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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/37755-h.zip b/37755-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..41cea1c --- /dev/null +++ b/37755-h.zip diff --git a/37755-h/37755-h.htm b/37755-h/37755-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..53195c4 --- /dev/null +++ b/37755-h/37755-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3567 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Campaign of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry April 25 - November 11 1898, by James Cooper. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +hr { + margin: 3em auto 3em auto; + height: 0px; + border-width: 1px 0 0 0; + border-style: solid; + border-color: #dcdcdc; + width: 500px; + clear: both; +} + +hr.hr2 { + width: 250px; + margin: 3em auto 3em auto; +} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +table.toc { + margin: auto; + width: 50%; +} + +td.c1 { + text-align: right; + vertical-align: top; + padding-right: 1em; +} + +td.c2 { + text-align: left; + margin-left: 0em; + padding-left: 2em; + text-indent: -2em; + padding-right: 1em; + vertical-align: top; +} + +td.c3 { + text-align: right; + padding-left: 1em; + vertical-align: bottom; +} + +td { padding: 0em 1em; } +th { padding: 0em 1em; } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + color: #999; +} /* page numbers */ + + +/* Poetry */ + .poem { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + text-align: left; +} + + .poem br { display: none; } + + .poem .stanza { margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em; } + + .poem span.i0 { + display: block; + margin-left: 0em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + + .poem span.i1 { + display: block; + margin-left: 1em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + + .blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + .center {text-align: center;} + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + + .gap { margin-top: 1em; } + +/* Images */ + .figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + + .bord img { + padding: 1px; + border: 1px solid black; +} + +p.caption { + margin-top: 0; + font-size: 70%; + text-align: left; +} + +p.caption2 { + margin-top: 0; + font-size: 70%; + text-align: center; +} + +/* Transcriber Notes */ +div.tn { + background-color: #EEE; + border: dashed 1px; + color: #000; + margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; + margin-top: 5em; + margin-bottom: 5em; + padding: 1em; +} + +ins {text-decoration:none; + border-bottom: thin dotted gray; +} + +ul.corrections { + list-style-type: circle; +} + +li.pad { padding-top: 2.0%; } + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Campaign of the First Troop Philadelphia +City Cavalry, by James Cooper + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Campaign of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry + April 25-November 11, 1898 + +Author: James Cooper + +Release Date: October 14, 2011 [EBook #37755] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAMPAIGN OF THE FIRST TROOP *** + + + + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<p> </p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2"></a></span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_Frontispiece" id="Page_Frontispiece"></a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 332px;"> +<img src="images/i002.png" width="332" height="500" alt=" +First Lieutenant Browning Captain Groome Second Lieutenant McFadden + +" title=" +1st Lieutenant Browning Captain Groome 2nd Lieut. McFadden" /> +<span class="caption"> +First Lieutenant Browning Captain Groome Second Lieutenant McFadden + +</span> +</div> + + + + +<h1> +CAMPAIGN<br /> +<br /></h1> +<h4>OF THE<br /> +<br /></h4> +<h1>First Troop<br /> +<br /> +Philadelphia City Cavalry<br /> +<br /></h1> +<h3>APRIL 25—NOVEMBER 11<br /> +<br /> +1898<br /> +<br /> +<br /></h3> +<h2>JAMES COOPER</h2> +<div class="center"><br /> +<br /> +PHILADELPHIA:<br /> +<br /> +HALLOWELL CO. LTD., PUBLISHERS<br /> +<br /> +14 <span class="smcap">South Fifth Street</span></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4"></a></span><i>For all that is good in this little book acknowledgment is due +to Captain John C. Groome, Lieutenant J. Frank McFadden, +Lieutenant J. Willis Martin, Sergeant John Wagner, Jr., +Sergeant Robert E. Glendinning, F. B. Neilson, T. Wallis +Huidekoper, Hugh Craig, Jr., and the publisher. They have +provided the photographs and practically all the material used. +Many passages are taken entirely from letters and other writings +of these Troopers. The writer's personal observations +merely covered the time of the Troop's stay at Mt. Gretna, +Camp Alger and Newport News.</i></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5"></a></span></p> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + + + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="CONTENTS"> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'>CHAPTER</td><td align="right">PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">I.</td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Call to Arms</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">II.</td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Troop at Mt. Gretna</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_18">18</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">III.</td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Departure for Camp Alger</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_32">32</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">IV.</td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">First Days at Camp Alger</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_37">37</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">V.</td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Camp Alger and Newport News</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_46">46</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">VI.</td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Life Aboard a Troop Ship</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_56">56</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">VII.</td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">In the Enemy's Country</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_65">65</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">VIII.</td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Fight that Failed</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_74">74</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">IX.</td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">After the Battle</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_83">83</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">X.</td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Home Again</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_99">99</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7"></a></span><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6"></a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>ILLUSTRATIONS.