The Portland daily press., 1896-08-29
A BICYCLE CORPS.
Experiments With the Wheel as a
Military Adjunct.
TESTING THE WHEEL IN A NOUN
FAMOUS COUNTRY.

Report of Lieut.. Moss Who Conducted the
Experimental Trip of 1 900 Miles Now
In Progress.
Fort Missoula, Mont.-General Miles in
his last annual report, speaking of the
bicycle and motor wagon, used the follow
Ing language.
AS very great progress is being made
In European countries in the use of the
bicycle and motor wagons, and as both
nave been found practicable in this ooun-
Try, and would certainly be utilized to
great extent in case of war, recommend
tnae q force equal to one full regiment of
sweive companies be equipped with bicy-
Giles and motor wagons, and their utility
thoroughly demonstrated by actual SER
vice. There are more than 4, 900 officers
and men for such regiment to be so
equipped should be carefully selected
fromthe most efficient and skilful In the
use OF this modern appliance; and
recommend that authority such transfer
be granted with as little delay as praoti-
cable.
1.-The bicycle has been found exceeding
~ useful In accommodating different Sec
tions of the country, and it is my purpose
to use. to some extent, troops stationed
at different posts, to make practice
marches and "Reminiscences, and there
nv htatn 81 oh Jyp Of I1ai,r
own country, especially the Topographic
cal features, condition Of roads, sources
OF supplies and all information of mill
tary Importance
THE BICYCLE CORPS OUTFIT.
Acting under the general principles of
these remarks, Lieutenant J. A. Moss
of Twenty Fifth Infantry, the athlete
officer ut this post, has begun series of
extended experiments in the use of the
bicycle as means of military luoomo-
ton. He had been praoticing In an in
formal way some time before this report
came out, and there were many expert
riders here who were ready to go on the
road at any time.
Recently post order was issued, au-
uhorizing him to organize corps to be
known as the Twenty-ffth Infantry
Bicycle Corps and he himself and the
| men joining the oorpa were placed on
detached service, in order that they might
perfect themselves In the care and use of
the machines.
The corps as organized consists Of eight
triad rnan-tuo pop.cc,1, N, icoionoJ of5joon.
| and six privates-and thus ia their pro-
gress has been very snoo uraging. The
first step taken was to devise a system of
packing, which would enable-the soldier
| to carry the necessary field eguipage and
good supply of rations.
This was accomplished In the following
manner: The knepsack, containing the
articles below, was strapped to the up
| right of the handle bar; contents, one
| summer shirt, one winter shirt, three
pair summer socks, one pair winter socks
one pair summer drawers. one pair win
ter drawers, one towel, one toothbrush
and powder, two handkerchiefs. one cake
of soap, toilet pm per, one Blanket. The
| men are arranged In sets of twos, and,
besides the things described, No. car
ries an extra blanket and shelter tont in
| roll dashed to his handlebar, while No.
. carries comb and brush. Suspended to
the horizontal bar Of the machine is the
havrsack, containing two knives, one
fork, one spoon and one mess pan. The
cooking outfit consists of a tin can,
which can be used as boiler, within
which are packed coffee pot and three
pans. This Is securely fastened to the
head ofssa bicycle.
No. Of the set of twos carries a revolt
yer and thirty rounds of ammunition
and has rife strapped to his machine.
Each soldier also carries his oanteen over
his shoulder, and has his tin cup sus-
pended to the rear Of his bicycle.
The following list Of rations, intended
to serve eight men three days were ac-
tually carried as the men started out
from this post to make trip over
mountain roads to st. Ingatius Mission
and through the Flathead courtry gen
orally: Twenty pounds of baoons twenty
one pounds Of coffee, six pounds ofsugar,
salt, two pounds of rice, five pounds Of
prunes, four pounds of lord, one and one
half pounds of baking powu er, one can
OF syrup, six cans of baked beans, four
cans of corn, three cans of deviled ham,
and two ounces of pepper. THESE. with
all the things mentioned before, were
carefully packed upon the eight bicycles
and the men left post Thursday soon
aiter q O'Clock. 1t had been storming
since Monday, and was cloudy then but
all expected 1t to clear soon. 1t did not,
however, and the men and their wheels
were submitted to severe ordeal, thus
described by Lieutenant Moss:
LIEUTENANT MOSS TELLS THE
STORY.
Itinerary of the Twenty Fifth United
states Bicycle Corps first trip to test the
bicycle as practical machine for mill
tary purposes IN mountainous country ::