Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1933-03-29

when It left for California, via the Isthmus of
Panama. 1t took station at the Preside Of San
Francisco on January q. 1866.
From this time until the outbreak of the war
with Spain In 1898, the regiment remained in the
West. scouting and fighting Indians from the
Pacific coast to Oklahoma, it's duties practically
the same as they had been during the interval
between the Mexican and Civil wars. Engage
ments were fought with every important tribe
of red en-an at times the troopers were
even engaged in rounding up horse thieves who
p~racticed their trade along the Rio Grande.
In the Spanish-American war, the regiment
took part in the Battle of Santiago, and later
rendered a glorious account of itself in the
Philippines during the instructions.
Since the war with Spain. the command has
soldiered extensively in the Philippine islands
and the western United States. 1t was on Dor
der duty during 1916, 1917, and 1918. It's service
during the period has been generally without
striking historical significance, but the %organiza-
ton has nevertheless occupied an important
place In our national defense system. In the
performance Of its routine garrison duty and
on maneuvers, 1t has upon many occasions drawn
the praise Of high commanders and inspectors.
After the sad ceremony which took place at
Fort d. A. Russell, this historic regiment was
transferred to Fort Knox, KY, to become q part
of the mechanical force of the army which for
some time has been experimenting at Fort Eu-
sits, Va, with the latest developments In tanks
and armored cars. This was In line with the
War departments desire to maintain the cavalry
In Its role as the fastest-moving fighting force
and it was believed that 1t could best be done by
replacing horses with high-speed cars.
This does not necessarily mean, however, that
the cavalry charger will be entirely eliminated
from our military establishment of the future.
In fact, 1t would appear from a study of past ex-
perlence that there will always be special sit
uations In which the mounted soldier will be
needed. Man and horse can get through and
gain when other means are blocked.
The a~irplane is helpless In a fog. for instance.
Nor can thoroughly effective reconnaissance be
accomplished without the aid Of the horse In
exceedingly mountainous terrain. All this would
indicate the retention Of the horse for some
military purposes and that mounted troops, In
smaller numbers, will be available for scouting.
at any rate.
In the broader field of tactical usefulness,
however, the horse cannot compete with the
newer mechanical weapons. The speeding ar
mored car, for ground reconnaissance can cover
much greater distances in quicker time.
With the development of more effective weap
ons. the horse has lost its "shock power" In
operating against either mounted or dismounted
enemies. There are too many machine guns, auto
matte rifles and quick firing artillery guns to
permit such close contact, and the horse offers
a larger target than the man on foot. Gas,
too, is a potent weapon against the horse. 1t Is
too expensive to completely cover an animal
with g~as-proof cloth and there are gases now
which infict deep burns at the slightest exposure.
Ever since the British launched the first land
ships or tanks las they were originally named
to mislead spies) many military experts have
been looking toward a mechanical cavalry.
mounted on mechanical steeds, still carrying
on its traditional roles of distant reconnaissance
pursuit, surprise attack and reserve,
but covering more ground In less time, striking
with more force and power and with fewer risks
and greater protection than the horse offered.
But the World war tanks were incapable of
carrying out such assignments. Some power they
enjoyed, but mobility, the prime essential of
cavalry, they lacked. The light tank. for In
stance, Unanswered across country at the rate
Of three to four miles an hour. After ten miles
il ran out of gasoline, and, what was even worse,
Il usually had to go back to the shop for over
haul after a comparatively short trip. The heavy
tank, carrying the tremendous weight of Al
tons, numbered along at a maximum rate of
five and a half miles an hour, and often begged
down In Its own tracks.
Today, however, the ordnance department has
given the American fighting forces a light ex-
perimental tank capable Of operating on the
road at 25 miles an hour, across country at is
miles an hour; 60 miles on one filling OF gaso-
line. and more than 1000 miles before major
overhaul becomes necessary. And all this has
been accomplished without increasing the light
tank of seven and a half tons by a single pound
Besides tanks and vehicles Of Its type, q
mechanical force calls for armored cars, wheeled
vehicles armored and armed with machine guns
only. For long-distance reconnaissance, pa
trolls and raids, such vehicles are held lndispen.
sable, and the time may not be far distant when
they will replace entirely that faithful compan.
lon of our troopers, the cavalry charger, who
helped push back the frontier In the conquest OF
America.
90 by western Newspaper uniOnA