept in place. These are a specimen of a
few OF the numerous things to be taught a
horse. Then comes fexions of the head
neck and mouth, teaching him to Jump
bars and bitches, etc.
1t is by attention to the above ana mans,
ether details that the Fort Myer division
has been so complimented Col. Hughes
the inspector. has the reputation of being
one OF the best inspectors I'm the army. He
has Travelled in foreign lands and has
written many articles in regard to the cav
airy subjects. Citizens will also notice that
the men OF the garrison at Fort Myer. when
IN town, ride at the walk or trot The gal
lop Is used only at drills, and generally pre-
cedes a charge a subject of consta1t an
struction. Taking everything into consider
alton. the Englishman is the best sportsman
In the saddle the German his superior In
military riding, the Frenchman exceIling An
the niceties of breaking, training ana men
age riding. We can claim in some respects
tne American as the superior of all In lony
Instance riding, bringing horses in In tbe
pest condition. which is perhaps the highest
FORM OF horsemanship, the American csval-
~ leads. Our army marches and the car
rying OF our mails across the plains nv orr
pony express riders have clearly demon
s,aseo .nis Iact In rough riding no man
awe comes near the cowboy and I'm road
riding and heading of saddle beasts The
southerner beats creation. We have. in al
diton, enriched the world by a bran6ne1,
type In the trotter, and in sailing nolo ana
hunting we are rapidly catching IN with
our English cousins. So, taking n ALI To-
gether, We Americans can claim superioritv
In craftsmanship.
Baucher. the Frenchman, admitted To he
the best of horse trainers. saws: .Wba, ~, NJ
stefan could draw melodious sounds fror, on
instrument without having exercised his
myers in handling it? He would certainIy
II ne attempted such a thing. produce only
1atse, discordant sounds and the sapoa
thing occurs in horsemanship when We nm
oertake to make horse execute movement
Tor which he has not been prepared tn
lhtellgence or our horses shows what may
OF may not be accomplished by proner in
struction. and patient attention 10 reon,r "a,
details" " i@dui-e Gu
The drills at Fort Myer are held in ,h.
rloihg nan from $50 a. m. TO IL 30 a M
anu from TO O'Clock p. m. daily excent
FRIDAY, Saturday and Sunday. Th-ee daYs
are used Tor preparation and inspection ana
one day for rest. In pleasant weather The
orihs take place in the open from 2 to n
CLOCK, ana should be witnessed by every
pody VINO takes the least interest in Tho
military. cavalry charge is one of the
most thrilling and inspiring sights thai % n
be witnessed 'i"' Can