</h2> + + + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="ILLUSTRATIONS"> +<tr><td align="left"> </td><td align="right">PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Captain Groome, Lieuts. Browning and McFadden,</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_Frontispiece"><i>frontispiece</i></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Troopers Camp at Mt. Gretna,</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_17">17</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Pistol Practice at Camp Hastings,</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_30">30</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">A Lesson in Horse Throwing,</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_34">34</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Having Fun with "Hazel,"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_39">39</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Glimpse into a Troop Ship,</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_58">58</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Cathedral Virgin del Carmen,</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_62">62</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Bivouac Outside Cathedral Virgin del Carmen,</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_63">63</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Bringing the Horses Ashore at Ponce,</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_65">65</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Camp at Arroyo,</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_71">71</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">En Route to the Battlefield.—Military Road from Guayama to Caney,</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_77">77</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">"Camp Esperanca,"—Guayama in the Distance,</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_85">85</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">At the Beach near Guayama,</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_87">87</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Return Along the Road from Guayama to Ponce,</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_93">93</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Hacienda Carmen,</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_99">99</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Sergeant's Club at Guayama,</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_103">103</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8"></a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3>THE CALL TO ARMS.</h3> + + +<p>When the members of the First Troop of Philadelphia +City Cavalry were summoned to +prepare for the annual inspection, on April 23rd, 1898, +there was but one great topic of conversation among +the people of the United States. Early in February, +the U. S. Battleship Maine had been destroyed by an explosion +in Havana harbor, and two hundred and forty-eight +American sailors had lost their lives. A board of +naval officers, after daily sessions for seven weeks, had +decided that the destruction of the vessel was not due +to an accident; confirming the popular opinion that the +blowing up of this vessel was an act of Spanish treachery. +Both branches of Congress were debating measures +regarding American intervention in the Cuban rebellion, +which the natives of that island had successfully +carried on against Spanish rule for three years. +The question of the hour was whether war with Spain +was at hand.</p> + +<p>That the annual inspection of the Troop occurred +just at this time was merely a coincidence—six +months before the plans had been made. Nothing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +was changed by the exciting rumors of the day, for the +Troopers belonged to that conservative class of business +men, which even at this time, did not believe in +the likelihood of a resort to arms over the disputes +pending between the United States and Spain.</p> + +<p>In former years it had been the custom of the +Troopers to drill Saturday afternoons, throughout the +spring, in Fairmount Park. This plan had proven so +troublesome that it had been decided to give up every +afternoon for one week previous to the annual inspection +for manœuvres at Fort Side grounds and omit +the Saturday drills in the Park. The Wednesday before +the date set for the first practice, some new horses for +the City Troopers were sent to Fort Washington, and +rooms were secured for the men at Fort Side Inn.</p> + +<p>On Monday, April 18th, the Troop having assembled +at Fort Side, in service uniform, fully equipped +and mounted, were formed in line promptly at four +o'clock, and at the command of Captain Groome +trotted off to their first drill, which was held in a fine +broad meadow bordering on the Wissahickon, opposite +the Inn. After two hours of troop and squad movements +they returned to the Inn, where they learned +that while they had been drilling the House and +Senate conferrees had agreed to a joint resolution in +regard to intervention. Throughout the week the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +drills continued, and each afternoon showed a marked +improvement, both in the men and horses. The latter +soon became accustomed to the noise of the firing during +the skirmish drill, and one hour each day was spent +in drilling in extended order and "as skirmishers." +As each twenty-four hours passed the reports from +the nation's capitol showed war to be closer at +hand than upon the preceding day. On Wednesday +despatches from Washington were printed in all +papers saying that the National Guard would be +called out within forty-eight hours and sent to camp +at Mt. Gretna, Pa. Captain Groome quietly passed +word along the line to make ready, and arrangements +were completed with the Pennsylvania Railroad to +transport the Troopers to the State camp, direct from +Fort Washington, should need arise. In fact there +was a general hope among the men that in this +way the dreaded farewells from loved ones might be +avoided. Thursday night the President signed the +resolutions of Congress, which stated that American +troops would be sent to Cuba at once to end the war. +At the same time an ultimatum was sent to Spain to +withdraw her troops from the island quietly or prepare +for invasion. It was announced that Spain had +been given forty-eight hours in which to answer. Her +only reply was to despatch her best fleet westward.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span>On Saturday, the day of the Troopers inspection, +President McKinley issued a call for 125,000 +volunteers. While this fact overshadowed all others, +the Troopers made a splendid showing that afternoon, +and were heartily congratulated upon their high state +of efficiency by Major Sweeney, Inspector of the First +Brigade.</p> + +<p>Sunday was the last day of rest at home that the +Troopers were to enjoy for months to come. On +the following Monday, Governor Hastings ordered the +State Troops to mobilize at Mt. Gretna Thursday. +President McKinley's call had made no requisition for +cavalry, but Captain Groome received a personal telegram +from Governor Hastings saying that the Troop +would be wanted without question, and the usual +printed notices were sent out, ordering the men to be +at the armory ready to start at five o'clock Thursday +morning. As a matter of fact, a majority of the +Troopers spent the two preceding days there, helping +pack the stores and equipments, and getting everything +in perfect condition.</p> + +<p>Wednesday night all was in readiness, and the +cavalrymen's spirits were high as they read in the +evening papers how Sampson's fleet was engaged in +bombarding Matanzas, and how the Spaniards were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +rushing work upon their fortifications in Cuba and +Porto Rico.</p> + +<p>War had been begun without any formal declaration. +Spain had refused to answer the American +ultimatum and had given Minister Woodford his passports, +thus breaking diplomatic relations. At once +the United States fleet, off the Cuban coast, began +to capture Spanish vessels. Then, at the request of +the President, Congress passed a declaration to the +effect that a state of war had existed between the +United States and Spain since Monday, April 25th.