Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-27
GAVE FAREWELL DRILL
Expert Horsemen Of the
Second Cavalry.
CORDIALLY q REETED
NOVEL FEATUR's OF ToDAY's
EXHIBITION.
Career of Capt. Brett's Composite
Troop-Wiu Soon Depart for
the Philippines.


of the I'd United STATES Cavalry gave its
farewell drill before an immense audience
in the riding h..H a. Fort Myer. Va, THIS
afternoon. Thes- troopers have entertained
the citizens OF Washington for almost two
years and the crowd that greeted them as
they rode into the hall today was enthu-
siastic in Its 7ppl use and gene. Gus with
It's praise. The composite troop on this oc-
CASTOR IS commanded by Capt John +.
Wade OF Troop T. with % Lieut.. Emory j.
Pike. commissLry and quartermaster of the
squadron, and I'd Lieut. Joseph F. Taulbee,
of Troop H. Later in the afternoon drill
Will be given by the 4th Field Battery Of
the Artillery Corps The batte.y is com
manded by Capt. Stephen M Foote with I'd
Lieuts. Edmund Vessel and Wade H. Car
penter, both of the artillery corps of the
army and attached to the 4th Battery.
This troop las Leen famous throughout
the east rs one OF the foremost agSregations
Of horsemen in the world. 1t has been ex-
hibted by oruer of the, Secretary of War
twice in Madison Square Garden. New
York, and has given frequent exhibitions
here 1t is said that the work done by the
officers and men in the course of he past
year and half has never been eQualed by
cavalry troop III the history of the United
States army. The men are now preparing
to leave their station here to go to the
Philippine Islands. When they depart they
will leave their horses. and so the exhibit
ton this afternoon was of more than. usual
interest to the troopers as we'll as to the
spectators as it is the last these men Will
give with these horses.
Several Novel Features.
In today's drill Captain Wade introduced
several features that were not seen in the
drills last year. The most attractive of
these to the average spectator was the
ecution of what is known as Butts manual
of calisthenics with the saber. These move
ments were devised by Captain Edmund L..
Butts of the 18th Infantry, and when ex-
ecuted to the music of the band are not
only beneficial to the men. but are pretty
to look upon. To the military man, however,
1t was not the execution of Butts manual
that drew attention, but a wholly different
movement wherein the mounted men are
formed in two lines down the length of the
hall. and every other man rides his horse
at trot around the man next in rank to
him, the pivot man remaining stationary
turning his horse, without moving from the
spot where he was halted, to follow the
movements of the man who rides about him
This feat executed without halting
from trot, and was greeted with the most
enthusiastic praise by the military experts
who saw it. The movement was calculated
not only to show the superb horsemanship
OF the cavalrymen, but also the training of
the horses themselves.
There were two squads In the troop. one
of which performed its evolutions with the
saddle and bride and the other bareback.
The movements that were executed. which
have been described in The Star several
times, were all done with the utmost pre-
cision and at the exact time of command.
The opinion has been expressed by some
OF the persons who have seen these exhibit
lions at Fort Myer that while these troops
were very highly trained for garrison work
and exhibition drills they did not look to
be hard" enough to stand actual field
service. 1t might be said that the troopers
of the I'd Cavalry were in the field almost
the entire summer at one place another
and that the 4th Battery spent the entire
summer in field marching several hundred
miles during the time they were out and re-
turning to Fort Myer without scratch or
an accident
Organized by Capt. Brett.
The organization OF the composite troop
was accomplished in February. 1902 by
Capt. Lloyd NJ Brett. who at that time was
in command of Troop r. The troop was
made up from the four troops of the I'd
squadron. F. II. G and E. In January. i'm
mediately after the return Of the regiment
from a three years stay in Cuba orders
were issued for the organization Of troop
OF expert horsemen to represent the cav
airy arm of the service In an exhibition at
Madison Square Garden. New York. under
the auspices of the Military Athletic League
OF America.
Owing to circumstances that seemed to
initiate against the organization Of the
command from the first, the troop was not
brought together until about the middle of
February. and then 1t had but six seven
weeks to prepare for the exhibition which
was to be given in New York in March.
After a good deal of hard work on the part
of the officers In command the organiZa-
tion was perfected and magnificent exhi-
billion was given. At that time the troop
was commanded by Capt. Brett, who had
as his lieutenants First Lieut. Charles G..
Harvey and Second Lieut.. Walter F. Mar
tin Lieut.. Martin was attached to Troop
G at that time, but has since been pro-
NOTED and assigned to Troop H.
After the first exhibition the officials of
the War Department decided that In 1903
there should be some competition for the
honor of representing the cavalry of the
army, and with this object in view orders
were issued directing the I'd and 7th cav
airy regiments to prepare troops for the
exhibition. the better one to be selected for
the place.
This Years Rivalry.
In consequence of this order two troops
were trained in each regiment, one Of
those Of the I'd Cavalry being that which
Capt. Brett had drilled for the exhibition
In 1902 Capt. Brett was in charge of the
troop at this time Also and began his
drills early in the fall, taking the men
into the riding hall every day for drill
with the horses and into the gymnasium
for series of physical training exercises
TO prepare them for the work with the
horses.
This troop accomplished wonders, and
when inspected by the board appointed for
New York. 1t was judged by all to be the
best in the army. At this time Captain
Brett had associated with him FIRST Lieut..
Charles G. Harvey. Second Lieut.. Charles
MICH. Eby. both of Troop F and Second
Lieut. Joseph f. Taulbee of Troop H.
The troops visit to New York was a Sc
ries OF ovations. while the troop was in
training weekly exhibitions were given in
the riding hall to which the public was in
vted. These drills were invariably well
attended and the spectators were always
most enthusiastic. On several occasions
the troop was ordered out by the President
for exhibitions. and on several occasions it
has been ordered to give drills for the ben
eft of foreign soldiers who nave visited the
United States. The last drill given before
the retirement of Captain Brett from COM
mand of his troop was in Detroit Mich,
during the meeting of the Society of the
Army of the Santiago.
Capt. Wade in Charge.
Shortly after that Captain Brett was de-
tailed as adjutant general of the District
National Guard This fall Capt. John p.
Wade took up the troop. and has been Civ