The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-05
RARE EXPERIENCES ON
BORDER For The BLUES
Much Along Rio Grandc to Interest
Richmond Cavalrymcn, and a Bit
of Risk Adds Spice.
BOYS TOO BUSY TO GET SICK.
Letter From private James y. Tucker
Gives Description of Tour of Duty
Along Beautiful But Crooked
SGrcan--Camp Near Brownsville.

Letters Just received from members
Of the Richmond Blues cavalry tell
OF rare experiences on outpost duty
along the Rio Grande This work
carries elements OF danger. as the
country patrolled is full of wild
beasts. jungles, treacherous streams
and struggling Mexicans.
A description OF the tour of duty
is given in a letter from James b.
Tucker, private in Troop a, Of which
Captain ]. b. Fuller is in command.
The troopers are campcd Al San
Pedro ranch. about fifteen miles from
Brownsville. He writes:
Ion Wednesday morning we left
camp at exactly $40 o'clock, with
full pack and wagon team. and ar
rived at the outpost camp, which is
about ten miles from Brownsville, on
san Pedro ranch. at $50 A. NJ. At
: O'Clock the first patrol. consisting
Of all nom commissioned officers, and
two commissioned officers accom-
panied by two guides left camp TO get
familiar with the trails before night
There are two trails one up and
one down the river The up-trail Is
NNGNT eighteen fliiPs ipUE, ana the
downfall Is about nine. The patrols
consist Of one officer. one non-com..
and Two privates. They are not sup
posed to 20 out OF n walk The trails
are pretty risky. AT many places the
trat, follows the river at about three
feet from the edge OF an embank-
mont with a clear fall OF twenty or
thirty feet and a misstep of ones
horse woulf mean probably the loss
Of ones iife. This Is especially true
on dark nights when ono has to let
the horse pick the Path. without lead
IN many places we go through thick
tgug)es consisting OF scrub trees and
brush so congested that II Is almost
Impossible to keep ones seat on the
horse.
S~c Providing Mextcnns.
Many Mexicans are seen prowling
around across the river, near enough
10 exchange greetings. or bullets, II
occasion should demand. We fire.
qusntly exchange greetings with the
Carranza patrol across the stream,
and Il is remarked that these fellows
appear very friendly to US. They ap-
pear TO be a rough bunch; have no
uniforms but are loaded down with
arms
THE river is a beautiful piece OF
water IT winds gracefully and Is very
narrow in many places If had the
opportunity. l would take some
sketches Of the scenerY. Tho stream
is so crooked and bending that we
frequently pass ono Of our patrols,
apparently going tho other way, while
IA reality they are Just ahead of us
And again we apparently proceed with
patrols which are returning toward
camp There Is one turn resembling
a halrpin in shape. Tho territory
between the bends OF the river is
Mexican land. and. periodically. we
have q portion OF that benighted
I country surrounded.
! after following the river about
I two hours we look across the country
and behold. there is our camp lying
peacefully but active beyond the
stream II would keep the Mextcans
pretty busy. II we ever caught them In
this magic bend. Just think; After
riding two hours straight away from
camp we pass Il Just half a mile
away
Bucket with Holes IN n.
"0ur camp Ia on the Ran Pedro
ranch IT is "A pretty good spot. We
have stable for all the horses (glad
to learn we will be able to take the
animals bHfK nOIflS with uSb, WHICG
we ala not have before and wind
mill for pumping water You ought
to ere the bathhouSe wa have A
bucket with lot OF holes in II. FOR
shower, surrounded by some pieces OF
canvas
I'VE have trenches dug on every
sido OF our tents, so that in case Of
attack we can step out OF tent into
trench Pretty niftyl Each man
carries forty rounds of rife and pistol
ammunition always when on guard or
( patrol duty.
we are connected with head
/ quarters IN brownsville by a special
wire. that Ia operated by a sergeant
from the signal service who has
! charge OF the wires in this district.
/ During the day, when we have
/ little to do we consume the time in
exercising our horses by Jumping
| hurdles and driving them around a
very nice little drill ground. right
inside our camp. Our troop gave a
very nice reception last Monday night
to the young ladies OF Brownsville
and vicinity. The affair was very
swell, l did not know there were
so many pretty girls in Texas The
pa pers gave us much mention in the
society columns.
We expect to get back to Browns
[ VILE IN n day or two. and the run1or
Is that we will be ordered home by
March 10. This is unofficial, however
WE appear to be the only national
guard smen not yet mentioned in any
/ homewa rd bound orders
None OF our men are on the sick
list. Too busy to get sick; might miss
something The troopers have re-
ments from headquarters and Rich.
mond should feel proud OF the cav
airy boys"