The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-09-05
UNITED STATES CAVALRY.
blost Superb Body Of Horse Soldiers
in the World.
FOREMOST OF THE WORLDS
ROUGH RIDERS.

Recruited at VIII From tho Flower of the
Young Men of the Land Who Offer
Themselves-Their Marvellous Feats of
Horsemanship-Chara OF the Or
ganization.
1t has been claimed by we'll informed
officers Of the United States Army, and
probably with full qualification, that
the American cavalry is the finest body
Of horse soldiers in the world in all re-
spects save nun, bers, says the New York
Times. 1t consists of ten regiments of
twelve troops. or companies, each. divid-
ed into three battalions or squadrons
and, on an authorized war footing. num-
bers $4,000 enlisted mounted men,
equipped as light dragons; that is,
armed with sabre. oarbine, and pistol,
most of the men and horses being of the
average weight and size. The commits
stoned officers of this force number 434.
including field and staff and three line
officers to each troop. The troop, which
is equivalent to company of infantry
Or foot battery of artillery, numbers 100
enlisted men and three officers on war
footing. The squadron, formerly called
battalion. consists of four troops, under
command of Major, and on war footing
numbers, of course 400 troopers, about
the size of an ordinary regimental bat
TALON of infantry under Lieutenant
Colonel in the field.
On peace footing the strength of the
force is between 35 and 40 per cent. less,
or about 1000, which is little in excess
Of the numbe on the muster rolls at the
present time. The organization is an
elastic one, making 1t capable, in the
svent of necessity, of expansion into
shree times its existing strength, carry
more, a number exceeding at present the
entire military establishment of the
United States. comprising all arms, cav
Airy, artillery, infantry, engineers, Off
GERS, and general staff. This could only
be effected by act of Congress, however,
making appropriation for recruiting the
companies to twice their size-200 men
with at least one additional subaltern
officer. This would raise the squadron
to the size of an Independent battalion
to act separately in battle under its own
field and staff. By al ling fourth bat
TALON to the regiment. similar to the or
CARNATIONS in many European armies.
On war footing, the Nation would be
possessed Of all the cavalry troops which
1t would be likely to require in any emer-
gency.
But 1t is with the existing force of the
cavalry of the United States Army that
this sketch has to do-as it is today, on
pare for war;" Is the old adage, and that
is just what this body of horse soldiers
appears to be about. They are mainly
stationed at posts whose surroundings
are favorable for cavalry movements and
drill, namely, on the Western plains.
adjacent to the slopes of the Rocky
Mountains. The First and Second Reg
iments, for instance, are at Fort Riley,
Kansas, where school for light artillery
as we'll as cavalry is established, and
where practice drills of both arms together
are inoessant. In due course, these squad
rons will exchange with other organ1za-
tons for term. The Fourth Regiment
is on the Pacific slope, with headquart-
ers at Fort Walla Walla. in the State of
Washington; one squadron Of four troops
Is at Presidio, near San Francisco. Hero
too, are light artillery batteries and
joint manoeuvres. The famous Fifth
is in Texas, near San Antonio. The also
famous Seventh-Custer's old regiment
lis distributed by squadrons and troops
at stations djaoent to each other on the
frontier plains of Arizona and New Mex
loo.
The Eighth cavalry has eight troops,
with headquarters and colors at Fort
Meade, South Dakota, and two troops
at Fort Yates. North Dakota. The
Ninth and Tenth, oolored enlisted men.
and not a little famous in story of Indian
battles, are distributed by detachme nts
at posts in Nebraska, Utah, Wyoming,
and Montana-the latter roundabout the
region where took place the Strengthening
match between Custer, with the greater
part of the Seventh Cavalry, on one side.
and Sitting Bull and several thousand
Indians on the other, an occurrence
which has been printed and pictured to