The Washington times., 1895-03-09
COSSACKS CAN'T BEAT THEM
Troops H and E of the Sixth Cavalry
are Sensational Riders.
Earring Workmanship Displayed at Fort
Myer-Mad Pursuit of Cavalryman-
Thrilling Leaps Hurdle Jumping.

According to Count Tolstoi, the Cossacks
bound for Siberia, must necessarily possess
high standard of excellence as equestrians
If snow drift happens to lie across their
path they must be able to go over it, and If
prisoner with Nihilistic tendencies escapes
they must be competent to follow,him with
| out dismounting among the foothills of the
mountains or across the masses of ice of
some Siberian river
To equal a Cossack as rider, therefore,
is very difficult thing, and for the captain
OF a regiment of American cavalry TO drill
his men to execute all the manoeuvers OF a
Cossack band in the presence of number
of fashionable and critical society people
is not only ambitious, but daring.
Nevertheless, this is just what the officers
stationed at Fort Myer have done, and the
Cossack drill given by Troops H and E, of
the Sixth Cavalry, in the riding arena yes
terday, not only delighted those who wit
messed it; but would in some of It's features
have caused a genuine Cossack of the
steppes to doff his cap and award the medal
for daring horsemanship To the American
cayalrymen.
BEGINNING THEIR FEATS.
The clouds dispersed yesterday just at
the right hour to prevent damper being
thrown over the programme at the fort,
and by o'clock long line of private
carriages had left their occupants before
the doors OF the riding hall. The private
gallery on the left was reserved for the
officers and guests. and this, as well as the
right gallery, was too densely crowded 10
be entirely comfortable. In the arena, also,
two or three hundred spectators were
crowded near the entrance, taking chances
in their enthusiasm, of being trodden be-
meath the hoofs Of the tw enty-nine spirited
horses.
When the gates W ere thrown open and the
Sixth Cavalry Band began to make itself
heard, Capt. Craig rode into the han fol
lowed by Troop H He was mounted on his
handsome bay favorite, Cadet, and the
horses OF the troop were all of the same
color Tho men rode without saddI es,
making the circuit of the building by twos,
then fours abreast, at first slowly. then
gallopiDg madly around. riding in and
out among each other, stopping all at once,
and turning so abruptly that the horses
fairly went down on their launches, vet
all the time showing that they had perfect
control over their mounts.
Then came the jumping over hurdles.
Every horse took them nobly, and after
this the most skillful cavalryInen went
over them again, first with two horses tn en-
with three, the rider sometimes dismounting
at the hurdle and leaping over two horses
as they rose in the air, landing astride of
the third horse at the further side of the
obstacle.
A ROSE CHASE.
This was followed by sham pursuit
tsociety called it a rose chase), in which
eight horsemen pursued another. who
turned and wheeled and lodged in and out
among them, cantering madly from one end
of the hall TO the other, throwing himself
at times almost under his steed in his ef-
forts to escape being dragged from
his seat. and. when his capture seemed
almost unavoidable, abruptly pulling his
horse about and dashing away from his
pursuing companions. 1t was a highly ex-
citing scene, and the applause from the
galleries was immense.
Capt. Cheever's Troop, E, filled the
second part of the programme, Second
Lieut. Hyer commanding the drill. The
manoeuyers We're somewhat similar to
those gone through with by Capt. Craigs
cavalrymen, and equally creditable. The
feature of this dril was the jumping, the
men going over the hurdles standing up
right, and controlling two and then three
horses. The leap was also made. with two
eavalrymen sitting back TO back on one
mount There were q few tumbles, of
course, but, as none of the boyswere injured.
these only served to furnish a little element
of comedy to counteract the thrilling cpl
sode OF the programme.
Society was well represented, and con-
graduated Col. Gordon at the close of the
drill and graciously promised TO come again.
Those present were: Mrs. Major Cush-
ing and Miss Cushing, Commissary General
and Mrs. Morgan, accompanied by party
of friends: DIR. Eche, L. S. A: Mrs. Sem
ator Lindsay and her mother, Mrs Holmes;
Mr.. and Mrs. John Stowe, of the A Arlington;
Mrs. Lawrence, of Eighteenth street. and
host of others, who Were friends of the Of
ficers stationed at the fort