</p> + +<p>At this time Spain was credited with having two +powerful fleets of a strength almost equal to that of +the United States Navy, and with possessing an army +in Cuba and Porto Rico of 150,000 well seasoned, +splendidly drilled men; war problems were admittedly +assuming a graver aspect each day.</p> + +<p>All the forces of nature seemed combined, on +Thursday morning, to deter the City Troopers from +their expressed intention of joining the volunteer +army. Faint-hearted men would surely have been +terrified at the first view presented of the hardships +of a soldier's life. It was freezing cold, yet a sort of +rain was falling that at times became hail and at +times came down as snow. Whatever form the +downfall took, it soaked through all coverings and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +chilled to the bone those compelled to endure its pelting +attack. An icy wind was twisting and cutting +through the streets of the city.</p> + +<p>When the Troopers stepped from their comfortable +homes into the storm, it was not yet five o'clock. +Daylight was scarce as strong as the light from the +lamps still burning in the streets; deep slush covered +the streets and sidewalks. Singly, and by groups of +two or threes, the cavalrymen slipped and splashed +their way to the old armory on Twenty-first Street.</p> + +<p>Roll call at five o'clock found, out of the sixty-six +active members of the Troop, the following present: +Captain John C. Groome, First Lieutenant Edward +Browning, Assistant Surgeon Charles H. Frazier, +Cornet Richard Tilghman, First Sergeant J. Willis +Martin, Quartermaster Sergeant William C. Lott, +Sergeants R. E. Glendinning, John Wagner, Jr., +Frederick Thibault, C. Emory McMichael and William +H. Hart; Corporals William E. Bates, Charles H. +Smith, John Houston Merrill and Francis A. Thibault; +Trumpeters Pugh and Singer; Privates A. Mercer +Biddle, Frank B. Bower, Ward Brinton, Thomas +Cadwalader, Jay Cooke, 3d, Francis L. Cramp, +Herman A. Denckla, George L. Farnum, J. Edward +Farnum, William I. Forbes, Persifor Frazier, Jr., +H. Percy Glendinning, Henry S. Godfrey, Samuel<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +Goodman, Francis E. Green, Robert E. Griffith, +Guston A. Heckscher, T. Wallis Huidekoper, Francis +A. Janney, Charles K. Lennig, George McFadden, +Percy C. Madeira, Richard W. Meirs, Frederick B. +Neilson, Edward P. Rawle, Benjamin B. Reath, +Samuel K. Reeves, J. Ridgway Reilly, James M. +Rhodes, Jr., Thomas Ridgway, Henry D. Riley, +Thomas Robb, Jr., Adolph G. Rosengarten, Mitchell +G. Rosengarten, Jr., Edward K. Rowland, Reginald +K. Shober, James Starr, J. C. Stevens, Edward C. +Taylor, Nelson B. Warden, William G. Warden, +Bromley Wharton and Alexander W. Wister, Jr. The +absentees were: Second Lieutenant J. Frank McFadden, +who was coming to rejoin his command as +fast as the "Lucania" could bring him from Europe; +George Thayer, who had cabled from Ireland that he +would return upon the first available vessel; H. C. +Butcher, who was in the mountains near Cripple +Creek beyond the reach of telegrams, and who at +that time did not know war was talked of; W. Goodman +and S. Chew, who were in a similar condition +of ignorance somewhere in the Klondike regions of +Alaska, and Corporal Borie, sick in bed with typhoid +fever.</p> + +<p>Just at 5.50 the ringing notes of the bugle +sounded assembly. At six o'clock came "boots and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +saddles." Ten minutes later the men mounted and +rode out into the icy rain, each man wearing the +service uniform, heavy overcoat and poncho, and +armed with saber, Springfield carbine (cal. 45) and +Colts' revolver (cal. 38), and with the blanket, mess +outfit, haversack and nose bag, and two days' rations +securely strapped to the saddle.</p> + +<p>With bowed heads they slowly passed to the +Reading siding at the corner of Twenty-third and +Arch Streets, where the long troop train was waiting. +Quartermaster Sergeant Lott and his detail having +loaded all the stores and camp equipage before the +arrival of the Troop, there was nothing for the men to +do but load their horses on the cars. Inside of half +an hour the last horse had been loaded, and the Troop +was ready to start. For nearly an hour, however, they +remained in the cars at the siding, and "last" good-bys +were said over again to the few remaining friends +who had braved the weather to see the cavalrymen +off. Finally at 7.30 the engine gave a warning toot, +and the train pulled slowly out amid prolonged cheers.</p> + +<p>Delays innumerable and inexplainable occurred +on that journey, and a trip which ordinarily requires +less than three hours consumed, in the <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'Troopers'">Troopers'</ins> +case, an entire day; so that the shades of evening +were added to the gloom which had prevailed all day<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +when Camp Hastings was reached. From the cars +the Troopers tramped a half mile, up and down hill, +to a little valley which had been designated as their +camp site.</p> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i018.png" width="500" height="325" alt="TROOPERS CAMP AT MT. GRETNA." title="TROOPERS CAMP AT MT. GRETNA." /> +<span class="caption">TROOPERS CAMP AT MT. GRETNA.</span> +</div> + +<p>After the flood of the day the valley was ankle +deep in mud, and a more discouraging prospect than +confronted the Troopers would be hard to imagine. +No shelter had been prepared for them, nor could any +be secured. By some mistake, on the part of others, +their tents had not yet arrived from the State Arsenal. +All buildings about the camp grounds were crowded +with the constantly increasing throngs of infantrymen, +each troop train upon its arrival adding to the +thousands of shelterless soldiers.</p> + +<p>A half dozen of the largest Troopers were sent +out to forage, and while they were gone arrangements +were made, through the courtesy of Captain Warburton, +with the men of Battery A to share their +tents for the night. The battery had arrived the day +before and was comfortably located. Of course the +doubling up of quarters caused crowding, but the +grateful Troopers, wet and tired as they were, +were soon dreaming their first soldier dreams, while +the rain beat a mournful tattoo on the canvas overhead.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h3>THE TROOP AT MT. GRETNA.</h3> + + +<p>Had the Troopers not known from experience +that Mt. Gretna was an ideal spot for a camp, +their impressions of the place, gained from observations +taken the morning after their arrival, would +have been disagreeable beyond expression. In the +words of "Longfeller," as one Trooper expressed it, +in a letter to the <i>Press</i>,</p> + +<div class="poem"> +<span class="i0">"We saw the tents of the others,</span><br /> +<span class="i1">Gleam through the rain and the mist,</span><br /> +<span class="i0">And a feeling of sadness came o'er us,</span><br /> +<span class="i1">That our hearts could not resist."</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>For, to the disgust of the Troopers, daylight brought +no news of the missing canvas, and visions of another +night in the mess tents of the Battery and Sheridan +Troop began to disturb the men. Captain Groome +and his lieutenants had planned plenty of work for +the men, however, and as soon as their minds were +once occupied they began to feel better. Details +were sent to relieve the guard that had been placed +over the baggage car, to secure wagons to haul the +luggage to the camp grounds and to do regular sentry +duty.