Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-12
DAY AT FORT MEYER
Something About the Work Of
Uncle Sans Troopers.
Peter ]. Fay, Worcester Boy, Belongs to
Crack Troop E, Which is Noted for
Its Horsemahship.

toned four troops of United States 9Th
cavalry, and a mounted band. The
troops are A, e, G and H, and the rou-
tine of duty will be interesting reading
to local people, from the fact that a
Worcester boy, Peter ]. Fay, is a rnem-
Der of the garrison. being attached to
troop E. The location of the post is on
the banks of the Potomac, overlooking
the city of Washington, and more de-
sirable location could not be chosen. To
d civilian, a band playing on horseback
was novelty, but the musicians found
little difficulty and played as well as any
band that has paraded the streets Of
Worcester.
The routine of duty at the post is
simple The men arise with the bugle
call, at 6.15 a. M, and fall in for roll
call, after which they breakfast The
first duty of the day is at the stables,
where the troopers don their white
uniforms, and for half hour are busily
engaged in attending their horses. This
work finished, the men return to quar-
ters and clean up about the buildings,
and then those who have been selected
for guard duty, three or four from each
troop, prepare for the ceremony. This
takes place every morning at 8 O'Clock,
when the band renders several selec-
tions while the major inspects the car
olnes and general appearance of the
guard. Woe to the trooper whose toi-
let is bit awry. He is taken before
the major and sentenced to the guard
house, the sentence varying from to
80 days, besides having s. deducted from
his salary.
An inmate Of the guard house is called
upon to do all the hard labor at the
post, and is followed about by a guard
who always carries his carbine and am
munition while with prisoners. Besides
singing out the untidy men at guard
mounting, it has also been the custom
to select the two neatest appearing
troopers, who are detailed as orderlies
for the commanding officer and adju-
tant. This custom is not always ad-
hered to, because sometimes instead of
the neatest men, two of the adjutant' S
favorites are the lucky ones The du-
ties Of the orderlies are light compared
with those of the other members of the
guard. The adjutants orderly acts as
the sergeant-majors messenger during
the day, while the commanding officer S
orderly's duty is to follow the colonel
wherever he goes and deliver such mes
sages as he wishes to send. Both or
derlies sleep in their quarters at night
while the members of the guard have to
remain in the guard house and take
their turns during the long hours Of the
night at walking post. The orderlies
are relieved at 8 o'clock the second
morning at the same time the guard is
dismissed. The commanding officer
orderly is then granted a "a hours pass
and may go where he chooses, while the
remainder of the guard are liable fol-
duty at any time after they are re-
lieved from guard. After remaining
up all night and the next day, they must
go out and work at what is termed
''old guard fatigue" such as hauling
| wood and coal for the officers, sweeping
| the roads and moving the ashes from
| the officers quarters.
Their days work is done at g. Is p. m.
| when they must Immediately return t.
their quarters, arrange their toilet anC
prepare for supper which follows sooI
| after, After supper they must agail
| clean up and then fall in for roll call
which is called retreat, and is blown
| every evening at sunset. This ends tn
| days routine, and ali well-behaved mel
are at liberty to visit the city.
| At present, the troops at the post ar
| holding their drills in the large tan
bark floor riding hall. These drills o
the Sixth Cavalry are world-renowneC eC
and have been witnessed by all the no
eign countries, and have been pro
nounced the finest in the world, beins
the most daring and most difficult oi
all such exhibitions. The crack trooI
at this drill is E Troop, to which Fay /:
attached. This troop has turned out th'
finest rough riders, now with the Buf
falo Bill show. The greatest and most
daring rider in the troop, is Martin Pen
nela of Brooklyn, N. Y, who has re.
of + rid
with tent shows. The troops drill al
hour every day. Exhibition drills are
given every Friday afternoon, and are
witnessed by thousands as no admission
is charged to the hall The feats OF
horsemanship displayed by the troopers
nearly set the spectators wild, while the
band plays popular airs, and the mer
are doing everything Imaginable in the
line of horsemanship Troop e is the
flower Of this command, and its appear
ance in the hall is the signal for loud
applause, which is kept up during the
troops stay in the hall. The men OF
this troop all appear in rubber soleo
shoes, leggings, blue trousers, dark blue
shirts, yellow silk neck ties and caps
All ride bareback, and take it all in al
make very attractive appearance. The
drillmaster is Lieutenant A c. Nissen
a very efficient officer, who is well
versed in hoFsemanship.
The equal of the featS which these
troopers perform for a half hour, are
not to be found In the world, and they
have made this troop famous. The men
are now expecting orders at any mo
ment to repair to New York city, where
they are to represent the u. S. army
at the military carnival to be held at
Madison Square Garden the week OF
March 14-19, where they are to give
these drills. The officers of Troop e are
Capt B. H Cheevers, troop command
er, who has done much to bring the
troop up to it's high state of efficiency
First Lieutenant Brooks, and Second
Lieutenant Sirmerfer, a graduate with
last years class at West Point. The
non-commissioned officers of the troop
who number IL, are a set of men upon
whose shoulders rests a great deal OF
responsibility. They must attend
school during the week and be respon-
sible for the good appearance Of their
squads, besides doing all other duties
such as guard and drill. They are now
engaged in drawing maps and making
scales from wood, such as triangles,
squares, cubes and numerous other ar
ticles which, to say the least, is very
tedious work.
The troopers at Fort Never are often
called upon for escort duty to notables
visiting Washington, and recently acted
as escort to President Dole of Hawaii.
All in all, day at Fort Meyer is well
filled with work for the troopers, but
of the men re-enlist when their time
expires,
PENSION CHANGE.
Among the pension changes resulting