Evening star., 1920-04-25
sd j. S. CAVALRY
| HAS HISTORIC PAST
Third Squadron of Famous
Regiment Stationed at
Fort Myer.

fof the eighth time since its or
ganization the Sd United States Cav
airy carried out the exhortation of
ITS regimental motto. ITO the Front"
when It found itself in France in Oc-
| tober, 1917. 1t was then unit in
the a. e. F. Now it is garrisoning
Fort Myer. Va. across the Potomac
from the National Capital.
Once again is this historic post oc-
cupied by one of the country's his
toric regiments. The units now sta
toned there have formed the garri-
son since their return from France
| last July, and consist OF the Sd Squad
ron, Sd United States Cavalry, which
comprises Troops ]. K, L and M, the
Headquarters Troop and Supply
Troop. together with the I'd Battalion
OF the 18th United States Field Ar
tillery.
In the past this Fort Myer tour of
duty used to be given to famous regu-
lar cavalry regiments as a sort OF
combined reward and rest following
strenuous details in the far west.
often involving frequent and severe
ened and fatigued troopers found a
pleasant. cool and verdant place like
Fort Myer, close by the beautiful big
city that is the nations capital, an
exceedingly welcome change from ex-
periences recently undergone. The
same is probably true of the veterans
of the Sd Cavalry after their foreign
fighting and marching.
Been I'm Service IS Years.
The unit, more than third Of
which is now here, has been in the
service Of the United States for sew
enty-five years. having been organ
ICED in 1S45 for the prosecution OF
the Mexican war. 1t started Its his
tory by a glorious record In Mexico,
where 1t took part in eighteen en-
gagements Of Importance. including
Chapultepec and the City Of Mexico.
Gen. Scott. commander of the Army
in Mexico eulogized the regiment at
Mexico City in these words: Brave
Rifles; veterans, you have been bap-
tised in fire and food. and have come
bodied in the regimental coat OF
arms. together with the regimentai
motto, ITO the front"
How we'll the regiment followed the
precepts of its motto is told by lis
subsequent record. o.o :.
From the Mexican war IN iS4s II
took it's place at the front IN tne
march of civilization. marching s:ao9
miles to Oregon, where it rated
down the Columbia river and estab-
lished Columbia barracks at van
couyer From that time on II 1ouent
! in forty-six battles with lnolans,
helnine to make the great west sa1e
The civil war found the regiment
still engaged with Indians In the
west where it remained until 1898,
when It was ordered into the connict
against the Confederates. fghtlns IN
nine battles.
Went Back to Indian Fighting
From the civil war it went 1mnie-
diately again into action against the
hostile Indians in the west. where up
~ 1ssa II fought in no less than six
tv-seven engagements. including such
actions as Crazy Horse, in Montana
Tongue river, in wyoming; Rosepuo
river, in Montana. and sum buttes, IN
North Dakota. During these long
years of Indian warfare the Sd cav
sirv along with our other cavalry
wrote many brilliant pages IN our ms,
tory of achievement. endurance OF
hardships and flghting, OF which one
thinks little today when traverslng
the peaceful and prosperous west IN
comfortable Pullman.
These cavalrymen were real pioneers
and there is no desert. canyon or wind
swept plain but has felt the hoof beats
Of their horses and heard the crack OF
their carbines and pistols. The iate
Cyrus Townsend Brady has told OF
their service to their country In MS
"Indfan Fights and Fighters"
with the end of Indian wars the ga
cayalry went to Texas. where in 1891
1t was engaged in ten actlons-agalnsl
the Mexicans.
went the regiment In 1898. when 1t
sailed for Cuba. It fought at San
tiago and raised the first standard on
San Juan Hill.
Goes to Philippines.
Again in 1899 the Sd Cavalry in the
Philippine Islands fought in sixty
two engagements to subdue the Fil-
ipino insurrection and today electric
cars and automobiles traverse cleo
trically lighted streets whore the reg
iment found casabao carts. mud holes
and native indifference.
Another tour of garrison duty In the
Philippine Islands fell to Its lot from
1902 to 1906, when it went to the Mex
ican border, where II served till the
call from France in October. 1917,
found II ready.
The regiment served In France and
Germany for nineteen months. Troop
K taking part in the Meuse-Argonne
and Aisne-M Marine offensive.
In all this service the regiment has
fought with all kinds OF arms, for
the cavalryman is the most com
Of ali soldiers. He is armed with
the rifle, pistol and saber and can
fight on foot with the rife or pistol
or charge on his horse with the
pistol or saber. Each troop Is equip
ped with four Browning light ma
chine guns and the regiment has q
machine gun troop. with which 1t
can reinforce the attack. hold ad-
vance positions or cover the with
drawal in a rear-guard action.
The first and second squadrons OF
the regiment are now stationed at
Fort Ethan Allen, VT.
Col. Rivers Commanding.
The regiment and post Of Fort
Myer is in command of Col. William
c. Rivers. Sd Cavalry. He served
with distinction in France as colonel
Of the 10th Field Artillery. Sd Di-
vision, in the battle of st. Mihiel, and
as brigadier general commanding the
5th Artillery Brigade, 5th Division,
in the Meuse-Argonne.
with the advent of spring a regi-
mental review is held each Friday
afternoon at 4 o'clock at the post,
weather permitting, to witness which
the public Is cordially invited.
NON.UNION MEN EMPLOYED.