Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-10
BLUES CAPTURE FIVE
BATTERIES OF ARTILLERY
Private Baker Writes Interesting De-
ScriptiOn Of Maneuvers ON
Texas Border.
PRAISED BY GENERAL PARKES
f%ticl'ni"nd Boys Spend Eight Days 10
saddle. With Dog Tents and Only
Light ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 10
Greatly Enjoyed.

Greatly Enjoyed.
The following extract from ~ letter
written to his family by Private * +.
Baker. Troop p. First Virginia cav.
airy ttichmond Blucs), now stationed
at brownsville. Tex. whose home +,
at SOL Hanover Avenue. will bo %
interest to friends Of that command
IN Richmond and to all who hav, fol-
lowed the work Of the Virginia troou,
on the Texas border:
brownsville. Tex.
November IS, 1916.
We finished actual mancuvcrs EriJ,y
afternoon and slept in our own camn
that night: and | tell you camp sur.
did look good 10 US after eight DAYS
IN the httlc dog" tents. But We all
enjoyed the trip and got all kinds OF
benefit from 1t, in spite OF tho hard
work and rough living.
! can't begin TO tell you all sbou,
the campaign. Have you seen any.
thing about it in tho papers? am
sending you q Brownsville pa per. de-
scripInR the last days battle. in which
INC cavalry did not participate. our
work having been completed.
The first day We rode north sixteen
miles, came in touch with Il strong
force OF the white army I'VE wcr.
TIC and returned ten mile.
't"enty-s'A miles riding for the frs,
daS). 10 pitch camp near Brownsville
The second day, Friday. we advanced
|" san Bcnito. sixteen miles from
Brownsville. occupied that town and
camDcd there that night.
Saturday We tthc cavalry, twelys
troops in AID made our big coup. w.
rode about twenty miles around tho
hahh OF the enemy, cut up three troopy
ana captured part of the white" cav
airy in a fight at SINNERS Ranch. and
captured a very important ford on q
small stream called the Arroyo Colo.
RADIO. and another troop OF cavalry
also. This ford was ono Of tho kev
positions. It's capture threw IN.
operations back n whole day. Tronp.
- ana were assigned Ia guard il,
tlat night, 80 VIC got our frat tas,.
of outpost duty and. incidcn,ulIy. ha6
t" 20 about twelve hours wi,hou,
water. except I'll" alkali water Of the
Arroyo.
SLEPT On ARMS AND
KEPT HORSES
We literally slept on our nrns and
kept part "f tho horses nnddicd; did
not oven pitch shelter tents. How.
ever We were not attacked until ncH,
morning. was with 4 party ~ mon
across Tho Arroyo. "n the farthcst out
post. whom our main body at tho ford
was attacked b. several troous .f in,
enemy. We We're instantly recalled
and had 10 DISH across. the ford undc,
fr". w" t"ci. up good positions. ana
with the ato OF = machine gun could
hay" held the ford indcnnItcl,. b.t
Tor some reason W. rctrcatci. Two
corrcrals and were loft hchird a.
patrols. and were captured by an Iowa
troop. The captain was mighty n,,c.
and let us GO. on condition that ".
would not fight any moro that day.
sunday night was spent ~ san
Benit". and Monday tho cavalry
started on a big raid. VIZ went sa
or eight miles in an entirely different
direction from the enemy. then turned
and raced through miles nnd miles Of
cactus and mesquite ihickcts. Final
ly. withou, the enemy suspectinr any
thing, we fell on their marching
column and captured hvc batteries Of
aftiilcry.
This practically ended the work Of
the cavalry. though on Tuesday We
covered the retreat Of the Browns
and had TO do some mighty hard riding.
GENERAL Park Err PRAISES
RICHMOND LUE
This is a very brief and imperfcct
account. but Will give you some idea
Of the experience We have had. On
the day was captured We were cut
up alinos, as bad as the enemy had
been the day befor. At another time
We were fired into by infantry and
machine guns.
Although the judges haven't rem
drrcd a decision. the opinion prevails
that the browns put 1t over tho
Whites General Parker himself
praised the Blues in the very highest
terms. wish could give YOU his
exact words, hut II would take too
long. II pleased us especially that he
spoke of us as the Richmond Blues"
instead OF the Virginia cavalry.
Yesterday we had a big review, in
which both armies took part. You
will sec about it In the papers and
probably In moving pictures also, as
there were TWO or three machines
present. was acting Il. the majors
orderly, and SO had a rather conspicu-
Gus position. You may he able To
recognize me, but ! doubt il.