The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-19
Wheeln1en
-WiII Serve
TheArmy

Among the many new things"
which will receive their initial practical
test with the army in Ouba is the bicy-
Gle. Lieutenant J. A. Moss of the Tween
ty-fifth infantry, u. S. A., who led the
bicycle corps Of his regiment, fully
armed and equipped, run Of 1000
miles from Fort Missoula, Montana, to ST.
Louis, in the early summer Of 1897, said
the other day that the popular idea of
the adaptability of the bicycle for mill
tary work was erroneous. Many people
think that military cyclists sprint along
after fieeting enemy at a ten mile clip
with the commanding officer scorching
calamity ahead waving sword in one
hand and banging q revolver with the
other.
"As a matter of fact the bicycle is in
tended to be used only as means OF
transportation, said the lieutenant
"for after soldier mounted awheel has
reached his destination he wants to dis
card his wheel and fight as plain ev-
eryday infantry soldier. From extensive
experiments and a large amount of
reading ON the subject do not think it
possible for one officer to be able to
command more than 100 cyclists; conse-
qnently the fighting unit Of bicycle
corps should consisG Of 100 men.
Military cyclists, intended to be
used as independent combatants should
be well disciplined men, excellent shots
and soldiers of fine physique. There is
no better way Of harassing an enemy
than by throwing confusion into his
ranks and demoralizing him by con-
stantly surprising him, causing him to
deploy for action without giving him
action.
"In view of the fact that bicycle
corps would always consist of limited
number of men and that it would gener-
ally attack superior numbers, the lead
ing feature Of its fighting tactics would
be never to get seriously engaged. Con-
sequently the fighting tactics Of such
corps would be to appear Unexpectedly
in the rear or on either flank of the enc
my and, firing several volleys at the ad-
versary, retire before getting into Sc
rious fight
"The cycling corps Of the Twenty
fifth infantry traversed stretches Of
country which were impossible to cav
alfymen. We rode ever the bewlders,
rocks and rough land Of the mountains,
making three or four times cavalry
speed
1.-THE long range effectiveness of mod
ern rifles gives the military cyclists
abundant opportunity for harassing the
enemy. Suppose a column of the enc
my's infantry is marching over road
which runs parallel to ridge-say
from 1, 500 to 1000 yards distant
with fields, shrubbery, ETC., between.
The military cycling corps of 100 sharp
shooters armed with modern rifles
wheels to this ridge, digmounts and lays
the wheels ON the ground. The men be-
gin plumping bullets into the marching
soldiers, who at once deploy and ad
vance toward the firing party. Now the
cyclists can continue shooting until the
enemy is within 1000 or 700 yards
Then they mount their wheels, and
long before the advancing soldiers have
reached the place are several miles
away. Then the cyclists make detour
and, selecting another advantageous po-
sition, pursue the same tactics, keeping
this up, worrying and harassing the en-
emy constantly, delaying its march and
doing effective work.
Cycling corps would be used with
infantry or cavalry principally as ad-
vance and rear guards. Because Of the
advantages a cycle corps has over infan-
try and cavalry by reason of its celebrity
and resisting power, the best way to
meet the enemy's bicycle corps is with
another bicycle corps It's case Of
fighting the devil with fire. Conse-
quently if by reason Of muddy roads, the
topography and character Of the coun-
try or for other reasons We could not
use our bicycles the enemy could not
use theirs. Hence the necessity of our
having bicycle corps at that time will
exist in O much less degree.
''The whole thing can be covered in
this general statement: If for any rea-
son q soldier cannot use his bicycle, no
does what tho ordinary infantryman
does-he walks. At the same time he
has the advantage that his rifio and
equipment are on his bicycle, which he
pushes as he walks, and it is much easi-
er carrying his impedimenta that way
than on his body. So even at the worst
he is better off than the ordinary infan-
tryman. Malcolm Mcdowell in Chi
cago Record.