The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1896-02-15
OUR CAV .! .lR|Yl1!|E|!l!, ! J 4 ! q!
Thev Are tAe begt dless r t44l
Whol4 VepgA

Z ~---------.-. u
xAev Are ~ Begt ae,diep a -
yRpo,4 WpFM
naRA4 - ~ GA sylehe = - espsaA
- = 3aeoeheek-0en 1s9a1n6hab e tAe
D6s EqlafpsS1 Asssk nshsss
n H4ftA i s
Up 10 ! comparatively recent date
individual heFsennhshIr and the traiA-
inx Of horses reoeived little systematic
attention in the cavalry sssvice, The
nature Of the duties requires Of that
arm Of the service, which kept it in the
field from the early grass until the
SHOWS Of winter and frequently all the
winter made It impossible to engage
In instruction beyond the simplest
movernents Of the drill regulations.
80 adequate facilities were afforded
at the recruiting depots for instruction
in equitation, and cavalry recruits rare
" knew anything Beyond the manual
OF thu carbine and saber when they
joined their troops. The men and
horses frequently arrived on the eve Of
a campaign, and even during . CAM
paign.
After t5ne the men made good sol
diers, and in some respects good cav.
airy soldiers. The handy men and
those who had some previous knowl-
edge If horses and riding caught on"
but the inexperienced, the clerks,
shopkeepers, foundry men. etc, who
had never been on horses back, kept
the surgeons busy patching up their
skins, and the veterinarians busy
patching up the horses skins. When
y new man and = new horse come to-
gether it was tough on man end beast.
Nothing could he done in the way OF
horse training beyond riding them
with stifH curb bi: in the column day
aftrr. day. Field work is a good school
in many respects, but It is Impractical
BILE to instruct new men in the many de-
tails absolutely essential to mako q
horselnan. and it il impossible to sub
sequently cure the bad habits con-
tracted by green hands when left to
themselves.
Notwithstanding theso drawbacks,
the american cava'ryman hrs always
been able to meet any emergency rs 1T
arose, and. while he may not have been
. finished horseman or have ridden
q trained horse, he has had the faculty
of getting there" in good and effective.
shape. But he has been forced, in a
great measure, to work ont his. own
salvation. It was, in most eases, q
question of the survival Of the fittest,
and some splendid specimens Of rough
riders survived.
The passing away Of constant 6eld
service, the concentration OF troops In
large garrison, the erection Of riding
halls. etc, have made itnotonly possible
for, but incumbent upon, every com-
mander Of troops to educate his men
in every detail entering into the malse-
up Of q trained soldier.
So well has the Opportunity been
seizer by the cavalry branch of the
service that say without hesitation
Che American cavalrymn is oday the
best soldier on the face of tie earth,
berring none. I don't believe any
army IN the world can parade ten rcgt-
ments Of horsemen-iragoons, hus-
sars. OF what not-possessing the often-
sive and defensive qualities ef our ten
regiments Of cavalry.
Not only this, but they are the best
rough riders in the world. They can
fight on the ground or on horseback,
with saber or revolver, AZ occasion re-
quires. Their ability 10 shoot with In
fantry has been attested year after |
year ut the target competition, and
their proficiency with the revolver
mounted is such that FIVE years ago
it was believed to be impossible Of at |
tainment. At all the larger garrisons
cavalry progress has been most satis-
factory.
The posi- at Port Riley has ane Of the
finest liding halls IN the world, built Of !!
stone. lighted through the roof and In
closing IN openyelcar space Of 400 BY |
900 feet. During the season. from JAM
nary 10 to May /. each troop at the post !
(eight organizations) exercises in the
hail one hour every day, except Satur-
days and Sundays At other times
during the year the. hall is utilised for
the instruction Of recruits. under thei
direction u an o1acer specially adapted
to the work.
The instruction Of the troope :under
tho direction Of the respective troop
commanders, supervised by the SQUAD
ron commanders and the dlreotdr of
thu cavalry school