The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-05

q It's long way, quickly Travelled, frol
the recruiting rendezvous to the saddle
/, a cavalry regiment of the America
; Army. Proud is the 'yellow-leg' VIII
> gets permission to ride through a CARR
son town on a strong -limbed young hors
, | but he has worked TO reach that goa
: The recruit works, the non-commissione
, officer works, and the colonel is glad I
, stay in his quarters after dinner, when
new cavalry regiment is building.
About thirty-five years ago the Gov
ernment organized the last of its regula
cavalry regiments up to this year. O
course, there were several Rough Rid
ers regiments formed in the SPANS
war. but they could not be termed cav
airy as the regulars use the word, 70
they were with horses only a short time
Then there was the Eleventh Noluntee
Cavalry, organized in the Philippines, bu
that body was made up of men who ha
been in the service, is nov out of eX
istence, and its number has been give
to a regular regiment. forming at For
Myer. near Washington. The Army bill
passed by the last Congress authorizes
five new cavalry regiments, and of thes
one the Fourteenth is organizing at For
Leavenworth.
The men enlisted for the cavalry ar
lighter in weight and appear 10 b.
younger than those usually found in al
infantry regiment. In one batch" arriv
ing at a post may be men enlisted il
Rhode Island, Virginia. and Michigan
Many of them may never have touched
a saddle and their love for the cavalry
possibly may have been cultivated largely
by fine war pictures. After a recruit has
been sworn in for service he is a marked
man as far as the War Department is
concerned Every scar blemish IN his
body is placed on an outline map of him
self and this is filed in Washington. AS
long as he behaves properly, he need not
concern himself about the map, but should
he ever get into trouble and again come
within the reach of the War Department
he need not attempt to conceal his iden-
tity. Less than week will bring his old
| name and record from Washington and
| that without the asking.
The recruit reaches the post in citi-
lszens clothes and, according to directions,
| reports at headquarters. moment or
| two and non-commissioned officer is
| leading him to the hospital, where he
| undergoes another examination, and then
| he is hustled to barrack and finds that
| he is Smith. A B.. private No Ga '.X''
| Troop, Fourteenth United States Cavalry.
| His number is marked on all the equip
ment issued to him.
Here is your bed and here is the bath
tED man in blue tells him Take this
underwear and uniform with you and
turn in your old clothes When Smith,
or No. GA, x, returns to the barrack room
he finds nice collection of underwear
uniforms, shoes, etc, awaiting him, and
with them clothing schedule on which
everything is carefully charged to his
clothing allowance. He is also told he
may have one pound of tobacco, clothes
brush, soap, towels, etc.
Now he is ready to begin the life OF a
soldier, and at his next step he generally
decides how pleasant or profitable his
army experience will be. In every Regu-
lar Army organization there ere two
kinds of soidiers-the good and the bad.
While the bad may be largely outrum-
bered, still they are there If the rocky
turns to the bad end OF his troop he is
nearly sure of a bad record and an early
visit TO the guardhouse or worse. If he
he stands a chance for advancement to
which there is no limit In the American
Army the enlisted man is encouraged 10
work for a commission
That night a trumpet call puts out
Smiths light and sends him to bed. At
6 O'Clock next morning another trumpet
jerks him onto his feet and in twenty
minutes he must have dressed, answered
roll call, and have started on the march
to the mess hall, a dining-room where
700 or 500 men maybe served at once.
Coffee comes In soup bowls, and hungry
men in flannel shirts don't give much
time to table etiquette when they know
that the cigarette or pipe is waiting.
The cooks are soldiers, all detailed for
the duty from the several troops. In an
other hour Smith, yesterday in civilians
clothes, is doing fatigue duty; that Is,
he is getting things in shipshape in and
about his barrack. Next he is out on the
green parade ground forming a squad
with ten or twelve other rockies
non-commissioned officer teaching them
how to walk. II the regiment is wholly
new and "non-coms'' are scarce the most
ke1y ma in Vvh IN "a had
previous drill, is r.ade squad leader.
And then it's drill, and when there's no
drill it's something else-enough to keep
the new man out of trouble. In learning
to walk the new man Smith is put
through calsthenics until his unused
muscles are stretched and then hardened.
chest is to lose it's fairness He is taught
to salute. and learns what is expected
of a soldier.
During the first week he has no use for
a carbine or saber, except In the bar
racks, whore he is taught the names of
the parts of the carbine, and how to clean
and care for the arm. In the second week
he is given a carbine al drill and he finds
more new muscles in his arms and should
ers. If he is from . desk a blister or two
may appear on his hands. but all is for
gotten in the wild appetites. that has de-
sionally catches himself thinking IF the
mess hall when he should be learning the
exact position OF the third finger OF the
Armsr' It's drill in the morning and drill
in the afternoon with intervals sufficient
to prevent a tagging of interest. Should
Smith carry himself well, Keep his equip
ment in conspicuously good order, he
will find himself rewarded with an APP
pointment as orderly to the colonel; and
that is about the only way he can earn a
twenty-four hour leave in the days of
soldier-building. day as orderly be-
gets leave to 90 to the city. With good
fortune this distinction may come in the
Second week.
In the third week Smith has probably
found his chum or "bunky,' and feels at
home In the groups that form about the
quarters after sunset, when the trumpet
ers sound the beautiful retreat call,
which has nothing to do with a retreat,
but marks the ceremony OF saluting the
Stars and Stripes as they float down the
great garrison flagstaff for the night. If
there Is a band in the post il plays The
Star Spangled Banner" The men are
lined up in front OF their quarters, and all
hats come OFF Then there is no more
musicians. and there is amusement
hall, where the men gather and sing or
play. Here. also, they may give dances. |
The third week brings more setting-up
say, "seluting and military department, |
customs and courtcsies." He advances
another step with the carbine and is |
trained in firing discipline and aiming and |
with a yellow cord on his |
hat instead of white, and a carbine in |
stead of a rifle, for he has probably had |
nothing to do with horse, saddle, nor |
seber. JuSt as he is growing weary OF |
the everlasting setttng-up work and the |
little sawed. off carbine, with its wondrous |
sights, he takes in hand the beautiful cav
airy saber, or, as the old men call ii, the |
battleaxe. Daily the squad, which may |
now have grown to a troop, stands on the
de "a no |