Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-10-20

MAJOR Il. B. HERSEY
Gives An Interesting Account of His
Experience with Colonel Roose-
velt's Rough Riders.
HE PRAISES THE COMMAND
General Woods Effective Labors-Why
There Was No Regimental Band--Good
Y. M. 9. A. Work-Politico- Eco
nomio Needs of Cuba.


Major H. B. Hersey, senior major of
Roosevelt's Rough Riders, and COM
manding officer of the New Mexico
squadron, returned Monday night from
New York city, stopping a few days at
Chicago en- route. He missed all super
abundant attentions from inquisitive
people on the way home as he did not
wear his uniform, and therefore was
not leased and besieged by passengers
for souvenirs. He travelled on the At
lantic coast for a month, visiting with
friends in New England and in New
York state after being mustered out at
the Point.
Major Hersey left Santa Fe in May.
in command of New Mexico's squadron,
and when the regiment a organized
at San Antonio, Texas, his was made
the second squadron of the regiment.
The other two majors We're Major Bro
die, of Arizona, and Major Dunn, of
Washington city and formerly Of Colo
RADIO. In an interview last evening the
major said: when the regiment was
made up, the order came from Wash
ington to have only 10 men to a troop:
and as all the troops had SIS men. the
number was reduced to 10 men, and the
extra men were put in other and new
| troop organizations. Drilling was
| pushed and the men got into shape rap
| idly, so that when the command left for
Tampa the regiment was in good cOndi-
ton. At the time Of arrival in Tampa
orders came from Washington to in
crease the strength Of each troop to 100
men. When eight troops were sent over
to Cuba they We're only equipped for 70
/ men to the troop, Inc l was left in COM
mand of the camp, with instructions to
procure arms and equipment and re-
| cruit the regiment to the full number as
rapidly as possible. This Vas rather
slow work on account of the regular
regiments being also increased to the
full war strength, and there was a
shortage of arms and equipment. Prog
ress was made, however, and the full
number of recruits and equipment were
soon secured, and every effort was
made by me. as well as by every other
officer left there, to get the balance OF
the regiment over to Cuba. Orders were
issued several times for such move
ment, but the government was unable
to secure sufficient transports to han
die the men and horses; and finding
| that it would be impossible to get the
balance of the regiment sent over,
succeeded in getting orders to proceed
to Cuba and join the part of the regi-
ment already over there. This was after
the surrender of Santiago, and at about
the time the Puerto Rico expedition was
being made up. On arriving in Cuba
Colonel Roosevelt was acting brigade
commander, and being the ranking OIL.
Ger Of the regiment I was placed II
command, and continued to be so unit
after arrival at Montauk, when Colone
Brodie, having recovered from hi!
wounds, Joined the regiment and as
sumed command.
THE climate at Tampa was very hard
on the men, and then the feeling Of dis
appointment, shared alike by e v
cry officer and man at not being able
to get over and be with the regiment
during the fights was probably the
greatest hardship that could have beer
suffered. The officers and men, while
at Tampa under my command, Tic ex-
cellent work, became very proficient Ii
drill, and if they had been b to have
gotten into the fight would have giver
a fine account of themselves. The mer
were of an excellent class, amenable te
discipline and earnest in their work
and / received the hearty corporation
of the officers who were left in camp or
duty. At Montauk, a great deal of sick
ness developed from the malaria in thu
systems of the men, but with the excel
lent care and treatment received there
the improvement in the health of the
regiment was quite rapid"
The major was asked relative to the
regimental band, and he replied there
was none. He had called Colonel Woods
attention to the matter of a band while
at San Antonio, and said the band at
Santa Fe could be secured. But the
colonel was more Of a fighter than a
musician. He held hat the regiment
would probably go right to Cuba and
go into fighting, and q band was unne-
cessary. So the Rough Riders had nc
band. However, many other regiments
took their bands along, and there was
plenty of martial music on the island
other than the whistling of rifle bullets.
The army and navy commission OF
the Young Mems Christian Association
did good work among the troops. The
commission generally had a large tent
for every three regiments, except where
a command was isolated, and ther
there was a separate tent for that com
mand. These tents were provided witt