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span>While the spot selected for a camp by Captain +Groome had its disadvantages in rainy weather, it +proved to be on the whole, the most desirable spot on +the entire grounds; one of its greatest advantages +being the nearness of Lake Conawago, where later in +the season the men enjoyed a daily bath. The Philadelphia +infantry commands had been assigned the worst +quarters at Mt. Gretna. They occupied a deep basin, +fully a mile and a half from the station and telegraph +office, and during the entire time the First, Second, +Third Regiments and Battalion of State Fencibles remained +there, the valley was a sea of red mud. +Every other regiment was encamped on rising ground, +where the sandy soil was well drained and kept comparatively +dry despite the long continued rains which +set in.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon the Troopers tents arrived, and +went up with astonishing rapidity. The men worked +hard arranging wooden supports for their straw-filled +canvas bags, so they would not be obliged to sleep on +the wet turf. The horses had been well sheltered in +the woods near the camp, but men and beasts alike +were glad when they saw the bright sun on Saturday +morning. These weather conditions quickly wrought +a great change throughout the miles of tented streets. +Soldiers faces brightened and the Troopers, who had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +kept up their pluck splendidly under a stress of unfortunate +circumstances such as no other organization +had been obliged to face, could not help showing their +pleasure at the improved prospects.</p> + +<p>Sunday was spent for the most part in straightening +up the camp. In the afternoon there were a +number of visitors on hand from Philadelphia, although +rainy weather had set in again. All kind of +rumors were current as to what would be done with +the State organizations, and many feared that the +Troop would not be allowed to enlist as a whole, but +that the men would be called upon to enter the volunteer +service as individuals. These rumors soon +died away, however, and on Monday when the men +were lined up and asked if they were willing to enter +the service of the United States there was but a +single dissenting voice. One private refused to volunteer, +and he at once resigned from the Troop. As +there was no provision in the call for volunteers for +an assistant surgeon, with a troop of cavalry, Dr. +Charles H. Frazier could not be mustered in.</p> + +<p>After the privates and non-commissioned officers +had expressed their willingness to volunteer, Colonel +Morrell addressed the officers as follows: "Is it your +desire that I should request the Governor of Pennsylvania +to issue to you a commission for the same places<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +you now hold in the volunteer army of the United +States?"</p> + +<p>Captain Groome and Lieutenants Browning and +McFadden signified their desire to serve, and Governor +Hastings at once responded that it would give him +great pleasure to have the commissions made out as +requested.</p> + +<p>After this inspection the men settled down to +camp life with zest. On the day they had signified +their willingness to enlist, the great news had come +of Commodore Dewey's victory in the harbor of Manila. +The destruction of the entire Spanish fleet in +the East, gave a new turn to the war, and it was soon +whispered that it would not be long before some of +the men encamped at Mt. Gretna would be on their +way to these distant islands in the Pacific. Daily +drills were taken up with added interest. Wednesday +and Thursday were rainy. The brigade surgeons +were being examined, and all was put in readiness +for the physical examination of the soldiers, preliminary +to their being mustered into the volunteer service. +Friday the City Troopers were examined and +four men were rejected by the surgeons, chiefly for +defects in eyesight. Two of these were afterward +reinstated by direct orders from Washington.</p> + +<p>Saturday, April 28th, the Troopers were marched<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +down to division headquarters to be mustered in. A +heavy Scotch mist hung over the camp, and objects +at a short distance were invisible. The men were +lined up before a long wooden platform upon which +stood Major William A. Thompson, of the First U. S. +Cavalry, the officer detailed by the War Department +to muster the Pennsylvania National Guard troops +into the Volunteer service of the United States; +Governor Hastings and his staff, and hundreds of +spectators. As the roll was called, each Trooper +stepped forward and answered to his name. Then +the mustering officer told the men and officers to raise +their right hand. Up went the hands and the spectators +removed their hats while Major Thompson repeated +this oath:</p> + +<p>"Do you solemnly swear that you will bear true +faith and allegiance to the United States of America, +and will serve them faithfully against all their enemies +whomsoever, and that you will obey the orders +of the President of the United States and the orders +of officers appointed over you, according to the rules +and articles of war?"</p> + +<p>"I do!" shouted each man in the same breath, +and as the hearty response went up, the spectators +applauded and the Third Regiment Band, sheltered +in a building near at hand, struck up "The Star<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +Spangled Banner." The officers' commissions were +then filled in by the Governor and handed to their +owners. Back to their camp marched the Troopers, +no longer their own masters but servants of Uncle +Sam, and as they filed past the mustering stand, a +company of infantrymen stepped up to go through +the same ceremony.</p> + +<p>Noah is credited with being the only man who +ever saw it rain for forty days and forty nights, but +the City Troopers ran him a close race in the month +that followed. The intervals between showers were +almost too brief to be noticed, and it became a popular +jest that the weather man was trying to break the +men in for a campaign in Cuba during the rainy +season. The worst storm of the lot was reserved for +the Sunday following the muster-in of the Troopers. +In regular cloud-bursts the floods descended upon +Camp Hastings. The camp of the Troopers was surrounded +by hills on three sides, and down these hills +came innumerable streams, all headed for the Troop +street. Visitors in large numbers had come out from +the city on the long excursion trains, and many were +half ferried, half driven to camp in an old wagon +which seemed especially designed to do service as a +boat. Bad as was the Troopers' lot, it was almost +nothing compared to what the Philadelphia infantrymen<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +were compelled to endure. The foot soldiers in +the first place had not taken the same precautions +as the Troopers in raising their mattresses from the +ground, and in some cases they actually found their +beds under water by nightfall. Mud in the streets of +every camp in the First Brigade was six inches deep, +and so sticky that to attempt to walk through it, invariably +meant the loss of a boot.</p> + +<p>On Monday morning, drills were resumed by the +Troopers, and upon Tuesday they were called to bid +farewell to the men of Battery A, who had been +ordered to Newport News for guard duty.