The record-union., 1894-07-27
EXHIBITION BY THE CAVALRTMEN.
Witnessed by Upward Of Ten Thou
sand People.
Well Drilled and Well Mounted Troop
ers Show What They Can Do
Two Thrilling Charges.

A half dozen lines in the RECORD
UNIoN's local columns did the business.
The simple announcement yesterday
morning that the two troops OF cavalry
forming a portion of Colonel Graham's
command now on duty here would hold
a drill at Agricultural Park in the after
noon had the effect of causing one OF Inc
greatest surprises of the year.
By 3 O'Clock, the hour at which IL was
expected the drill would commence, there
were fully 5000 people at the Park wait
ing patiently for the cavalry to appear. A
half hour later the number was increased
probably a couple of thousand. Not
seat was unoccupied on the grand stand,
and even the directors and the large
special stands south of the G-street en-
trance were packed to their fullest capac-
ity, The track for the distance OF an
eighth of a mile, also the space Deneath
the stands and between them ana Inc
track. were all occupied by people on
foot and in carriages. The lowest esIl-
mate heard of the number OF spectators
was ten thousand.
1t looked like a State Fair day big on
scale, and the gallant soldiers must nave
felt thrill of pride when they rode INTO
the paddock and discovered that tnou-
sands of pairs of eyes were bent admir-
ingly upon them, and that tWo-thlrds or
more OF their admirers were LADIES.
The first troop to make It's appearance
was Troop l OF the Fourth Cavalry, and
as the men rode through the gate and into
the field they were received with loud
cheers and applause. This troop was
mounted on gray horses. 1t was under
the immediate command OF captain
James Lockett, First Lieutenant >. u.
Nolan and Second Lieutenant NJ. +.
Davis.
A minute later Troop appeared un-
der the command of First Lieutenant
Harry c. Benson and Second Lieutenant
W. X. Smedberg. The squadron was
commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel ,. Is.
NJ. Young.
For upwards of an hour the cavalrymen
were kept moving in the open field be-
fore the stand, now at walk, now trot,
and occasionally at lively gallop, all the
time executing the various cavalry
movements with as much precision as
well-trained companies of infantry.
The dismounting and remountlng,
done so quickly and almost as one man,
elected warm applause, There was also
firing while diSmounted, and the nam
mers of forty or fifty empty muskets all
clicked at the same instant.
Then the troopers gave an eXhlDltlon
that was new to nearly all the spectators.
Dismounting rapidly they caused their
well-trained horses to drop to the
ground, illustrating how cavalrymen are
sometimes compelled to use their steeds
as protection against the enemy's bull
lets.
But nothing entertained the vast crowd
SO much as the charge made by each
troop across the open held. Ihls was
what so many wanted to see-somethlng
exciting, even though some troopers
horse should go down and dozen others
tumble over him while the men were
riding at full speed and with drawn
Sabers.
The first to charge was the white-horse
troop. The men were lined up III the
middle of the field, facing south. The
bugler received his order and blew blast
that on a field of battle would have meant
death to many. Out flashed the glitter
ing sabers, and instantly the long line OF
horsemen started forward, at hrSt on
trot, but it soon became gallop. When
about half the width of the field had been
covered the spectators heard the Captains
order, ''Chargew
With sabers raised in their right hands,
the cayalrymen gave their horses their
heads with the lett, clapped their spurs
into the tanks Of the high-spirited ami
mails, and the latter bounded forward at
full speed. Across the field they went
like mad, the men yelling and sweeping
the air with their sabers as ii they were
driving into the midst of the enemy on
field OF battle.
The charge was short, but very excit-
ing, and it gave the thousands OF spectat-
ors a fair idea of the terrible effect OF a
charge of cavalry upon body of men.
Shortly afterward the black-horse
troop made a similar charge across the
field, and it was equally as thrilling as
the other. In each instance the spectat-
ors applauded wildly.
Colonel Graham was not present in
person, but doubtless would have been
had he known the public were disposed
to regard as such a treat an incident that
belongs to the daily routine OF soloier
lite