Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-01
DRILL AT FORT MYER
TROOPERS OF 18TH CAVALRY
GIVE FINE EXHIBITION.
Difficulties Encountered by Their In
structors - Third Field Battery's
Movements Up to Standard.

Beginning a. o'clock this afternoon, in
the riding hail at Fort Myer, the troopers
of the 18th Cavalry and the artillerymen of
the Sd Battery of Field Artillery inaug-
urated another series of those military
spectacles which have been such an i'm
portant feature of life at the national CAPT.
tai during the past three years. The exhi-
billions are given preparatory to the depar-
ture of troop of cavalry and the 4th Bat
terry for New York, where these two or
ganizations will represent the cavalry and
field artillery in the tournament to be given
at Madison Square Garden under the aus
pices of the Military Athletic League OF
America the first week In May. The work
of the cavalrymen and artillerymen OF the
attachments stationed at Fort Myer has
been one of the sights of Washington Tor
many years past. AS far back as the time
when the 4th Cavalry came here, straight
from the alkal plains of Arizona, where 1t
had spent months chasing the willy Geronl-
mo, and occupied the post across me river
as the first cavalry detachment stationed
here since the civil war, public exhipitlons
of the American troopers skill as morse
man have been in vogue. Eacn organlza-
ton that has followed the 4th has enoeaV-
ored to improve on the work of it's prede-
cessor until the exhibitions that are given
surpass the best circus ever seen, anu give
the spectators chance to see exaGty "
public is made The 7th, Sth, 9tn, 6th' 90,
9TH and I'd Regiments have all had oppor,
tunity to show what they could DO. Ontu
the coming of the I'd the work OF me osa
cavalry was unsurpassed. But last year
and the year before the troopers OF lhe "a
Cavalry, now on duty In the Fhliippiue',
performed some feats of horsemanshlp una.
were remarkable. These troopers were salu
70 he the best in the service, and. their m
structor, Capt. Lloyd M. Brett, now aoJu
tant general of the District OF Colulnp I.
militia is said to be one or the pes. cdFal1
officers and the finest instructor IN MORSE
manship and all that goes to make up the
good cavalrynan in the United States.
Troubles for Present Troop.
sowhen the troopers of the 10Th Cavalry
arrival in Washington last December
after three years of the hardest KIND Vi
service in the Philippines. they had their
work all cut out for them Col. Wiillam
M Wallace, commanding officer OF the
regiment. who commands the post at fort
Myer was somewhat startled at the ehoi-
mity of the task set before MIN, put ne
made up his mind to get troop out OF tne
SQUADRON of his command to be stationed
here that could do at least some Oh tne
movements he had seen at the "a snow s
or he would know the reason why: WIN
this purpose in view Colonel Wallace
started to work on his men personally. he
selected forty men from the squadron SEM
here which included Troops +, r. " ana A.
and put them to work IN the rlalng nan,
under the direction of Capt. Francis ).
Rooster who was assisted by First Lieut..
Francis H. Cameron, jr., and Second Lieut..
Charles Burnett. Captain Rooster Is re-
garded as the best man among the cap'a tnts
stationed here for work of training TINS
particular troop. Lieutenant Burnett Is
in charge of the bareback squad:
The difficulties of the officers in training
their troop began soon. The men on whom
they had depended and who had signhed
their intention of remaining in the service
all took their discharges and decampeu
without a word when the time came, anu
of the original forty men selected but two
remained to continue the work Thls
brought the officers face to face with
difficulty that was so enormous that they
were in doubt whether or not to go on.
But Colonel Wallace was determined to
have troop for exhibition however, and
under his direction number OF recruits
were taken into the hall and trained for
the work This was a long, tedious process,
and took a great deal of time and hard
work the part of the officers.
A Good Exhibition.
They have the men in good state now
however, and the exhibition they gave this
afternoon was Of the highest order. The
Grill of the cavalry was divided into two
sections, the first consisting of the work of
the saddle squad to the music of the band
and by whistle signals and the second the
work of the bareback. The drill of the first
section is calculated to show the training of
the horses These are the same animals
that were used by the I'd Cavalry in their
exhibitions and are consequently in very
good training The riding in this section of
the drill was most interesting and instruct
i've The men formed figures and wound in
and about each other in manner that was
amazing The bareback work was probably
the best of the exhibition and was calcu-
lated to show off the Craftsmanship of the
men, The horses are brought into the hall
with watering bride, blanket and surcingle
only, and the men perform all sorts OF
acrobatic stunts, at the walk, trot and
gallop.
The Sd Field Battery. which followed the
cavalry in the riding hall today. is new
organization to Washington. although 1t
gave several exhibitions here last fall This
battery is commanded by Captain Charles
p Summerall, who has as his assistants
First Lieutenant Edward P. Nones and Sec
ond Lieutenant Henry Kilbourne, jr. It's
exhibition today was excellent and quite up
to the standard set by the other organiza-
tons of the Artillery Corps that have drilled
here in Washington. The exhibitions at
Fort Myer will continue until the troops de-
part for New York for the military tourna-
ment Admission to the hall Is by card
only, obtained through the War Depart
ment from Captain Ryan, regimental adJu-
tant Of the 18th Cavalry.