Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1909-11-20

70 SanP ~ wynn
People unfamiliar with the marching
Of troops frequently have the impress
sion that mounted troops usually trav.
ell ut "a trot or gallop while OH march
In the cavalry. however. the galt is
usually walk.
There are reasons why Il Is not nd
visabe for cavalry to trot or gallop on
its road marches. The trooper is re-
quired TO carry his three weapons
rifle, pistol and saber-over a hundred
rounds of bali ammunition. his ban.
ket. shelter tent. cnnteen. extra horse
shoes and sundry other articles. all of
which add considerable weight to that
of the trooper.
This weight Is more or less concen.
trated ut comparatively few points In
stead of being uniformly distributed
over the horses back. so that at n trot.
In spite OF all that may be done to
avoid II, the conclusion at certain
points is considerable and If kept up
tends TO develop blisters and sores on
the horses back. which may increase
AS the supply department furnishes
but one horse to each trooper. differ.
Ing In this respect from the mounts of
the cowboy. who has as many as he
wants. a constant vigilance is required
on the part of the captain while on
long march In order to keep his horses
serviceable and prevent his troopers
from becoming dismounted.
This he accomplishes in part by
marching at n walk whenever the cir
cumstances will admit it. BY means of
the walk we make four miles an hour.
says Captain William +. Flynn, U. 5.
A., In Forest and Stream. and as TWEEN
ty-1ve miles Is considered fair days
march It Is thus made in about seven
hours. considering the necessary halts
The wagons carrying our supplies can
| go no faster than that. and there is
rarely any advantage in reaching ones
camping ground very much in advance
of the wagons.
1t is customary with individual tour
lists and campers upon making camp
10 turn their horses loose and either
TO watch them or else trust to luck In
the matter of finding them again. We
are not permitted TO do this In the
army. We always mean TO provide
grain for our animals on the march.
en- route and thus have to rely upon
grazing we put each horse out on
rope fastened to picket pin driven In
the ground.
Oh the march each mounted man
carries his lariat and pin attached TO
his saddle and as soon as he unsaddles
seeks good grazing place for his
horse and drives his pin in the ground.
The horse thus gets limited area
upon which to Craze. The pins are
changed once or twice during the even
ing. and as the horse stays all night on
his rope he gets a pretty fair chance
at the grass. after all, and when we
want him In the morning we can find
him.
The horses having been unsaddled
and disposed of. the men then put up
their shelter tents shelter tent is n
convenient little affair made in two
halves to accommodate nicely two sol
diers. Each soldier carries his half
and his pole with him on his blanket
as be unsaddles be can select his
"bunkle" and put up his tent The Of
ficers' tents are wall tents. carried In
the wagons and cannot be put up Till
| the wagons come In.
As soon as that takes place details
OF men put up the officers tents. get
wood aud water for the cooks. and the
latter build their fire and ut once set
about getting supper Soldiers like TO
have their food well cooked: but. bet.
ter still. they appear to like II prompt
| Is cooked. and that camp cook is al
ways popular who yells Come and
get it, just little sooner than 1t is
expected.
On the march we eat but two meals
day. After breakfast the cooks give
| each man liberal sandwich OF bacon
aud bread This the man incoses In
his meat can and when he gets hun
| cry eats It. This constitutes his mid
day meal.
Supper over. a guard is posted TO
look out for the safety of the camp.
and the other men usually collect fuel.
build rousing fire. gather round II
aud amuse themselves by singing. tell
Ing yarns and cracking jokes upon
each other till bedtime. which comes
pretty early with men on the march.
The officers oil in the time In about
the same manner.
On the march one always has to rise
early. There are SO many things to be
done In order TO get the cavalcade fair.
| ~ on the road that early rising Is es-
sentlal. The guard rouses the cooks
long before daylight. and by the time
the horses are fed and brushed of
the cook announces breakfast After
breakfast the tents are taken down,
wagons packed. the horses saddled. and
the column is once more on the march.