The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1900-09-21
Reilly of Artillery Fame:
(From the Iowa State Register. J

(From the Iowa State Register.)
Many an interesting and startling in
cident is now being told Of the late
Captain Henry ]. Reilly, the COM
mander Of Company F Of the Fifth
United States artillery, an organiza-
ton that was inown throughout the
country and good section of the
world as ''Reilly's battery" Reilly had
ideas of his own about artillery meth
DDS, and much of his great success in
thirty-six years duty in this branch
of the service may be credited thereto.
Every man in Reilly's battery, for in
stance, wore his khaki coat. ram or
shine, no matter how hot it might be.
They might leave OF their shirts if they
wanted to, and most of them did, but
they had to wear the coat Reilly
thought the blue shirts made too good
a target for the enemy, and that he was
right is proved, by the fact that despite
the many engagements Reilly's'. bat
terry was in, the casualties were al
ways comparatively few. In garrison
or camp Reilly never allowed man to
drink water that had not been boiled;
he looked after his men as il they were
all his sons, and they were and are to-
day the healthiest and strongest men
in the United States army. Another
ReiIlyism was that none except COM
missioned officers should carry sabres
and revolvers. it being his theory that
the work of the men would be more
efficient if they depended solely upon
their guns.
What ii your guns were attacked
from ambush some day while the
horses were attached and you could
not use your guns?" was asked hum one
day, and his simple answer was:
Our guns are never where they can
not be brought into instant action"
When on the march Reilly had each
gun attached to the ammunition wagon
by rope some twenty feet long. In
seconds time the rope could be let out,
and the gun was ready for action with
the horses attached and moving. Dur
ing the Santiago campaign Reilly's bat
terry made the infantry footsore. and
his bringing up OF the guns from Bal
auiri was q piece of work that the for
eign attaches thought an impossible
task.
These guns can go wherever cavalry
can go" Reilly would always reply,
when asked by . general II he could 90
so and 50. and he always kept his word.
Surgeon Robinson. who served with
the battery two years. says:
To civilian the recklessness Of
Reilly's men In driving caused shud-
der. Down embankments into . morass
OF mud. water and rank growth The
heavy guns would be dragged. half
falling the six ambitious hoxsss
plunging. snorting and pitching. drivsss
and gunners using whips. tugEing u
brides. spattered and saaping. their
faces black With slimy water. On the
hank would b the captain. certain that
one moro ting all together would save
ten miles to and from a bridge tAat
might Be down At times those feass
cost horses. but nobody ever accused
Reilly of unnecessary usage q IN artil-
lery animal
Reilly always held himself IN The
background. - uas made plain whea
his hattsry was the great feature at the
military tournAmeat In Madison Square
Garden n 1855. The battery almost
monopolised the honors Of that toar-
nament. but . lieutenant was always
in command and Reilly sat In SOME OBJ
scure seat In citizens clothes Reilly
v1s 70 the artillery what Lavton v1s
70 IL tn1nn1xy.