</p> + +<p>Although the rain spoiled all attempts at systematic +drill, captains throughout the camp were gradually +getting their men in better shape, and the +work of mustering-in had proceeded uninterruptedly. +On Friday, the 13th, the last of the Pennsylvania +Troops had entered the volunteer army. There were +at that time 10,860 in all, and a grand review by the +Governor was planned for the next afternoon. As if +to compensate for past sins and sins to come, the +weather for that day was perfect, and by three +o'clock on Saturday afternoon the various troops and +regiments throughout the camp began wending their +way from the tents to the parade ground. The +Troopers took up their stand on a little hill near their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +camp, but the rising ground prevented their seeing +the miles of blue ranks, glittering with steel, that +stretched away just beyond.</p> + +<p>The Governor and his staff rode at full gallop +along the lines, while a little band, the only one in +camp, kept blowing out the strains of "Hail to the +Chief." The lack of proper music was the only +drawback to this occasion. Then the order to march +came; the many commands swung past the reviewing +party, and the finest display ever made by Pennsylvania +troops since the Civil War was at an end.</p> + +<p>The second command of Philadelphia soldiers +to leave Camp Hastings was the Third Regiment. +Colonel Ralston received his orders the Sunday following +the review, and attempted to get off that +afternoon, but railroad facilities were wanting and it +was not until Monday evening that the boys of the +Third got away. Tampa was their destination.</p> + +<p>The next day Captain Groome received an order +to report to General Merritt, of the Department of the +East, and this order gave the reporters of the various +papers material for many scare stories, as it became +known the next day that General Merritt had been +ordered to take command of the expedition to the +Philippines, and it was supposed by some that he +would take the Troopers with him. This rumor was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +in a measure substantiated by the orders which came +for the Tenth Regiment to prepare to take a journey +to the islands. For, like the Troopers, the Tenth had +just previously been ordered to report to General +Merritt, and when the orders came regarding the +Philippines, the men of the Tenth had struck tents +preparatory to going to meet General Merritt in New +York. On this same Tuesday the First Regiment, +made up of Philadelphia men, left Mt. Gretna for +Camp Thomas, Chickamauga, and the Ninth Regiment +started for the same camp.</p> + +<p>From the movement of the infantry regiments it +seemed probable that they would soon be required +for active service, but the cavalry troops were detained +at Mt. Gretna waiting for the issue of arms +and equipments from the Government. As the City +Troop was fully armed with the carbine, saber and +pistol, uniformed, equipped and mounted, and owned +all their equipments and horses, Captain Groome +offered to Governor Hastings, and through him to +the Secretary of War, to transfer immediately all +the horses and troop property of every description to +the United States, to be settled for at any time and +price satisfactory to the Government. The Troopers +hoped by this offer to be enabled to take the field at +once, but unfortunately this was not accepted, although<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +the spirit which prompted it was warmly commended +in the return message from the War Department. +After this there was nothing to do but wait for the +Government to provide new horses and equipments.</p> + +<p>On the afternoon of Wednesday, the 19th, Captain +Groome was called to Washington and Lieutenant +Browning remained in charge of the City +Troopers camp. He put the men through a long dismounted +drill and followed it up with another the +next day. While the captain was away, a report +came from Washington, through the Associated Press +despatches, that the Pennsylvania Cavalry were to +be ordered at once to Hempstead, L. I., to camp +there until wanted. Saturday noon Captain Groome +returned. He borrowed thirty horses belonging to +the Sheridan Troop and took one-half of the City +Troopers out for drill. When they returned Lieutenant +Browning took out the other squad. In the evening +there came an inquiry from the War Department as +to how many horses were needed by the City Troop. +This did not arouse any enthusiasm, however, as the +same request had been made two weeks before and +nothing had come of it.</p> + +<p>Sunday was a pleasant day, for a change, and the +Troopers spent it quietly. There were not many visitors +on the grounds, as all the regiments had departed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +except the Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Sixteenth +and Eighteenth. Most of these men came from distant +parts of the State. In the afternoon Sergeant +Glendinning tried some experiments in kite flying +that were watched with interest, and others of the +Troopers planned to go into the kite manufacturing +business to be ready for sport on the next clear day.</p> + +<p>There was a novelty in the way of drill in store +for thirty of the Troopers, on Monday, as they were +sent out in search of tramps who had settled in a +nearby mountain, and were said to be moonshiners +on a small scale. The exercise was splendid, but +no tramps were found. That night a baby cyclone +struck the camp. The wind got in its fine work +about one o'clock in the morning, and the Troopers +had to jump out of bed and hold their tents down. +Some of the tents were sent flying before the alarm +was given, and as rain immediately followed the blow, +there were many men who passed an uncomfortable +night.</p> + +<p>At this time the order of the day, in camp, was +as follows:</p> + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Order of the Day"> + +<tr><td align="right">5.55 <span class="smcap">a. m.</span></td><td align="left">First call.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">6 <span class="smcap">a. m.</span></td><td align="left">Reveille roll call.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">6.05 <span class="smcap">a. m.</span></td><td align="left">Setting up exercises.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">6.20 <span class="smcap">a. m.</span></td><td align="left">Mess.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">7 <span class="smcap">a. m.</span></td><td align="left">Police camp.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">8 <span class="smcap">a. m.</span></td><td align="left">Guard mount.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">8.30 <span class="smcap">a. m.</span></td><td align="left">Drill.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">11.30 <span class="smcap">a. m.</span></td><td align="left">Inspection of quarters.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">12 <span class="smcap">m.</span></td><td align="left">Mess.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">3 <span class="smcap">p. m.</span></td><td align="left">Drill.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">6.15 <span class="smcap">p. m.</span></td><td align="left">Mess.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">7 <span class="smcap">p. m.</span></td><td align="left">Retreat roll call.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">9.30 <span class="smcap">p. m.</span></td><td align="left">Tattoo.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">10 <span class="smcap">p. m.</span></td><td align="left">Taps.