The herald., 1897-07-26
ARMY AWHEEL
Can Simply Run Away
From Cavalry
THE SOLDIERS ON BICYCLES
COMPLETE THEIR RUN ACROSS
COUNTRY
The Silent Steed Conc1usive1y Proves
Its Right to Place in Modern
Warfare
Associated Press Special Wire.

AsSoc1atao Press special wire.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, July 25.-The twenty
fifth infantry bicycle corps, which reach
ed this city last night, completing the
30OO-mile ride from Missoula, Mont, in
forty days, thirty-five of which were ac-
tually spent on the road, are encamped
at Forest park. While here the officers,
Lieut.. ]. M. Moss and Surgeon ]. M.
Kennedy will be entertained by promi-
nent citizens, while the troopers, who are
colored men, are the guests of local BIZ
cycle clubs. Later they will be trans
eerred to Jefferson barracks.
The Twenty-fifth infantry bicycle
corps left Fort Missoula, Mont, on June.
IA. twenty-three in number, Lieut. Moss,
Surgeon Kennedy and Edward H. Boos,
official reporter, and twenty soldiers
selected from the four companies at Fort
Missoula. During the trip one of the
men was returned to Fort Missoula on
account of not being able to keep up.
The first twelve days were rainy anc
disagreeable, but good time was made.
1t was during these days that the main
divide of the Rocky mountains was
crossed, as well as the greater part of
Montana. There were few pleasant
days while the corps was in Montana,
and excellent runs were made.
In crossing the Crow Indian reserva-
ton heavy rains fell, md the corps was
stuck in the gumbo mud much of the
time. All the way across Wyoming the
rain hampered the progress of the COM
pany and many hardships arose from
lack of good water.
The southwestern corner Of South
Dakota was crossed, fifteen days being
occupied in this state. The sandy
roads were awful and the prairie beside
the road was a field of prickly pears,
making travel on wheels very careful
and tiresome work. A stretch of good
but billy road was struck after leaving
Edgmont, and the rum from there to the
Nebraska line was in short order. AS
soon as Nebraska was reached, new
trouble confronted the corps in the
shape of sand hills and heat. After AL
lance was reached and for distance OF
nearly 200 miles the sand I'M the roads
was eight to ten inchs deep. The road
was given up and the railroad was used,
the men riding as much as possible, but
men were taken sick. Afr four days
OF suffering the sand hills were passed
The corps passed through Grand
Island, Lincoln and Table Rock in Ne
braska and out of that state into Mis-
souri, on July 18th. The roads through
Nebraska were good, but far from being
level, short and steep hills being contin-
ually encountered.
The, roads acrOSc, Miss n11ri ruora "a 4
and billy, and with the exception of 4
few gravel roads We're the worst on the
entire trip. When away from the rail-
road the people were inhospitable, and
in one instance sufficient water for cook
ing was refused and no reliable informa-
ton regarding the roads could be gained.
The heat for the last three days of the
trip was severe and the men suffered
considerably.
The distance covered on the trip was
1900 miles, the average per day being
81 2-3 miles. After leaving the Ne
braska sand hills the average was over
sixty miles per day.
The bicycles stood the trip remarka-
bly, well, but few accidents of a serious
nature have occurred, those that did
occur being through carelessness.
In an interview Lieutenant Moss said:
The trip has proved beyond peradyen-
ture my contention that the bicycle has
place in modern warfare. In eyery
kind of weather, over all sorts of roads
we averaged fifty miles a day. At the
end of the journey we are all in good
physical condition.
Seventeen tires and half a dozen
broken frames is the sum of our damage
The practical result of the trip shows
that an army bicycle corps can travel
under any conditions twice as fast as
cavalry or infantry and a one-third the
cost and effort.
II am not sure whether we will return
on our wheels or not but will know as
soon as orders are received from Wash
ington.'