Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-12-22
A HORSE IS SUPERIOR.
THE WHEEL WON'T DO ALTOGETHER
FOR CAVALRY SERVICE.

FOR CAVALRY SERVICE.
Lieutenant Moss Ride of 1900 Miles Be-
tween Fort Missoula and st. Louis,
Mo-. Demonstrates That the Horse is
Still Great Necessity in Warfare.
Lieutenant James A. Moss, Of the
Twenty-ffth Infantry, United States
Army, stationed at Fort Missoula,
Mont, has just completed his report
to the War Department concerning the
extended bicycle trip made during the
last summer by himself and CORPS of
twenty troopers, under orders from
General Miles. This trip was made
for the purpose OF determining the
practical utility of the wheel as part
of the equipment Of an army in the
field and the feasibility of using it as o
substitute for the cavalry horse.
During this journey the soldiers
observed all the regulations of camp
life, with the exception Of sentry duty.
Reveille was sounded each morning
at 4 o'clock and the regular army
breakfast was quickly served. About
an hour was required to prepare the
machines for the days journey and
promptly at 6 o'clock the march be-
gan. Two hours rest was taken at
noon and then the days work was
completed, the number of miles
travelled varying according to the
weather, the condition of the roads and
the steepness of grades.
The experiences and incidents of
each day are reported with an exact
ness which makes the record of great
value to the War Department and of
considerable interest to bicycle enthu-
siasts. Lieutenant Moss himself con-
siders the trip to have been highly
satisfactory, though many hardships
were endured in some portions OF, the
journey. There were many long and
wearisome miles of walking in pour
ing rain, in heavy sleet and under
burning sun, for in this western coun-
try all kinds of weather may be en-
countered within q few days. There
was intense suffering from hunger and
thirst, the distances between supply
stations being SO long that rations
were sometimes nearly exhausted,
while the men at times were compelled
to travel thirty miles with little or no
food, on one occasion travelling forty
two miles on small piece of bread and
n cup of weak coffee, He also says
that they suffered severely from the
effects of the alkali waters of Wyoming
and South Dakota, and that in the
sand hills of Nebraska the strength
and endurance of the men were tested
to the utmost. Both bicycles and
riders reached st. Louis in good con-
dition, however, the soldiers being in
perfect health, only one man having
been compelled to turn back.
The men making this journey were
chosen from large body of volunteers
from the two companies stationed at
Fort Missoula, who were desirous OF
making the trip. They were selected
with reference to their ability to with
stand the hardships of the march, and
though the majority OF Them had
learned to ride the bicycle they were
far from being corps of experienced
riders. One man, for instance, had
never been on a wheel until three days
before the start, but it, was thought
that his very inexperience would only
make the test the more thorough and
conclusive. The twenty troopers ac-
companying Lieutenant Moss were all
from the Twenty. fifth Infantry (col-
ored) stationed at Fort Missoula.
The distance travelled is reported as
1900 miles, which was covered in thir-
ty-four days of actual travel, making
an average of 6.3 miles an hour. The
wheels even to the tires were in excel
lent condition at the finish. Lieuten-
ant Moss considers the trip decided
success and expresses himself as fol-
lows:
''The bicycle has O number of ad-
vantages over the horse. 1t does not
require as much care, it needs no for
age, it moves much. faster over fair
roads, it is lot as conspicuous and can
be hidden from view more easily, it 10
noiseless and raises but little dustand
it is impossible to determine direction
from its track. Furthermore, the fight
ing strength of bicycle corps is not
diminishedsby 'horse-holders. Under
favorable conditions the bicycle is in
valuable for courier work, scouting
duty, road patrolling and rapid recon
noissance.
ga bicycle corps as an adjunct to
infantry or cavalry could render ex-
cellent service where speed, rather
than number, is required-such as
taking possession of passes, bridges
and strong places ahead of the COM
mand and holding them until re-en-
forcements could he got from the
main road. On the other hand, in
rainy weather and over bad roads the
horse is superior. The very thought
of the bicycle doing away with the
cavalry altogether is ludicrous. Each
has peculiar functions of its own-a
particular field in which under GER
tain conditions the one is superior to
the other. The question, therefore,
which confronts us is: Should not a
modern, up-to-date army have both,
that it might avail itself of the ad-
vantages of one or the other, as the
proper conditions present themselves?
"The trip has been very
satisfactory to me and I think it has
fully demonstrated the practicability
of the bicycle as means OF trans
porting troops Chicago Record.
Passing of Historic Spot.