The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-09

doah valley where Phil Sheridan
made his famous ride so years ago. is
to hear again song of the bugle,
the galloping rorses, the crack of
carbines and \ , Toom of cannon, for
the war depar TYt is trying out the
cavalry and : ,hosen the Shenan-
doah as the @ ~,dless battle-ground.
For two NOR 8 GUNS summer full
brigade of c; <5s and battery OF
horse artiller .ofill maneuver and
ehght' over ed roads, the green
hills and he q ear Winchester that
figured in 'rne great cavalry battles
in the war between the states
The department has leased a tract
of ground a mile broad and two miles
long in the heart of the Shenandoah. h.
10 miles from Washin gton. and orders
to the troops have been issued for two
regiments of the brigade, those from
Fort Ethan Allen. Vermont, and Fort
Oglethorpe, Georgia, must ride Ton
dusty miles under summer sun be-
fore they can reach the valley and they
must report July 20. The first squadron
from Fort Myers, Virginia, will have
only 10 miles to go and the horse bat
terry from Fort Riley, Kansas, will be
sent by rail.
Great interest attaches the maneu-
yers. Secretary Garrison will he a fire..
quent spectators; Maj. Gen. Leonard
Wood, chief of staff, United States
army, probably Will spend much time
there and President Wilson may sum
mon White House automobile some
Saturday and make the trip to the val :
ley battle-ground
Foreign Methods Studied
The nece ssity for rehabilitation OF
the cavalry was disclosed when the
general staff some time ago made am
bilious plans for the reorganization OF
the army so as to prepare it for the
defense of the country against attack
by any great military power This re :
suited in the sending to Europe last
year of a board of six cavalry Off
GERS. who studied the German Russian,
Austro- Hungary. French and English
.orga nizations Four months were spent
aihro;fa By t'ersc officers and sine,
their return they have prepared plans
for radical changes In the organiza-
ton and use of cavalry of the American
army.
These plans We're carefully consid-
cred by the general staff and 1t was
decided that before adopting them they
L..
Secretary Garrison then authorized the
gathering at Shenandoah for the trial.
A board of officers made tour of
inspection of the valley few days ago
in search of a suitable maneuver
ground and leased the big tract which
Brig Gen. C. A. Doval. head of the
board, says is ideal for the expert
ments.
The tests viii take place under the
direction of Col c. IL. Murray OF the
Twelfth cavalry. as Brig. Gen. e. f.
McClernand. the head of the cavalry
beard, is prohibited from exercising ac-
tual command by virture of his retire
ment. General McClernand, however.
with Lieut. Coils. j. r. Dickmann. and
Fred S. Foltz, NAL Jesse Mel. Carter
and Capt Frank Parker. all members
of the board which studied the Euro
pean systems, will be present during
the drills and observe the results.
Problems to Be Solved
Some of the practical questions to
be worked out are:
How large a command can captain
handle successfully?
How many such units can a colonel
handle TO the best advantage under
conditions approximating hostilitiesc
The new formation OF the cavalry
into double ranks also will be tried out
on large scale. practical test by
Captain Parker of the Eleventh cav
airy at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, with
an experimental squadron having been
pronounced a complete success by Gen.
III. l.. Scott
AS an individual the American troon-
er may be the best cavalry soldier
in the world, but for 40 years he has
been so handicapped by defective or
ganization as to make a poor showiny "
in comparison with the splendid mount :
ed soldiers of the great continental
armies during the early seventies, the
old organization, founded on the En-
ropean practice which had stood tile
tremendous test of the civil war. was
abandoned upon the recommendation
of board seeking to carry out a the
oretfcal plan of uniformity of organ.
ization in all branches of the military
service. The cavalry was forced IL
adopt the infantry organization plan
for IL companies. three of which com !
posed a battalion while four battaljors
composed regiment. As the cayalrv
for many years was for the most na -
scattered around the country in sma II
bodies doing duty on western front,er !.
the defects of organization never war;
very apparent until recent years. Tho
general staffs decision for a reorpan- !
ization brought to light the urgent nee,
of readjustment and its officers nov,
are hopeful that the new plans w;,,
bring the mounted service to the not,
of perfection,