New-York tribune., 1899-06-11
A CAVALRY WEEK.
EXPERIENCES OF SQUADRON A AT THE
PEEKSKILL CAMP.
INTERESTING ROUTINE OF THE DAILY LIFE
MARCHES THROUGH THE ENEMY's
COUNTRY

The week just closed has been the first that has
..sr within the memory of the State Camp OF In
,r,ction been devoted exclusively to the cavalry
-r OF the service and there has been charm
hout II that has never been found IN the infantry
,campments. in the weeks when cavalry and in
.,trv have been quartered together upon the
,lsiu nor yet in those other weeks when the State
s..,ores have held the camp as their own. True
n,-e was fascination about the rumbllng oS
s.lvv artillery wagons and the rapid movements
=, batteries across the broad plain at full gaIlop
s,b the strident trumpet calls that changed flying
.o1umns into long lines Of frowning guns belching
s,, name and smoke and thunder but the very
,ss Of the rumbling wheels the strain,ng at the
hs-ness and the snap OF the long black whip were
Ill indications of limitations. In the cavalry all
,h,s is changed. There is, instead. the perfect
,,ssdou OF motion. with the laundering OF horses
,oofs IN the mad. unrestrained dash across the
slain the glinting OF sabres swung high In the air
,d ,he thrilling "Hi-yi-yi-yi" of the wild riders
as they charge down upon a supposed enemy. all
h.,rr creative Of the romance that makes the cav
airy incompatible with anything else.
such at least. have been the feelings of the
.osc,ators al camp during the last week and the
.s.,ins Of the scenes has been In absolute har-
-,onv with every act. The broad. grsss-covered
ls,sap with its park Of white tents and dull-col-
ored buildings has been suggestive of the frontier
NOS, with which cavalry is always associated
snggestiou made stronger by the total absence Of
,rYsntry Below has stretched the silver river,
,spplpg the shores OF ground most fertile In legend
,ns wartime stories. Beyond 10 the north, have
s,nod the wooded hills and mountains that only a
u,,le stretch Of the imagination has led fancy to
nirture as wild and unexplored Businesses. while
~. bugle calls which have marked the passage OF
ne hours have added an accent of their own
Probably few Of Squadron A looked upon their
,our Of duty from this spectacular point of view.
Their days were TOO full for incoming" and leisure
hours when they came were too much occupied In
ENJOYING the delights OF soldier comradeship 10
permit Of observing what beautiful pictures they
hsury made in going about their humblest duties.
They were up az O'Clock in the morning. ready
FOR the days work TO be begun From 515
O'Clock they drilled infantry in extended order.
AZ 80 the waiting breakfast found them ready
for it, with appetites whetted 10 a keen edge by
TIE early morning work. After breakfast they
found their quarters were 10 be pohced guard
mount came al s. mounted troop drill from s:So 10
ms with 4 chance between that and the u O'Clock
dinner 10 take a bath al the bathhouse and then
the afternoon was at their disposal until o'clock,
when horses had TO be watered. fed and groomed
again When that finished il was time TO get
ready for supper which was $50 and the even
Ing meal was followed closely by evening parade
s:45 with twenty-ninute squadron drill i'm
mediateiy after. One had his choice between at
tending a hand concert afterward or seeking such
other amusement as camp affords until tattoo at
10 and taps al H. which blew out the lights and
That schedule shows a pretty good days work,
and Il obtained throughout the week. There were
because both General Roe and Major Bridgman
sort needed had been and would be covered on the
march 10 and from camp, marches by the way
wMch were conducted Win az me careluI atIeIi-
ton 10 deIsu given TO march through an eneny
country. This did not appear 10 the superncl9i
OF was the passage from one nights camping place
70 another with the incidental necessary cooking
more than This The squadron was at all times
preceded by an advance guard which had ,d lss
'hankers" OF the squadron were following along
down cross or side roads on reconnoitring sallies
70 discover II possible enemy were lurking IN me
up between the outrlders and the main body. Gen
era Roe and Major Bridgman being constantly ,,,dy
were passing through. as well as the fact that no
- srbt Ts,s was done In the march TO and from
camp and abundance Of experience was de-
The time in camp therefore devoted solely
10 the other drills. and these were entered into
with the utmost enthusiasm. The home armory, or
Only Troop A is too confined for much more tha1
tsorovghiv deltShted with the broad plateau that
offered 50 much room for the more extended and
were not entered upon nurriedly. The course was
rather progressive and passed through tae Varioes
slower movements not being abandoned unit ms Ihe
men had become perfected in them. ne TSsut1 ,
has been that the squadron goes oacK 10 New-
York better drilled and more efficient than ever,
having fully carried out the scheme Of summer IN.
struciion planned by the Governor ana the eiicie"'
ofcers now al the head OF the Guard. 49, ,
There was one characteristic Of the squadron eEi-
denced al camp as well at all other times.
w5sch rrskes In especially noteworthy. That is its
esprit de corps 1t was IKE large famiIy' WIN Win
nan in the squadron. This was as true OF the OF
acers as OF the men. and Major Bridgman was as
EASILY approached by trooper as he would nave
heen hsd he worn a sergeant's or corporal
chevrons instead OF the gold-eafed shoulder strap
], was ne same with the other commissioned OF
aeers and even General Roe formerly IN command
Of the squadron. was regarded more as one OF tns
scuadror's own than as the commanding oIlCeL oI
ihs Sfste Guard But there is no lack OF dlsclpIne
fo- All that and the squadron Is one OF tne nIese -
the STATE.
1ur ,-or-rr,r-v pTCUTC Or TIE WEST.