</td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p>All the men contributed to the mess from their +pay, so that the meals did not consist solely of salt +pork and hard tack. In the mornings the drill covered +the manual of carbine or saber drills, and pistol +practice by squad or troop, also dismounted drill by +the Troop; this drill lasted as a rule two hours. +The afternoon drill as a rule extended over three +hours, and was chiefly in outpost and skirmish work. +One platoon would start, under the command of an +officer, telling the general direction it would take, +and having gone a certain distance would establish +outposts of an imaginary camp, twenty minutes later +a second platoon would start on a march through the +country, throwing out flankers and advance guard. +The men of the two platoons wearing different colors +on their hats so as to distinguish them. Up hill and +down dale the men would crawl their way until the +crack of the pistols would show that one platoon had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +been unmasked. Then it was left to the officers to +decide which side had the best of the manœuvres. +While two platoons were thus engaged a third was +always left in charge of camp. Each morning half +the Troop would be taken over to the rifle range for +pistol and carbine practice.</p> + +<p>One piece of work had been done by the +Troopers, during the early days of their stay at Camp +Hastings, that has not been referred to. It was a +squad of City Troopers that went over the triple +muster rolls of the entire quota of Pennsylvania volunteers, +for Major Thompson, and their quick, accurate +work helped greatly in the rapid mustering-in of the +men. When he discharged these Troopers from further +duty, Major Thompson wrote a cordial letter to +Captain Groome, giving the Troopers high praise.</p> + +<p>And so the days passed on. Sometimes the +Troopers felt that their peaceful camp life was pretty +slow, but as the drills became harder day by day +they realized that it was not only a great school of +experience, but that each day's drill was part of a +general plan of their officers, that would gradually +improve their physical condition and bring them to a +high state of efficiency as a Troop when they were +needed for active service. And so each night, when +at the last note of "retreat" the guidon was taken<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +in, they felt they had not only earned a good night's +rest, but that they had learned something during the +day.</p> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i033.png" width="500" height="325" alt="PISTOL PRACTICE AT CAMP HASTINGS." title="PISTOL PRACTICE AT CAMP HASTINGS." /> +<span class="caption">PISTOL PRACTICE AT CAMP HASTINGS.</span> +</div> + +<p>On May 25th, President McKinley issued his +second call for troops, and it was announced that the +men thus called for would be added to the organizations +already in the field. The City Troop was to be +recruited up to a complete war footing of one hundred +men, and arrangements were made to notify the men +upon the waiting list of the opportunity that would +be thus offered. Two days later the Paymaster +reached camp for the first time. Three members of +the Troop were sent to Harrisburg to secure the +cash, and that night the men had their first look at +Government money; for in their previous campaigns, +as a troop, their pay had come from the State. A +Board was appointed, consisting of Major W. A. +Thompson, First U. S. Cavalry, and Captain Paxton, +Sixth Infantry, U. S. A., to purchase horses for the +three troops of cavalry, and the last day of May +Captain Groome left camp to join them in New +Castle, Pa.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h3>DEPARTURE FOR CAMP ALGER.</h3> + + +<p>June first found Captain Groome back again, +with the information that if possible the horses for +the City Troop would be grey. A large number of that +color had been found and accepted by the Board, and +as grey was the color best suited for service in tropical +countries, the Captain had bespoken the greys for his +troop. On June 4th the Captain rejoined the Horse +Board, and the first animals purchased reached camp. +The greys were tied to the picket line, which was +extended in front of the Troop's long row of tents.</p> + +<p>On the seventh of the month the City Troop +received orders from Major-General Graham, commanding +the Second Army Corps, to proceed at once to +Camp Alger, and report as a part of that corps. To do +this would be to leave the camp with but a part of the +Troop's horses and equipments, so Captain Groome +requested that the Troop be allowed to remain until +fully equipped, if possible. However, all arrangements +were made in compliance with the first order, +and camp was broken on the afternoon of June 9th. +Some of the officers' wives, who had taken cottages<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +at Chautauqua, had dismissed their servants, and the +Troopers were ready to march to the train, when an +order came granting the Captain's request, and ordering +the Troop to remain until fully equipped.</p> + +<p>Recruiting officers were at once sent to Philadelphia, +and two days later twelve new Troopers arrived, +fully uniformed. Captain Groome was too +busy to remain with the Horse Board any longer, and +Lieutenant Browning went in his stead. The drills +increased in length each day, and the new recruits as +fast as they arrived were sent out in squads to learn +the first principles, and then were given a turn with +the entire Troop. The officers had a class in tactics +daily, and the men took up the study of bugle calls. +The recruits were given much guard duty to perform, +and wherever they went they carried their books of +regulations, learning the paragraphs by heart.</p> + +<p>On June 24th, Samuel Chew arrived at camp, +direct from the Klondike gold regions, and took up his +duties as if he had done nothing unusual, yet he +had made the long journey in record-breaking time +simply to rejoin his comrades. Twenty new tents arrived +that day, affording accommodations for the new +men. On the 17th, the last of the regiments of infantry +left, and the Troopers were monarchs of all +they surveyed. While the infantrymen were good<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +fellows, there were many reasons why the Troopers +were glad when they had gone. Some time previously +the Troopers had erected a rough shed in +which they had placed shower baths, but now that +they had undisputed possession of the lake, they enjoyed +long daily swims.</p> + +<p>Upon the departure of the last infantry regiment +Captain Groome became the commanding officer at +Camp Hastings, by virtue of seniority, he having been +the first volunteer cavalry officer to be sworn into the +United States service. He at once formed the three +troops, Governor's, Sheridan and City Troop, into a +squadron and assumed command. A change in the +camp routine at once went into effect. Squadron +drills were held daily, and other features of camp life, +which interested all visitors, were squadron guard +mount and evening parade.</p> + +<p>The new horses were utterly unused to cavalry +exercises, in fact many of them had never been +ridden before, and the Troopers had lively times training +their steeds. One of the sights which visitors to +the camp were never tired of watching was the skill +with which the Troopers "threw" their horses, to +accustom them to the exercise in which the horses are +supposed to lie down and afford forts for the riders. +The throwing is exciting sport. The left fore leg of a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +horse is strapped up so that the animal stands upon +three legs, a strap is attached to the other fore leg +and grasped by the rider, who suddenly turns the +horse's head way around to one side and pulls the +other fore leg from the ground. The animal is obliged +to fall to his knees and is then coaxed over. When +once the horse realizes that the rider means him no +harm, the work is more than half done.