The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-07

to duty on the Florida coast. The popular
idea that the Ninth goes South because the
torrid regions are the natural element of
the negro is q great mistake. The regiment
has fought as well IN the North as in the
south The members have stood the cold
better than the white troopers, and so have
observed the colored troops think the
negro can stand any extreme climate bet
ter than the white man.
A REVELATION TO THE WORLD.
The Ninth ought to be revelation to the
world IL they are called into action, for, of
course few people outside of the West
know what fighting these colored troops
nave done against the Indians. They ride
like centaurs, and can shoot a revolver
with each hand, holding their bride reins
in their teeth while the horses are running.
Their warfare with the Indians adapts them
to fighting modern guns particularly, for
1t is conceded that there cannot be such a
thing as charge Of cavalry en- masse since
tne rapid-f1re machine guns are used.
Inc scatter fighting the Ninth is used to
IN the West will be the very thing for this
new service. This troop can scatter over
a mile, charge like a whirlwind and face
anything. Their revolvers can be fired al
most as rapidly as a machine gun. When
they go into action they resort to all the
tacticeS taught them in Indian fighting to
conceal their bodies, and Spanish soldiery
Wlil De given lesson in rough and tumble
nghting if they ever meet the Ninth
Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton is in active
command of the Ninth now Colonel Perry
being away on sick leave Trumpeter George
Taylor on April completed thirty years
service with this famous command. He was
the second man to enlist at New Orleans,
and is one of the five members of the orig
maj company who have survived the terri
bic service of the Ninth. Unless an exception
is made, these five old fighters will be dis
charged from the service this month. All
are afraid the limit of their service will ex-
pre- before they get last chance to fight
for the Cubans They are all over fifty
years old, except Taylor, who enlisted when
he was sixteen years old. AS army Off
Ger recently remarked: ''There are some
awful hard custC .ners in the ranks of the
old Ninth, but they are all frst-class fight
ing men.
the Ninth Cavalry, and in fact one of the
most extraordinary incidents in the history
OF the operations in the Indian country, was
the dash of Troop d of the Ninth on Oct. 3,
1879 at MILK river, when they went
to the rescue of Thornburg's COM
mand, which was hemmed in by
hostile White river Utes. Troop d
was sent through the lines of the Indians
with a hurrah. Every horse in the troop
was Killed, not one getting inside the breast
works. Yet. remarkable to relate not one
member OF the detachment was killed. Many
members of the Ninth carry merit medals
Tor deeds of daring and bravery in action.
in the United States Army" authorized by
Congress in 1896. 1t is brief but exceed
ingly well-written sketch by Lieutenant
Grote Hutchinson, of the Ninth Cavalry. He
is West Pointer, who Joined the Ninth at
Fort Sill in 1884, and is at present adjutant
of General Coppinger, of the Department of
!