The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-19
MILITARY AT FAIR
PLANS FOR THE SOLDIERS FEAT
URES TO BE PUSHED.
TILTS OF THE CAVALRYMEN
WILL PROBABLY DRAW THE EN-
TIRE FIRST CAVALRY.

Col. Meldrim and President Owens
of the Fair Association Will Take
Up the Plans for the fitting and
the Encampment of Cavalry Upon
the Return of the Former-Col.
MeIdrim Expects to Move Some OF
His Troops to Savannah in the
Snddle-CavaIrymen Await Only
Official Notification of the Tilt Be-
fore Beginning to Practice-Great
Military Pageant, in which Infnn-
try Commands Will Join, Will
Mark the Opening of the Fair.
The plans for the cavalry tilt and
gathering of cavalry troops at Savan-
nah during the State Fair will be
pushed as soon as Col. P. w. Meldrim
returns from Denver, whittier he has
gone to attend the annual meeting of
the American Bar Association. The Sa-
vannah Fair Association has offered
more than $1,000 as team and individ-
ual prizes for fitting, and it is thought
| that this will prove an attraction that
will draw teams from many of the
| cavalry commands.
| Col. Meldrim is very anxious that
some arrangement be made whereby
his entire regiment of ten troops may
be brought to Savannah. Such a gath
| ering of cavalry would mean a great
| thing for the Fair. The cavalry is the
| most spectacular branch of the SER
| vice, and the Georgia troopers in such
force would mean that people would
come from great distance to witness
| their drills and parades.
For every trooper who might come
with his command, there would be
| three or four others than soldiers who
would come, Col. Meldrim reasons.
Every county from which a troop
| might come would have it's interest in
the Fair aroused to fever heat by the
| fact of the presence of its troopers
and their participation in the military
features of the Fair, and in the stir
ring Tits that are to be held.
Col. Meldrim holds that the expense
OF transportation of troopers and their
horses would not be very great, as the
rallroads would grant an extremely low
rate, because of the added attraction
TO the Fair that would be furnished
and the heightened probability of their
| carrying great numbers of passengers.
from the adjoining counties, too. Col.
Meldrlm expects to be able to move his
troops to Savannah in the saddle. In
the case of the Mcintosh Dragons at
Darien, steamer would probably be
used, bringing both men and horses
For one or two of the other troops il
would be a march of fifty or sixty
| miles, but Col. Meldrim believes that
the troopers, being accustomed to the
saddle. would not mind that but rather
enjoy 1T for the experience.
Capt. Gordon Cassels of the Liberty
Troop has taken moving interest in
The matter of the tilt. He brought it
before the directors and pushed it I'M
| TIL they decided to offer the very lib
| eral prizes upon which they agreed
| capt. Cassels is one of the finest filters
in the state, himself, and his team from
| his troop has always given an excellent
| account of itself. 1t has already been
| picked by many as a winner Of the
first prize, but the Georgia Hussars ex-
pect to get in some hard practice as
| soon as the tilt has been officially
brought to their attention. Such is the
| case, too, with the other troops. Those
at Jesup, the two in Liberty county,
that in bingham, the Tattnall and
| Mcintosh troops, the troop at Jesup,
the Hussars at Richmond, the Govern
| or's Horse Guard at Atlanta, the La
Grange troop and that at Gainesville
all expect to give a good account of
themselves. They are awaiting official
advisement, in most cases. before be-
ginning to practice.
The matter of arrangements for the
| tilt was left with Col. Meldrim and
Mr.. George w. Owens, president of the
association. Col Meldrim has been
| away from the city a good deal, as has
Mr.. Owens. with the result that they
have not found it practicable to get
| to work upon their plans. With the
return of Col. Meldrim. however, they
| will busy themselves about the tilt and
| the prospective encampment of the
| cavalrymen. Through Col Meldrim, of
| fetal announcement of prizes and Just
| what is contemplated will reach all
| the troops of his regiment, the First
| Cavalry. 1t will be shown that the Fair
| Association will provide a camp and
| quarters and subsistence for horses
that may be brought. The cavalrymen
will want to bring their own mounts,
as not enough horses could be obtain
ed In Savannah for their purposes.
During the Fair all teams will be busy,
and there will be greater demand
for horses than can be satisfied.
No provision for prizes for infantry
drills has been made by the Fair AS
ISOLATION. Many of the officers of the
infantry commands in the city do not
regard that as a hardship as they do
not approve of competitive infantry
drills. They say that experience has
demonstrated that they are not good
for a company. There will be a great
military pageant at the opening of the
Fair, however, when all the local
troops will take part. 1t is probable,
too, that companies from other places
will be invited to visit the city to par
ticipate in the parade and ceremonies.