Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-08

ment from Gen. Ordway and his staff and
after several preliminary meetings the
troop was mustered into the military serv-
Ice of the District of Columbia December
70, 1888. A week later Harrison 8. Barbour
was given command by unanimous vote,
with the rank Of second lieutenant. A full
quota OF non-commissioned officers was also
chosen at this meeting, and the troop i'm
mediately settled down to the difficult task
OF learning to be soldiers. Every assistance
was rendered from headquarters. and the
ron-commissoned officers were afforded the
unique honor of being put through their
maiden drill by the brigade adjutant gen.
eral.
Almost before the troop was organized,
Sertalniy before 1t was equipped, it was
make Its debut at the Inauguration of
President Harrison, on the 4th of March,
iee9, Just two and half months from the
date of its organization.
Approaching the advantages of .army
methods, 1t secured the services of Serst
| Maj. Rennie of Fort Myer now first lieu
tenant and adjutant of the sixth battalion,
ID. Z. N. g. as drill Instructor. The object
sought was requirement Of practical knowl-
| edge. rather than precision in the manual
| OF arms and experiences in fancy move
| ments. To THIS end the company directed
| their energies, and, like war recruits, gave
| a hearty second to the efforts of the in
| structor
The troop turned out on the 18th of March
and gained many favorable comments on
Its military appearance. The morning
| opened with a drenching rain. which con-
| tinued throughout the day, varied OCCASION
ally only by heavy downpour. 1t was
a beginning not calculated to inspire a
| great degree of enthusiasm, but it has al
| ways been a popularity, Of the troop to rise
! IN spirits In proportion to the discomfort of
the situation This quality of weather has
| followed the troop with singular persist
ency. and 1t early acquired the name of be-
| Ing wet weather troop. In fact a rainy
day In Washington Is generally known
among their friends as troop A weather.
The Troops Different Homes.
The troops first home was the Washing
ton Riding Academy, but this was hardly
to be regarded as other than temporary
quarters In April, 1889. the organization
| was quartereJ in the armory of the Wash
| tngton Light Infantry Corps, where, among
| other privileges. 1t enjoyed that of carry
Ing heavy horse equipments up and down
three flights of stairs before and after
| every mounted drill.
The most notable event of the troops
| first year was, Of course the encampment
| of the National Guard at Fort Washington.
The march to the fort gave the troop its
| first taste Of seal army life. Notwithstand-
| Ing the inexperience Of the men and the
| strict regime Of the camp the men acted
| well. and gained much practical knowl-
| edge of camp and field work.
| At the end of the encampment, Gen. Ord
| way, aware Of the strain on men unac-
customed to grooming horses and to the
| rigors OF cavalry camp, offered trans
| portation back to Washington by boat.
| The troopers. however. having passed the
| stage of soreness and fatigue, and in love
| with their life in the saddle enthusiastically
but respectfully declined the generals offer,
| and marched back as they had gone.
Immediately after the encampment Lieut..
| Barbour was unanimously elected captain.
| John T. Eiker was made first lieutenant.
| and Arthur w. FERGUSON second lieuten-
ant. both by unanimous vote Of the enlisted
| men.
| In April, 1890, the troop again changed its
| home, and was quartered In the old skating
rink, On New York avenue. Here, for the
| first time. they enjoyed the comforts OF
roomy armory, and were enabled to add the
| pleasant features Of a social club.
| The 21st of July, 1890, again found the
troop on the march to Fort Washington for
| the second annual encampment OF the
| brigade decidedly improved In personnel
military appearance and discipline During
| this encampment the possibility OF employ
| ing cavalry in maritime warfare was demon
| strated in the most effective manner.
It's March to Winchester.
But the event par excellence Of Its mill
tary career was the fifteen days practice
march during the summer Of 1891. Con-
gress failed to provide for a brigade en-
| campment, and the troop, feeling the neces-
| sity Of a larger experience than could be OBJ
tanned from a camp. arranged for a prac-
| tice march. 1t was resolved to make an ex-
tended march through Maryland, Virginia
| and West Virginia. Such an undertaking
| had never been accomplished by National
| Guard organization.
The War Department viewed the enter
prise with interest. and detailed Lieut.. A.
| W. Perry. ninth cavalry, u. S. A, with
| Sergeant Prizes of troop A of the first, to ac-
company the expedition. for the purpose of
instructing the troop In army methods and
| reporting to the department the results Of
| the undertaking. That interest in the event
| extended outside of Washington was shown
| by the presence of Capt. Charles F. Roe,
Lieut.. o. b. Bridgeman and fourteen troop
| ers from the crack New York cavalry, troop
| A, N. c. S. N. Y. Capt. (now major E. Fl.
| Neumeyer Of the general staff had charge
of the commissary department during the
| march.
| The marching column consisted of sew
| enty-eight men, including a detail from the
| ambulance corps. and a train consisting of
three four-horse wagons. one two-horse
| wagon, one ambulance, water cart and
| light road wagon for the use of the COM
| missary.
The march was begun on the 18th of
| July, in the rain as usual, which gradually
| increased until the afternoon, when 1t fell
in torrents. The objective point was Win
| chester, Va, by way of Harpers Ferry
| The latter place was reached In three and
| accustom men and horses to the unusual
| exercise.
A Lively sLirmish.
On the third day, the troops approach
ed the pass through the mountains made
by the Potomac below Harper's Ferry,
| Lieut. Perry went ahead with platoon to
| represent the enemy for the purpose of in
| structing the troop in advance guard and
| outpost duty and the method of passing q
defile in enemy's country. The re-
mainder of the command threw cut AN adj
vance guard according to regulations, and
| entered the pass with the greatest caution.
Toward 1 o'clock a sudden fusllade in the
front was intimation that the enemy had
| been struck, and the troop advanced at the
gallop, dismounte3 part of the command to
| fight on foot, deployed on each side of the
| road over rocks, through brush and bram-
| bles, ard engaged the enemy's outpost on
steep hillside. few minutes rapid firing
carried the hill. The remainder of the COM
mand charged as foragers, sabered the
enemys outpost into little bits, skirmish-
| ers were recalled and retired into the shade
| on the roadside to wipe off the perspiration
| and powder CRIME and discuss the probable
| tiles of the war. whilst two Juvenile natives
| of colcr armed with a set OF boxing gloves
| borrowed from the surgical outfit, pum-
| meled each other for the glory Of conquest,
| the edifcation Of the troop and a purse of
q cents.
The column passed through Harpers
Ferry that afternoon and halted at Charles
town, w. Va, and here camped for two
days for the purpose Of rest and detailed
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