Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-09-25
Cavalry Troop ImpractioabIe

Adjutuant General Albert NJ Green
law talked freely Tuesday afternoon at
the State shoot on the Auburn range
on the recent rumor that Maine was
to form a cavalry branch of the Ma
tional Guard.
Whoever started that rumor," he
said, didn't understand the subject
very well, else he would never have
made the suggestion. The cavalry idea
as a part of a State National Guard
has not proven practicable; that is,
except in a few states. Massachusetts,
New York and one or two other large
states have been able to do something
with it, but states of the rank of
Maine have not found it feasible.
"Of course, the federal government
is anxious to see the various states
organize cavalry outfits. They realize
the value of the cavalry. This value
has been emphasized by the activi-
ties of that branch of the army in the
present great war in Europe. 1t has
been demonstrated in the short cam
paign to date that the cavalry Is just
as important and efficient now as il
ever was.
ITO make a cavalry outfit efficient
the State must furnish it with horses.
A cavalry troop or regiment which did
not own its own animals would be but
little use. Without horses it could not
drill. Why, at some of the maneuvers
which we have attended, where there
have been cavalry outfits from Nation
al Guards present the truth of this
has been apparent. They only had
horses for drill during camps or ma
neuYers. They didn't know how to
ride. They presented sorry specta-
cle l can tell you. This matter of fur
nlshing horses would make the idea
prohibitiye for Maine, for. unless we
could have a cavalry regiment which
would be "A L. we'd not have it."
1t was suggested to the general that
1t might he all right to organize a
single troop and not a whole regiment
He agreed that such might be pos
sible, but said that he doubted if it
would meet with favor. A battalion. az
least, would be demanded. Continuing
he said: But, supposing a single
troop would be satisfactory at first
the cost of that would be prohibitive.
A single troop would mean 55 men
and officers. That would require 90
horses. See what it would cost. 1t is
TO be questioned if we could purchase
animals suited for the service for less
than $3.50 an animal. However, Just for
the purpose of discussion, let's say it
would cost but a hundred for each
horse. There's an initial expense of
$500. That would be a considerable
sum. Then there would be the trap
pings for the horses. They'd spoil an
other big sum of money. 1t might not
be so large as the cost of horses, but
it would run close. Having got the
horses and the equipment the cost
would not stop. There would be the
cost of keeping the animals. What
would be the lowest figure? i am not
prepared to say, but as in the pur-
chase price, take a low figure. Let us
say that the horses could be stabbed,
fed and shod for an average of SO per
week There's a weekly expense of s165
and a yearly bill of $3.50. 1, myself,
feel that it is far too low, but it is
prchibitive. If you made it regiment
the figures would be multiplied by 10.
Maine couldn't afford 1t.
of course, they might make a cav
airy outfit and depend upon hired
horses, but it wouldn't be practicable, |
for they would have difficulty in any |
place in Maine in finding a sufficient |