The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-24
RIDERS WANTED
Government Will Call for a
Volunteer Regiment.
TO GO TO THE PHILIPPINES
VIII Consist OF Over Fourteen Hundred
Men, Organized Into Twelve
Troops-Cavalry Campaign
Is Being Planned.

Montana and the remainder of the
West may soon be called upon to fur
nish one, and perhaps more than one,
regiment of cavalry for duty in the
Philippines.
The government, while it gave only
one regiment of Western rough riders
chance to distinguish themselves in
the Spanish war, was greatly pleased
With the splendid volunteer cavalry
regiments raised. Grigby's Sd U. S.
volunteer cavalry, which was raised
largely in Montana, was ranked a
crack regiment, and long after the mus
ter out, the war department commune
Gated with the officers thereof to ask
where they were and if their men could
be found again in case of need. Butte
Missoula, Miles City and Billings each
contributed one troop to the regiment.
Now comes the word that the govern
ment wants to use rough riders ex-
tensively in the Philippines. 1t is ue-
lieved large number of daring riders
ana expert shots could be secured n
this state for that service. A special
dispatch from Washington says:
The president and his military ad-
Vlsew have determined that an aggres-
slve cavalry campaign is necessary in
the Philippines, and to that end have
already begun ITO make preparations
for augmenting the forces under Cen
eral Otis with more mounted men of the
regular and volunteer services. Orders
preparatory to sending eight troops of
the Sd cavalry to Manila, with the
necessary number of horses, were is
sued to-day, and the quartermaster
generals department has chartered
three fp he nj
mails.
TT is said that this action was based
on recommendation from Otis, who
has come to the conclusion that a large
force OF cavalry can be used in Luzon
with telling effect on the insurgents
Heretofore Otis has had only four
troops Of cavalry, and these have been
used chiefly in accommodating.
The character Of the campaign fol-
lowed by the F'ilipinos is such that they
cannot be closely followed by the in
fantry without great fatigue to the
soldiers.
Military authorities here believe that
with large force of cavalry the retro
grade tactics of the rebels can be
checked and the retreat turned into a
rout. The authorities are of the opin-
ion that If Otis had had several cavalry
regiments his plans for baggng the in
surgents would not have met with fall
uTe. Horses ana caNalrymen are TO be
sent to the Philippines in time to en-
gage in the expected campaign at the
beginning of the dry season.
I'm addition to the eight troops of the
Sd cavalry, a volunteer cavalry resi-
ment is to be organized and sent to
Manila, and enough horses will be
transported to the Philippines ITO en-
able Otis to mount at least one infantry
regiment. The war department antici-
pates no difficulty i'm raising a regi-
ment of volunteer cavalry, which will
be modelled after Roosevelts rough rid
ers. This regiment will consist of LAO
enlisted men, divided into II troops of
100 men each.
1T was found impossible to secure
horses in the Philippines and General
Otis cabled for $500 horses They will
be shipped so as to reach him in time
for active operations at the close of the
rainy season. There are now on hand
at San Francisco 1000 horses, and
number are now on their way to Ma
Mia on the transports Tacoma and
Leelanaw."