The Washington herald., 1908-06-07
GUARD NEARS CITY
Cayalrymen Quit Rockville
This Afternoon.
JOURNEY OF EIGHTEEN MILES
"Iad to Get Back After WearisOme
Trip I'm Which They VIII Have
Covered $50 MiIes--In Better Con-
dftion, However, Than when They
Started-Average IS Miles Day.

Home" was the watchword at Ma
tional Guard Cavalry camp in Rockville
last night. That simple word carried a
thrill Of pleasure with it. 1t put every
man in good spirits. and a merry evening
was spent around the camp fire.
The command struck camp early yes
terday morning. and after short halt
in Frederick. took the road leading "a
Washington at $50 o'clock. They crossed
the famous MonOcacy battlefield, and
soon lost sight OF Frederick behind the
hills. They pushed through Urbana.
crossed Bennet's Greek. and reached Hy-
attstown little before II o'clock.
Climb Famous Hill.
Climbing the famous HyattstoWn hill.
the command rode through Clarksburg an
hour later. and halted for lunch a mile
this side. A hurried meal was eaten
and the column was soon On the m4rcn
again. In the afternoon they rode through
Melville and, reaching Gaithersburg at
o'clock, pushed through to Rockville.
only FIVE miles away. The days march
covered thirty-five miles of billy roaI.
but II seemed the shortest and most pI AS
ant since the command left Winchest -.
This was due to two causes. First. horses
and men were in better condition to
stand the march than they have been
since they left Washington. and second.
the anticipation Of getting home soon was
great factor.
The wagons had been allowed 10 push
ahead since lunch time and when the
troop rode into the fair grounds at Rock
Ville' all the baggage had been unloaded.
and supper was in the course OF prepara-
ton. The tents were erected In record
breaking time. and a camp sprang into
existence as II by magic BY a lucky
coincidence a fair was in progress on the
grounds and the command was cordially
invited 20 attend. All spent a merry even
ing and did not turn in until taps" was
blown at II o'clock
The command is TO be up early this
morning. and when everything has been
put IN up-top shape. they will start on
me hnai eighteen miles to Washington.
A Successful Trip.
The trip has been successful from every
point The command has Travelled go
miles. attended by no accident. and re-
turned with horses and men In lust as
good-and. in fact. INSTRUMENTATION than
when they started. They have averaged
a march of twenty-eight miles q dav.
which is three miles longer than that pre-
scribed for regulars. and on the second
day out made a record Of about thirty
nine miles
They started out with the men unused
to long rides, and the horses unframed In
cavalry service.
BY perseverance and grit. the men ac-
customed themselves to the saddle. and
trained their horses They even spent
their spare time in learning 10 pick up
hats from the ground. without leaving
the saddle; 90 stand in the saddle and
ride bareback. on similar trips of the
militia Of other. cities hostlers are taken
along TO care for the horses. but the
District Guardsmen have done all this
themselves
Army regulations were observed from
the beginning, and everything carried on
In strictly military way.
For the men the trip has been most
enjoyable The company was perfectly
congenial and discipline applied in such
manner that it did not chaff them.
Credit to Capt. Bean.
Too much credit cannot be given Cant.
J. Harry Bean, who has organized. man.
aged, and financed the affair with great
success. He is one OF the most popular
captains in the National Guard. and has
well demonstrated his ability as an Off
Ger. His object in making trips of this
kind is 10 attract into the Guard the bet
ter class of men, and at the same time 10
give useful and valuable experience 10
his command
Already two more trips have been
planned and preparations are in progress.
The first will be short one to Fred
ericksburg. Va, and the second sill be
similar to the one just taken, with the
objective point York. Pa.