The Washington times., 1903-05-02
AMERICAN SOLDIERS
BEST IN THE WORLD
Colonel Edgeriy COntroverts
Baden-POWell'S Criticism.
NOT LACKING IN ENDURANCE
Qualities Tested in Many an Indian
Campaign When Hundred Mile Rides
Were Frequent Occurrences.
NOT LACKING IN ENDURANCE

Much amusement has been created in
military circles by General Baden Pow
ell, of the English army. Just before
his departure from New York the other
day. in an interview he said he did not
believe the American soldiers were the
equal of the English in endurance He
thought they were undeveloped. of small
size, and fed too we'll. 1t was his belief
they drank too much coffee and all of
their food was too rich and too highly
seasoned. He made other remarks of
a similar character, not harshly, but IN
simple. friendly criticism. He said the
American cavalry horse was the best in
the world, and he praised highly the
Second Cavalry. With the present food
allowed the men. he said a hard cam
paign would wear them out, and cause
big sick list.
Now, say the men of the army. this
would all be very we'll If it were based
on fact, but they say it is not. Officers
who were interviewed said the men had
been drinking coffee all of their lives,
beginning when babies. Their parents
had disposed of great quantities of cof-
fee before them. so the American could
not very well be injured by his indul
gence in the national beverage. Then,
too. they pointed out that the Beers,
who are the greatest coffee drinkers in
the world. proved themselves just lii
tie better in the way of fighting aud en-
duTance than the British
General Baden-PowelPs Mistake.
1T seems TO me- said Col. Winfield
S. Edgerly, OF the famous Second Cav
airy at Fort Myer, in discussing the
criticisms, that General Baden Powell
made the mistake of judging the whole
of the cavalry of the United States by
the few men he saw at Madison Square
Garden, New York, where they are TAX
ing part in the military exhibition Sc
far as We know these men are the only
troops he looked over. These men were
selected to perform some one particular
athletic feat. and they are younger and
lighter than the average seasoned troop
er. A man, who leaps over four horse:
must necessarily be light. AS the mer
are young and light they would neces-
sariiy give a foreigner, who is &C.
customed 10 the bulky and beefy mer
OF Germany and England, the impression
that they are undeveleoed.
THE slight, slender and youthful
looking Americans. however. usually
have muscles of steel"
Colonel Edgerly than described the diff.
ferent drills of the cavaIrymen, anG
showed that the United States drills
are equally as good for developing the
men as those of the British army. Con-
corning General Baden PoweIIs asser-
tion that the men lacked endurance Col
onel Edgerly said the endurance and
fighting qualities of the Federal an6
Confederate cavalry N the civil wal
changed the cavalry tactics of the
world
Tested in Indian Warfare.
In the Indian campaigns some Of tbs
marches made by the troops have never
been ecualed 1t was to this style OF
fighting that General Baden-Poweu re-
iferred when he told his troops to follow
American methods, and to let the OBJ
solete methods of the British army GO
There have been so many Of these
exhibitions of endurance In the West ~
continued Colonel Edgerly, that to cite
only part of them would require a
book The Custer campaign, in which
took part, is an instance We marched
almost steadily three days. and then
went into the fight without a rest In this
long ride We lost only one horse. and
not one of the men reported sick. One
hundred mile rides by officers. COWBOYS.
and troopers. the distance covered in
frequent in the West they have been
regarded as common
AS regards our men. We are so sure
of them We give aII~of our attention
% the horses. Cavalry is as strong as its
iorses. The men invariably wear them
'ut. We think our men are the best
in the world"