Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-07-06
THOUSANDS SEE
TROOP SPORTS
IN FORT BROWN
THIRD CAVALRY FIELD DAY THRILLS
AND AMUSES MANY
VISITORS.
THE DANGEROUS SPORTS WE'RE UN-
MARRIED BY SERIOUS ACCI-
DENTS.

Two thousand persons saw five truopS Of
the Third Cavalry stationed in Fort Brown
put on all day field day in honor Of the
birthday OF the nation on Monday. July 3.
Members Of the A. Il. G. and ID troops and
the Machine Gun troop of the Third Cav
airy competed in sixteen events many of
ling. Intense heat throughout the day
proved no barrier 10 the attendance of
what Tor the Valley was "A monster crowd.
The day closed with a baseball game be-
tween the post team and San Benito. IN
which the Saints carried home a fifty dol
lar check, bidding ten runs for it against
the 4 runs offered BY the soldiers.
The Roman race IN which troopers rode
horses, standing akimbo on the backs of
the mounts, furnished the thriller Of the
day when two riders went down in ugly
spills. The crowd stood up with strain
ing eyes when the off horse of the team
ridden by Sergeant Koch Of a troop, cata-
quilted over at the hairpln turn al the end
Of the course, apparently, falling on the
rider. When Koch arose to his feet. dusty
but unframed, the crowd sank back IN
swift relief, only Ia be brought up again
when Private Meehan Of b troop. strain
ing al his teams mouths to stop them
short at tho tnrp, r,nll.l ltp-.lt f.., l.
footing. fell between the outStretcIed
necks Of the pair, and lay huddled where
he had fallen. Two hospital ordcrlies ear
ried Meehan To the shade Of a tent fv.
and easily brought him to consciousness.
Ills first concern on recovering was to
learn the winner of the race He said later
that he had been struck behind the right
ear BY the hoof oi one Of his mounts. No
bones were broken.
Exhibiting what the United States army
can 10 with what the Pan European war
would seem to nave proved the most dead
ly and efficient Of all small light arms. the
machine gun, or mItrailleu~e. aS il i called
IN the war reports, the Machine Gun troop
early in the day put on a d%a~ling drill.
Starting from a halt the troopers, riding
rangy horses and leading fleet footed
mules on which the guns are packed. went
INTO action on q dead run, unShipped and
set up the guns, and fired one round of
blanks, while the animals retired, Suppos
eddy 10 shelter. At q second command the
mounts were brought up at a reckless run.
and barrels of the guns were changed. ~
though 'Ac tube first used had become
1vrlatricG through long firing. The guns
were then packed. and reversing the dircc-
ton, he trJDi charged forward. unpackcd
ana again ~ri III thr guns in apparently a
shade over nothin. fiat. Finally the com
mand changed direction twice. and bring
ny up before the pot NILE fired several
volley~ Of the real cLpro- uickclrd lead
INTO targets Stimulating 4 k|ncvliny man
rendered lnnocuouS ~ SAM bay harkin.
Though the men fired straight at the va
mol thirty feet away they seemed unairuid
of rebOundIng bullets. 1t was noticed, how
ever, that the officers ordered the mule.
and horses taken away from the line Of the
path OF any bullet which might mis- 4 sand
bag and rebound, though officers and men
'fNf
were much closer, and unprotected ~
shields. The crowd appreciated the dash
and elan Of the 'GippieS," a. the NJ. G..
/. = called IA service slang. and chepred
To the echo.
A fire action contest late in the after
noon also furnished thrillers. Sauad, of
u commissioned officer and seven men
from each troop III turn, charged down the
held 200 yards, al the sound OF the start
er gun, di>mounted-m tIraculou, fash
ION. >pIlling off the horses at full gallon
linked heads an. tails OF the mounts. ran
ten yards, knelt, fired one blank shot N
the enemy entrenched in automobiles al
The end Of the parade ground, disentangled
horses. and raced back. One "Gippie" was
dragged several yards when his horse rear
"a, threw HIM, and kept on with the pack
~ 4 dead run. The trooper arose. busted
of, and walked toward the finish. ID troop
won the contest with a team made up of
Sergeant Ward, Corporals Laymon and
McBcc, Privaie> Meegan. Baker, Dustin
and Hall, \ troop was awarded second.
and { troop, third.
Commenting on the tent pitching contest
Battalion Sergeant Major Lyman remarked
to a reporter that the Third cavalry holds
the time record for the Philippine Islands
and also for the entire service with a rec
ord Of one minute and thirty-five seconds
in putting up "A pyramidal squad tent. Yes
terday's best time was , minutes and u
seconds, made by b troop, who had several
stakes pulled loose when inspected by the
Judges and got only second money. ID