The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1916-08-30
DRAGONS btv,J.AE
REAL CAVALRYMEN
TROOP A GETS HORSES AND
BEGINS TO RIDE IN ARMY
STYLE.
NEWS FROM BORDER CAMP
A Weekly Letter, Prepared Especially
For Our Readers, From the South
Carolina Guardsmen Encamped at
Fort Bliss, Texas.

In Camp with the South Carollna
Brigade, in the Ell Paso Patrol District.
The Charleston Light Dragons drew
their horses Immediately after their
arrival on the border and are now en-
gagged in learning to ride like cavalry
men. Four hours are devoted each
day by the men to riding bareback
with only halter on their horse. The
greater majority Of the Dragons went
at the bareback riding without any
difficulty but several sustained falls
before learning how to stick on.
However, those who were unaccus-
toned to bareback riding soon acquir-
ed the art and the whole troop is now
proficient.
Four hours each day are devoted
by the Dragons to the horse work
one hour to the officers school snt
one hour to the non-commissioned
officers school.
A regular officer comes over from
Fort Bliss to instruct the men each
day in the cavalryman's school.
Pleased With Horses.
The Dragons drew their horses out
Of the big government corral where
there are some 5000 horses gathered
for the army. They took the first
which came out Of the corrall but the
animals they drew were very good
and they are we'll satisfied with them.
The Dragons number IS men and
three officers and each man takes care
Of his own horse. When this cores
pondent visited the encampment Of the
Dragons he found Capt. Manning,
Lieut.. Wells and Lieut.. Porcher out
with the men overlooking the feeding
and care Of the horses The men were
all lined up with brushes and curry
combs and they went at the work OF
cleaning the horses Systematically
after the work which they had under.
gone during the day.
Capt. ". NJ. Manning, directed at
tention to the Charlie Chaplins'
which these Weastern horses affect.
Each has a we'll developed mustache.
There is not a single case of sick
ness among the Dragons and they
express themselves as well satisfied
and delighted with their camp. They
are glad to be on the border and have
gone at the work Of training with a
vim which promises good results.
The South Carolina field hospital
No. l is encamped with a similar Or
ganization from Rhode Island just in
the rear Of the Dragons. The Pal
metto organization is under the com
mand Of Maj. A. Moultrie Brailsford
and the camp is commanded by Maj.
Renno Of the regular army. The Pal
metto boys were engaged in practic-
ing pitching the hospital in the field
and have entered into competitive
test with the Rhode Island and similar
organizations from the regular army
and the National Guardsmen stationed
in this district Although the South
Carolinians have been here only
week they entered the contest on invi-
tation and the speed with which they
have been doing their work gives
promise Of putting it all over some OF
the organizations which have been
here for several weeks. The tests IN
pitching the hospitals in the field
were made on the Fort Bliss parade
ground before regular army officers
and the South Carolina boys showed
up splendidly.
The Bantam Squad.
There are eight short men IN the
Camden company which form what is
known as the "runt" squad and they
all occupy the same tent. This was
the only squad which had started
flower garden around their tent and
had built a rock protection raised to
some feet around the side of the tent.
When the big rain swept over the
camp on Thursday night the "runt"
squad found their tent flooded, the
wall making a nice pond. All the dec
orations and flower garden were wash
ed away and the men had to bale the
water out Of the tent. This squad is
composed Of Corporal ". P. Higgins
and Privates Lewis. Jordan, Purv1s,
Crosby. Hasty, Medlin, Mcleod.
The Second has erected a model
tent showing the three different kinds
OF inspections and all the enlisted men
are studying the model to see just
how their equipment IS to be made
up for the different kinds Of inspec.
lions and ali the enlisted men are
studying the model to see just how
tAeir equipment is to be made up for
90 different inspections.
There are a great Rany South Car
olinians in the regular army and sey-
eral OF them are stationed with tae
regulars which are encamped at Fort
Bliss and in and around Ell Paso, Nc
Gowan Littlejohn. a native OF Jones
VILE in Union county and a graduate
of West Point, is a first lieutenant IN
the cavalry. He is an old Clemson
man. Alan Lester Of Prosperity. who
was graduated at the Citadel and who
went to West Point and graduated
with the class Of 1915, is a first lieu