</p> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i039.png" width="500" height="325" alt="A LESSON IN HORSE THROWING" title="A LESSON IN HORSE THROWING" /> +<span class="caption">A LESSON IN HORSE THROWING</span> +</div> + +<p>On the 20th of June, Private Edward Carpenter +was notified of his appointment, by the President, as +a second lieutenant in the regular service. He had +long been anxious to make the army his profession, +and was greatly pleased. The first Khaiki uniform +in the Trooper's camp appeared the next day upon +Lieutenant McFadden, and was the subject of much +attention. Fifteen men from each troop were constantly +on guard duty over the camp grounds and +railroad property. "Two hours on and four hours +off," was the rule with the men during their day's +duty.</p> + +<p>A blacksmith's forge was set up at the foot of the +Trooper's camp, and men were detailed each day to +act as assistants. The horses had all been unshod +upon their arrival, and it was a long job getting them +properly fitted out.</p> + +<p>June passed into July, and still the Troopers remained<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +at Mt. Gretna. By this time the Troop had +practically its full number of horses, and the men +were drilled almost to the point of perfection. They +were as fit for service as soldiers could be, and the +orders to move, which came July 7th, were welcome +indeed. The squadron was to go to Camp Alger, but +all the men felt that this was but a preliminary move, +and that soon they would be at the front. Tents were +struck the same day. No countermanding orders +came this time, and all the camp luggage was despatched +to the station ahead of the cavalrymen.</p> + +<p>The squadron at this time consisted of three +troops and nine officers. Each troop consisted of one +hundred men and one hundred and six horses. The +men of the three commands had become well acquainted +with one another during their long wait +at Camp Hastings, and upon their camp sites left +mementoes of their stay which will be seen for years +to come. Two of the Troops names are cut deeply +upon great rocks, together with the dates of their +arrival and departure. The men of the Governor's +troop erected a huge monument of stones, held together +with mud, and great pride was taken by the +Harrisburg Troopers in this "work of art."</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<h3>FIRST DAYS AT CAMP ALGER.</h3> + + +<p>From the little valley, in which the Troopers had +pitched their tents seventy-one days previous, +they rode away late in the afternoon of Thursday, July +8th, in the best condition of any command which had +been mustered in at Mt. Gretna. No comrades in +arms remained to be drawn up in line to give the +cavalrymen a parting cheer, but fully two hundred +cottagers of the Chautauqua grounds were at the +station to witness the departure. The train was in +waiting, made up in two sections; the baggage, horses +and horse detail were to go in the first, and the work +of loading was at once begun.</p> + +<p>While the greys were being led aboard the cars, +many friends of the Philadelphia men gathered upon +the railroad platform to say a last good-by. Among +those from whom the Troopers parted with sincere +regret were T. Dawson Coleman and William T. +Smith, President of the Cornwall and Lebanon road, +both of whom had done much to contribute to the +pleasure of the men in camp during their long stay.</p> + +<p>At seven o'clock the first section pulled out of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +the station, Stable Sergeant Wagner and Troopers T. +Cadwalader, Goodman, Pemberton and Rogers being +detailed to accompany the horses. An hour later the +remainder of the Troop was allowed to start.</p> + +<p>The train arrangements were excellent, every +man in the squadron having a full seat to himself. It +was interesting to note the various ways in which the +Troopers prepared for their night of travel. A trip +through the train showed all sorts of games in progress—cards, +checkers, dominoes and the like. The +good story tellers of the various troops were the +centre of laughing groups; many of the business +men had their heads buried in the commercial page of +the evening papers; some of the more stolid warriors +attempted to go to sleep the moment the train started; +in all it formed a picturesque grouping, and furnished +rich material for the students of human nature among +the troops.</p> + +<p>The discussions of the men regarding the general +campaign were interesting, as the war fever was +then at its height. Four days before the Atlantic +Squadron, under Sampson and Schley, had destroyed +the fleet of Admiral Cervera during its attempt to +escape from the harbor of Santiago. General Shafter's +men were then pressing upon Santiago, and its +surrender was hourly expected. Then it was believed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +that the word would come "On to Havana," and +many of the Troopers believed that their command +would surely have a part in this movement.</p> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i046.png" width="500" height="325" alt="HAVING FUN WITH "HAZEL"" title="HAVING FUN WITH "HAZEL"" /> +<span class="caption">HAVING FUN WITH "HAZEL"</span> +</div> + +<p>So far the war had been one of surprises, scarcely +an engagement having taken place at a point where +a few months before the military leaders would have +deemed it possible to expect one. Spain's navy had +proven no match for that of the United States, but +her little army about Santiago had made a good showing, +and hard fights seemed probable before the main +army would be driven from Cuba.</p> + +<p>The train first came to a stop in Harrisburg, in +the midst of a mass of enthusiastic men and women, +assembled to greet the members of the Governor's +troop and Sheridan troop. The crowd rushed pell-mell +through the cars containing the troopers of the +other organizations, knocking down carbines and +sabers, and upsetting things generally. But sentries +had thoughtfully been placed by Lieutenant Browning +at the doors of the City Troop cars, and this company's +share in the demonstration was conducted +through the windows. "Hazel," the goat presented +to the Troop during its service at the time of the +Hazelton riots, gravely surveyed the scene from her +outlook, and came in for a lion's share of attention. +Just as the train started an enthusiastic young woman,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +who had been fighting her way toward the train, +thrust a white kitten into the hands of Corporal +Wister, with instructions to be good to it. In all +it was a pleasant break in the monotony of a long +ride.</p> + +<p>By midnight the State line was passed, and at +Baltimore the first section of the train was overtaken. +The Troopers, with the exception of the officers, were +in day coaches, and made a picturesque sight, asleep +in all conceivable attitudes. Enough were awake, +however, to chat for a time with the members of the +horse detail. By half-past four the men aroused, +and thirty minutes later reached the station at Dunn +Loring, Va. A breakfast of milk and sandwiches was +eaten on the train, and then the unloading began. +This work was speedily accomplished without a hitch +or accident, and by nine o'clock the canvas of the +three troops began to go up on the site of the camp +formerly occupied by the Eighth Ohio Infantry, commonly +known as "The President's Own."