Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-03
SOME LONG MARCHES
MADE By COMPANY O OF THE
OLD 3srH INFANTRY.

There having been great deal of discus
sion recently over the long marches OF the
artillery accomplished and to be undertaken
in the southwest and considerable criticism
Of the long march OF the artillery into Tex
as on account of the hardships involved. 1t
Is interesting to note that Iong-distance
marching is no new thing In the army and
there are some records, now generally for
gotten, that make recent performances look
mild In comparison.
Some OF the notable marches on record
are those of Company c of the old 3sth In
fantry. of which Maj Gen. Corbin was
then the captain. Some Of the following
details OF the march of this company from
Kansas to New Mexico were furnished by
former LIEUT.. NJ. w. Saxton of that COM
mand, now an employee of the War Depart
ment.
In describing the marches Lieut.. saxton
said: ~.
Company C, 3sth Infantry, left Jefferson
Barracks. Mo-, May IL, 1867. part Of bat
talon of the regiment under command of
Major Merriam, 3Sth Infantry. The eastern
division Of the Union Pacific railroad was
then completed only to the town of Salina.
Kan. It's first march was from Salina to
Old Fort Hays, KAN unimportant to chron-
icle except the only march it ever made
with other troops or companies.
A Notable March.
ION the It'll Of September, 1857, the COM
pany left New Fort Hays. Kan. en- route
to New Mexico. 1t halted three days at
Fort Larned and one day at Forts Dodge
and Lyon and two days at Trinidad. Col.
On the 7th Of October the company was at
Fort Union, N. M. distant from Fort Hays
525 miles. It made the march from Larned
to Dodge by the dry route Leaving
Larned at am. September ID, hating six
hours at Big Coon and six hours at Little
Coon creek, it arrived at Fort Dodge at
am. September IA. sixty-one miles. Leav-
ing Fort Union on the sth Of October and
hating one day at Berlin, N. NJ, 1t arrived
and reported for duty at Fort Craig on the
10th Of October, and on the goth furnished
an officer and thirty men for three months
detached service. having made the distance
from Hays to Craig. 500 miles (quartermas-
ter's distance), in thirtythree marching
in the least. The only casualty to the trans
portation was the death of an off leader
who calmly laid his form to rest meath the
azure skies OF Colorado, under the shining
peaks Of Trinidad. He fell q victim to an
ungovernable appetite. Temperate to fanat-
fcism, he became a prey to too much cold
water. a sad instance Of indiscretion in
that proverbially discreet animal the mule.
A Forty-Six-Mile Tramp.
1.-THE company changed station from
Craig to Fort Bayard. N. NJ. in February
1862 and on this march made its most note
worthy time. In crossing the Tornado be-
tween Craig and Selden It camped one
night at the Aleman,' a halfway station
and aforetime water hole where Jack Mar
TIN an old Californian and ex-volunteer Of
f1cer. had dug deep well and struck wa
ter, furnishing an abundance for trains and
travellers. Expecting to find water at the
Point OF Rocks about half way to Selden,
start, particularly as q fierce windstorm
was blowing. Marching about am, they
arrived at tho Point of Rocks. only to find
the holes perfectly dry. Not having drop
to pull out for selden. The company
stacked arms near the parade at Selden,
just as tattoo ceased beating off, having ac-
ccmplished the distance Of forty-six miles
between o'clock am. and that time. There
was very little struggling. The entire COM
mand Except those men with the wagon
train) was In camp within an hour. The
wagon train arrived about midnight. Three
days later the. company marched from
'Slooums' on the Tucson road to Fort
Cummings thirty-three miles, between sun
rise and sunset. 1t made several long
marches on scouts while at Bayard across
the ella river into Arizona. s,r,~
In Record Time. AK
"On the Sd Of October, 1869, the company
left Fort Bayard. N. NJ. en- route to the
fifth military district. It remained at Fort
Bliss. Tex. eleven days, awaiting the ar
iitdi VI otHeE toiHpdiiitS VI lLe TtSllueitt-
At length, starting alone, and hating one
day at Fort Quitman, one day at Fort Da-
Wis, two days at Fort Stockton and one
day at Beaver Lake, it arrived at Fort
Clark. Texas, on the 14th day of November
1869, rs miles in twenty-five marching
days. The total distance marched by the
company In Changing station alone was
1,704 miles.
"On the 18th the consolidation with Com
pany c. 41st Infantry. was completed. The
consolidated company has done good
marching since. but only speak Of one
company and one set of men, most of whom
are long since discharged.
at has been asked, What does 1t all
amount tor or What good does 1t dor 1t
shows that the better man can be safely
brought to endure all the experiences of
the service under perfect discipline, the
better soldier he becomes. and a long
march becomes beneficial and easy"