Franklin's paper the statesman., 1912-08-10
Fort Russell, wyo., Aug. c. 1872.


The naneuyers at Pole mountains
ended August 3. The exercises dur
ing the closing week were held on a
much larger scale than any others
OF the present season. Four regi-
ments-the Ninth cavalry, the Elev-
enth infantry. one regiment OF Wy
oming national guard and one of Col
orado national guard-took part In
each problem the troops were equally
divided. one half consisting OF red
force and the other half blue force
There was no artillery. but a squad
ron of the Ninth cavalry was assigned
to each force The cavalry. being the
eyes OF the army" was given the
duty OF scouting. Thanking and patrol
ling. Last Saturday the First squad
ron. which was operating with the
blue force on the offensive. marched
about 40 miles in four hours and
half trying to get around to the rear
of the red force without being seen.
The squadron finally got into posi-
rfon after running the horses nearly
10 death. but fired only few shots
before recall sounded. Six horses in
one troop had to be sent to camp be
fore recall on account OF having lost
their shoes. The necessity OF baVing
all horses well shod before under
tai ing such hurried march was
plainly seen.
But the movement slowed the ad-
vantage that nation possessing
ureponderance OF cavalry would have
in actual war The infantry is the
backbone OF the army" but 1t is too
slow to cope with cavalry OF any con
siderable moving about is to be done.
Although the maneuverlng was
hard. 1t did not stop the boys from
sporting after the sun went down.
Several men boxed and wrestled every
evening after retreat. Last Saturday
evening a ring was measured off and
roped in and a canvas placed for
semi-professional six-round bout be
tween Private Grimes of Troop and
Corporal Avery of the Wyoming Ma
tional guard. Although purse OF
$40 had been raised to be given to
the winner, the fight was the poorest
that has ever been held here Tor
money. There have been scores oil
fights that the men had merely lot
exercise that have far eclipsed TINS
one from every point of view But
what makes this one worth menuop-
in is the fact that the corporal was
introduced as having such great
reputation and had issued chai-
lenge to the champion lightweight of
Denver. Private Grimes. who has
been fighting just little over year.
knocked this so-called reputable
white hope" out in less than three
rounds.
hut the greatest joke that the men
have hahlplayed on them since they
have beeffkin the mountains was when
a rntlitiaman of Nebraska challenged
the Ninth cavalry's champion 100
var,i runner The Nebraska officers
and men bet 5000 tnat their man
would win All this money was COW
cred by Ninth cavalry officers, ana
over n thousand dollars was borrowed
from officers by enlisted men TO ne
nut up. The men merely signed
note that they would pay back this
borrowed money on pay day, II they
lost, but the officers had actually got
their money together. but had not put
Il into the hands of the Stockholders.
The race had been arranged to take
Mace Mt G:3O p. m, and when this
time came, nearly 'h'SS '"N
had gathered on the scene to see the
great race. Everybody waited and
waited and waited. even the officers
vera anxiously waiting to give their
money to the stakeholder, but the
white man never showed up. Pres
ently. after II had begun to get dark,
tho report came that the stakeholder
and the challenger had skipped out
with all the money Of the Nebraska
officers and men.
Mr.. and Mrs. Comodore OF st.
Iouis Mo, are visiting Chaplain and
Mrs. Prisleau. Mrs. Prisleau and
daughter. Mary, hnve just returned