Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-05-28
GRIGSBY'S COWBOYS
GO TO THE FRONT
Two Troops Of Cavalry Start for
the Chickamauga Rem
devious.
OTHER TROOPS WILL FOLLOW
A Big Crowd at the Depot to See
the Rough Riders
Depart.
DESTINED TO BECOME FAMOUS
Regiment viii BE Pushed 10 the
Front and VIII Undoubtedly
See Some Hard
Fighting.
DESTINED TO BECOME FAMOUS

Sioux Falls, May 23.-Troops Il OF
Sioux Falls and Il Of Pierre, South Da.
kota volunteer cavalry, the first sol
diers TO leave the state for the front
left for ChickaInauga yesterday at
o'clock over the Omaha. More than
1000 people, friends and relatives and
well wishers of the troops. were at the
train and the enthusiasm was un-
bounded. The train was made up OF
seven cars, which carried the horses,
one Wagner sleeper and three tourist
slecpcrs carrying the officers and men
and a freight and baggage car utilized
for transporting the camp equipments
and cOmmissary stores. The officers
seemed TO realize the gravity Of the oc-
C%asion, but the cowboys were as gay
ms though they were going TO the semi
annual roundup. \ band which es-
| cortcd Colonel Grigsby 10 the depot
| played patriotic airs during the wait
and the train moved away to the
strains Of "A Hot Time in Cuba a
cowboy melody, which filled the air.
Composition OF the Regiment.
The regiment will be made mp of
twelve troops, five from South Dakota,
two from North Dakota, four from
Montana and one from Nebraska, and
will consist Of 1927 men, including
troop officers.
The war department at Washington
has an eye ON the Cowboy" regiment
organization by the Smoked lank,'
as Colonel Grigsby is commonly called
in the west, and the prospects are good
for this regiment TO see some rough
riding and hard fighting long before
many of the other troops are put to
the front.
The Smoked Iank' has an excellent
war record, and his name alone inn
presses every officer and private under
him with confidence. Besides he has
a staff Of officers who are the peer Of
any i'm the northwest. Major Robert
w. Stewart, Of Pierre, Is among the
most prominent. lie is one of the lead
ing attorneys of the northwest, and
his reputation as n fighter, together
with his ability and knowledge of mil
itary affairs, marks him at once as a
leader among the western volunteers.
South Dakota lg proud TO he permitted
TO send out five troops OF such men as
will follow Colonel Grigshy TO the
front.
One hundred and ten horses were
taken by the troops. About fifty more
horses will be needed to supply troops
"B' and IL" A detachment Of sol
dicrs were left behind TO accompany
these horses as soon as they are select
ed. Great care has been taken in Sc
Letting horses for this regiment, moth
ing but fine young gcldlngs from > to
0 years old, OF solid color, either gray
black, and sound in every particu-
lar. have been accepted. The care with
which they have been selected has de-
laycd matters somewhat, or the troops
would have been started two or three
days earlier.
The other troops Of the regiment Will
start from their recruiting points at
about the same time, and reach Camp
Thomas the same day the troops here
arrive. The rcgimcntal officers have
all been mustered in and are as fol-
Colonel Melvin Grigsby, Sioux
S. ID.
Lieutenant Colonel-C. i. Floyd,
Mont.
M~aior-Robcrt w. Stewart, Pierre, S.
ID.
Maior-L. II. French, Grand Forks,
\. u.
Chaplain Rev. c. Il. CIevcngcr,
S. d.