The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-09-05

ments. 1t is only few years since that
a horse soldier of the regular army has
been seen east of the Mississippi River,
excepting. of course, those attached to
the light-battery service. They could
not, indeed, be spared from the frontier,
where from the closing year of the War
of the rebelIion-1s65-down to the mid
die eighties, they were in almost constant
conflict with the turbulent Indian
tribes of the far West. Not one Of these
cavalry regiments above enumerated es-
capped during that period numerous bat
ties and skirmishes with the hostiles
1t is, perhaps, for this treason, among
others, that the cavalry arm is more 40
tive and spirited than the infantry or
artillery, many Of which organizations,
from the nature of the service, never
have been ordered for such active work.
The cavalry got used to the work, and
still continue their training against
whatever the future may turn up.
With the cessation OF the Indian HOSTILE
tiles few years since, 1t was decided to
move some of the cavalry from the ex-
treme West to the East A two-company
post was accordingly established at Fort
Myer, across the Potomac from WASH
ington, on Arlington Heights. The best
two troops of the best two regiments
were detailed for one or more years at
this post, in the way of competitive In
spection. The plan was success, and
the post was enlarged to four-troop sta
ton, and finally, when it was thought
advisable, the place was fitted up for
headquarters garrison, and the Sixth
Cavalry was ordered East to take post
there, with its oolors and band, as
sort OF reward of merit for excellence.
About tho same time a four-troop post
was established by Secretary Of War
Proctor at Fort Ethan Allen. between
Burlington. VT, and the Canadian bor-
der, in sight of Lake Champlain. To
this station were sent year or so since
the four-troop squadron of the Third
Cavalry. leaving headquarters and the
remainder of the regiment at Jefferson
Barracks, near St. Louis, Mo. 1t may
be said here in passing that the remain
Ing troops of the Sixth Cavalry not
brought to Washington were ordered to
Fort Leavenworth, Kan, where is stu
ated cavalry and infantry practice
school. The truth is that every cavalry
garrison in the country Is school for
the trooper, and by reason of constant
pratice,' American cavalrymen have be-
come we'll nigh perfect in all the duties
pertaining to their service. Some OF their
feats of ssmanship are marvellous
Mounted on highly trained horses, most
ly Of the Kentucky breed of thorough
breds, intelligent and full of courage.
gallop standing in stirrups. shortened al
most to the level of the saddle seat, while
firing their carbines rapidly at a man
target and hitting it, too, nearly every
time.
Wheeling. still at full gallop, their re-
treat Is, like the Mamalukes. as rapid as
their advance, protecting themselves from
an enemy's fire by dropping suddenly
out of sight under theil horses bodies.
Leaping to the ground to pick up a lost
weapon, and vaulting to the saddle again
without stirrups, still at full gallop;
riding without saddle glrths, while
wheeling and hating from full career,
are all common feats with them. A
wide ditch or a high fence is no more of
an obstacle to them and their horses
than holiday hurdle at country club
GU ting. 1t is narrated that squadron
of the Fifth Cavalry Cd one occasion.
seeing no other way of dislodging band
Of mudering Indians who had intrenched
| thenseles behind earth breastworks, man
high, with TANKS protected on either
side, made rapid charge over the inter
venlng ground in front, leaped their
horses over the ramparts. and split the
heads of the savages with their sabres.
The Fifth had learned that movement
when, with the regular brigade of oaval-
ry, under Sheridan. in Virginia, they
charged the intrenohed lines of the Con-
federste infantry at Five Forks, and won
the fight with sabres and horses, the
latter leaping the breastworks over into
the rifle pits and beyond.
That brigade of regulars was made up
of the First, Second, Fifth and Sixth
United States Cavalry, and before the
summer resolutions passed the Senate
were permitted to carry on their colors
in letters of gold the names of that and
half hundred other desperate battles
in which they were engaged in the war
Of the rebellion. In brief, there is sx-
pert testimony from no less authority
than Col. Cody C"Buffalo BilP') who
had ample opportunity of seeing the per-
formances of American cavalry on the
plains-he was a government scout I'M
der Sheridan at the height Of the Indian
troubles-to the effect that they are the
foremost OF the worlds trough riders"
not excepting the Cossacks. The logical