Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-06-16
Mortimer ID. Bryant Is
Made Brigadier General

motion of Colonel Mortimer ID. Rry-
ant to the post of Brigadier General
to command the 5lst Cavalry Brigade,
which comprises the 101st New York
Cavalry, the 102nd New Jersey Cav
airy and the 51st NJ G. Squadron.
The General will make his head
quarters at the Brooklyn armory OF
the 10lst Cavalry, and thus will keep
kindly eye on the boys with whom
he has been associated during his ca
reer.
We, of course, regret to lose Colo
mel bryant, but we are just as proud
to acclaim the new General, who can
not help but reflect great credit on the
old 1st New York Cavalry and the
new 101st Cavalry.
We will attempt to outline in brief
the commendable career Of General
Bryant, not only as an appreciation
and tribute but also as an outstanding
object lesson to the young men who
are just beginning their individual
careers in the 101st Cavalry.
When way back in 1897 Lieutenant
John rlske (now deceased) asked Bry-
ant how he'd like TO JOIN the troop, the
General, then just out Of college, re-
piled: Why yes; l think I'd ike 1t.
DO you THINK 1 can pass the recruit
ing committee" Fur in those days
the austere and unsympathetlc COM
mIUtee hguratVely deyoured d pros
pectivc recruit, and only those who
passed their rigorous questioning were
permitted "try-out," which meant
uelng assigned To a recruit class and
BENG ridden hard by a seasoned SER
geant for three months, after which,
II man began to asslmllate the mean
ing Of craftsmanship, he was actually
enlisted ana assigned TO his troop.
Bryant was athletic ana popular and
met all the reglmental requirements
and tests, and so Trooper" Bryant
became part Of Troop SC. 1t never
occurred TO him at that time that both
he and his drill sergeant, Charles /.
De Bevoise, were destined to play I'M
portant roles In history's greatest era
and were in time to come to attain the
high office of Brigadier General.
However, he was good trooper and
eventually became corporal, then
sergeant and so on up.
When the Spanish War broke out,
in 1898, General Bryant, then pri-
vate, departed with his troop and
served throughout the campaign, gain
ing experience which was later to be
squadron, on the border and at Spar
tanhurg proved him a levelheaded
officer and one who could get things
done.
His work overseas is now a matter
OF historic record, and We need not
go into that here, but few anecdotes
which portray the character OF the
man seems appropos,
AS Major in command of the 106th
Machine Gun Battalion General Bry-
ant had many arduous duties to per-
form, among which was inspecting the
first line of machine guns at the Hin
denburg Line. One night General
Bryant, accompanied by several Off
GERS, had started off on their usual
nightly accommodating under a desul-
tory fire from the German lines, con-
slant menace, and had proceeded along
their perilous way for some time when
General Bryant discovered lying be-
side the roadway beautiful team of
black horses attached to British
wagon. Approaching the animals, he
noticed that one horse had been killed
and had fallen on its mate in such
way as to pin down ist forelegs, which
bod ga nc
of the live horse at once won the SYM
pathy of the General, always keen
lover of horses, and without thought
of the danger he was exposing both
himself and his officers to he at once
set to work with the help of his aides
to clear the live horse and, if possible,
save it. shell and rifle fire from the
enemy made his position exceedingly
unsafe They worked fast, however,
and finally succeeded in pulling the
dead horse away from the live one,
only to find that it had broken its leg
in its struggle to get free. The horse
was of course destroyed, but the Gen.
eral received slight wound Ill the
arm from a bullet. When man risks
mis- live to save a horse he has the
stuff that makes Generals out of
troopers.
During the attack OH the linden
burg Line it is known that his concern
for his men was 81 great and fear for
himself so little that often, when nee
essary to proceed from one position
to another, he actually walked on top
of the trenches in direct line of fire
from the enemy.
When injBclgium, in the Dickebush
Lake sector, the enemy's position be-
ing on Mount kemmei, commanding a
clear vision of the surrounding cOun-
try, the position of the machine gun
ners was particularly hazardous. Men
had to lie for days concealed in she'll
holes and wherever they could find the
slightest shelter. The physical and
mental strain on the men was mad
dening. The British occupying this
sector were allowing their men an
issue of rum. The rules OF the Amer
leans forbade the use of it, Tne ne
ceSsity of Stimulant for our men was
apparent to the then Major Bryant.
Its against orders" said he, but
III see what can be DONE" and within
a short time the welcome stimulant
was issued to the nervaracked 2rla
tired men. The General thus dis