The National tribune., 1905-10-12
VOL. XXv-NO. 2-wHOLE NO. 1860.

til after the middle of June, when, after
repeated disappointments. they dis
banded because the Government would
not accept cavalry.
The Fremont Body Guard.
Young Newhall and others, thinking
there were better opportunities in the
West, went to st. Louis, where Gen.
Fremont made these young men the
nucleus Of a cavalry organization; but
the majority of his men came from
Kentucky. Young Newhall was ap-
pointed First Lieutenant under Maj. Ia
gonyi.
at Springfield, Mo-, this company Of
young. impetuous cavalrymen charged a
body of rebels numbering more than
1000, completely routing them and cap
turing many prisoners.
In this company OF Philadelphia boys
there was another young man who there
began glorious career, Col. Chas.
Treichel.
That cavalry charge was as brilliant
as any in the annals of war, conducted
with the utmost bravery, and resulting
far better than the commanders could
have wished; yet, as a reward for their
gallant action, THE Guard" as this
troop was called, were promptly mus
tered out of the service as IL they had
brought disgrace upon the country. It
sent to disband them, Gen. Sweeney, al
veteran Of the Mexican war, upon seeS
ing these men and observing their sols
dierly conduct, is reported to have said:
Il will be damned IL I muster such
troops out of the service" Gen. Sturc
ges was next asked to perform this dis
agreeable duty. When the heroes Of
Springfield were drawn up for inspec-
ton he said: IF the Government Of
the United States wants to lose such
troops, Ii must send some one else to
muster them out" But the order had
been given, and it was eventually
obeyed.
No Volunteer Cavalry.
The day after President Lincoln's first
call for $4,000 men an effort was made
In New York City to enroll volunteers
for troop Of cavalry. to be mounted
and equipped without cost to the Gov.
ernment. There was an enthusiastic re-
spOnse from men who had served I'm
other wars, sufficient I'm number to form
| several companies.
A gentleman named Bayard Clark
who had once been an officer in the
United States Cavalry, went to WASH
ington, hoping to have the men mus
tered into service at once. He was
promptly told that cavalry was not
wanted and would not be accepted.
This rebuff checked the enthusiasm but
did not prevent others from persever-
ing. Representations were made to
President LINCOLN, and in the call made
by him for volunteers for three years
the President directed that there should
be one regiment Of cavalry, and author
lied Carl Shurz to enroll it. The Gen.
eral Government would supply the
arms, but not the horses; the States or
communities were expected to furnish
them.
Soon afterwards Carl Schurz was ap-
pointed Minister to Spain, and then
came a multitude of objections from
the War Department and Gen. Scott to
the organization of the regiment One
objection urged was that the authority
to raise the regiment had been given
to Mr.. Schurz as political necessity.
not as a war measure, and now that
Mr. SchuEz had been appointed to an
other position his authority had ceased
and the project would be abandoned.
Both the Secretary of War, Simon Cam
eron, and Gen. Scott said they had no
faith in volunteer cavalry, and the war
would be over before they could be
made ready for service.
The Lincoln Cavalry.
By mere chance President Lincoln
saw gentleman named E. H. Bailey,
who had been unsuccessful in his eff
forts with the War Department to se-
cure recognition for this regiment, now
called Lincoln Cavalry" and who was
about to return to New York discour-
aged. Mr.. Bailey received from the
President authority to proceed with the
organization. Even after securing the
written authority of the President, Mr..
Cameron and Gen. Scott took every op-
portunity to discourage and hinder the
organization and acceptance of the reg
iment, at last giving their approval
to the Presidents order, upon conditions
which appeared almost impossible to
fulfill. They had mistaken the charac-
ter of the men interested. Every con-
dftion was promptly fulfilled, but still
the regiment was kept back. 1t was
not until late in August that it was or
dered to Washington, and the Colonel,
Andrew I. McReynolds, did not receive
his commission until January, 1862, this
document coming to him from the Pres
ident-the only Colonel of a volunteer
regiment so commissioned. Capt VIM.
II. Boyd left Philadelphia with his COM
pany Co in July, 1861, and Immediate
ly thereafter began active duty in the
field, at once becoming conspicuous for
his activity and soldierly conduct.
Had 1T not been for the persistence Of
the officers and friends Of the regiment.
and the determination of the President
to have his orders obeyed, 1T is doubtful
whether the Lincoln Cavalry (after-
wards called the 1st n. Y. Cav.) would
not have shared the fate of the inde-
pendent companies which had been off
fered to the Government and persistent-
ly declined.
The Lincoln Cavalry.
1t was not in the East alone that
earnest efforts were made to organize
troops of cavalry. Immediately after
the fall Of Sumter Governor Richard
Yates, Of Illinois, called a session of the
Legislature, and the necessary laws
were passed authorizing the enrolment
of recruits, one regiment to be cavalry.
This law became operative on May 8,
1861. Anticipating the action Of the
Legislature, two companies of cavalry
reported for duty at Camp Yates. These
were the Chicago Dragons" COM
manded by Capt. Chas. w. Barker, and
the washington Light Cavalry" COM
manded by Capt. Frederick Scham-
bach. The Dragons numbered 10 Of
ficers and men, and were mustered into
State service on the 18th day of April.
1861. They were first ordered to Cairo,
ILL.,, but soon thereafter were trans
ferred, at the request Of Gen. McClel-
Ian, to West Virginia, where they took
an active part in the pending cam
paign, receiving from time to time warm
commentators from their command
ing officer for the work done in that
They were mustered out