</p> + +<p>All day long the cavalrymen worked upon the +sun-baked slope, and by nightfall the grounds were +in splendid order. In one regard the Troopers were +fortunate, an artesian well being within fifty feet of +their camp. This, however, supplied the wants of +the men only, the horses, at first, having to be led<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +more than a mile for water. Shade was abundant +near the camp, the horses being better off in that respect +than at Camp Hastings.</p> + +<p>After a good night's sleep the men were called +upon for disagreeable duty, which was at once cheerfully +taken up. The "doughboys" who had occupied +the grounds previously had left the woods in the +rear in such a condition as to menace the health of +the camp, and twenty men from each troop were detailed +by Captain Groome to police the woods, and at +the end of the second day the grounds were comparatively +clean, and the men were then called upon for +their first drill at Camp Alger. There was a great +crowd around the parade grounds when the Troopers +made their first appearance, and the repeated cheers +and applause of the spectators came as an unexpected +and pleasing surprise.</p> + +<p>Upon return to camp Private J. Edward Farnum +was notified of his appointment, by the President, as +an assistant commissary, with the rank of captain. +The new government carbines, saddles and spurs +were also received and distributed, but by some mistake +no saddle blankets were sent, so the Troopers +continued to use their regular blankets.</p> + +<p>Sunday the Khaiki uniforms arrived, and were at +once donned by all the men. The universal verdict<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +seemed to be that the new uniforms were not particularly +adapted for cavalry service, and were as ugly as +they well could be.</p> + +<p>Right from the moment of their appearance at +Camp Alger the City Troopers were in demand by +the headquarters officers. Large details were required +each day for orderlies at Camp, Division and +Brigade headquarters, and for mounted patrol duty.</p> + +<p>On July 10th quite an addition was made to the +camp of the City Troop. Eight government mules, +with all the largeness of ears, friskiness of feet and +sweetness of voice, possessed by their race, were +assigned to Captain Groome's command. The men +gathered about the new comers in an admiring group, +wondered how fast they could trot, what would +happen if a Trooper twisted one of their tails, and +just what they were good for anyway. Before the +campaign was over mules had ceased to arouse any +admiration whatever, but the Troopers at Camp Alger +could not see into the future, with its endless mule +train and trials, so they made the most of their new +possessions for the time being.</p> + +<p>Besides the mules, two wagons and two teamsters +were assigned to the Troop, and these aids were +greatly appreciated, as up to this time there had been +a constant struggle to find conveyances for troop supplies<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +and baggage between different points of the +camps.</p> + +<p>Although the mules were in a thriving condition, +the Troopers had troubles of their own with their +greys. A majority of the horses had contracted shipping +colds, and incessant doctoring was the order of +the day and night.</p> + +<p>All of the animals came through all right, however, +with the exception of the horse ridden by Sergeant +Hart, which died the fifth day after the Troop's +arrival at the new camp.</p> + +<p>The first detachment of mules was soon followed +by another, until a full score had been sent to the +Troop. Other commands throughout the camp had +also received supplies of mules, and the animals +showed a great fondness for communicating with one +another in the early morning. Far away on one side +of the camp a mule would raise his silvery voice +to heaven; somewhere from the <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'headquarters'">headquarter's</ins> mules +would come an answering bray, and in a moment +the chorus would resound throughout the camping +grounds. At first the novelty of these sounds appealed +to the <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads Troopers">Troopers'</ins> sense of humor, but the best +jokes grow wearisome by repetition, and it was not +long before the men were mentally offering all sorts<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +of rewards for the man who could devise a plan to +silence the long-eared singers.</p> + +<p>On the morning of July 14th, Corporal Hecksher +and Troopers Coulston, Wheeler and Mills were sent +by the Provost Marshal to escort back from Washington +fifteen foot soldiers who had overstayed their +leave of absence. The derelicts were turned over to +the tender mercies of the headquarters guard, to be +dealt with as military regulations direct. A private +of a western regiment, who had evidently been in +Washington, returned to camp about eleven o'clock +this night. After some parley with the Troop's sentinel, +then on guard on the main road back of Captain +Groome's headquarters, he proceeded to mix things +up with the sentry, and was promptly marched to the +guard house, where he spent a repentant night.</p> + +<p>Since the arrival of the squadron at Camp Alger +Captain Groome, who was in command, had posted +orders for Squadron Guard Mount every morning, and +for Troop Drill and Squadron Parade every evening. +The number of spectators upon these occasions kept +increasing daily, and the reputation for excellence in +drill on the part of the squadron spread rapidly. The +officers of all the commands in the camp were attracted +by these reports, and the evolutions of the +cavalrymen were frequently watched with a critical<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> +eye by many of the best known officers of the army. +Though they came as critics they remained to praise, +and many admitted that they gained a vast amount of +useful knowledge by an inspection of the camp of the +squadron.</p> + +<p>The paymaster put in an appearance July 15th. +The Troop lined up and received their portions of +hard-earned government money, and then promptly +turned the cash over to the Quartermaster. In the +afternoon General Butler honored the Troopers by +riding out especially to watch their drill, and he +warmly commended Captain Groome for the fine +showing of the cavalry.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h3>CAMP ALGER AND NEWPORT NEWS.</h3> + + +<p>At retreat roll call, on the evening of July 15th, +an example was given of the affectionate regard +the rest of the Pennsylvania Militia feel and show +toward the Philadelphia horsemen. The battalion of +State Fencibles, which formed a portion of the Sixth +Regiment, marching in fours, came tramping into the +Troop's street. Once there they halted and gave +repeated cheers for the cavalrymen. Then away they +trudged, after being assured that their compliment was +appreciated by the Troopers. Two members of the +City Troop served on the Provost Guard the night of +the 16th, and great was their amazement, when, amid +the drunks and disorderly prisoners turned over to +their charge, they found a chaplain. He was escorted +to the guard house by a very disgusted squad.</p> + +<p>That same night, Private Robert Fell returned to +camp, after two weeks confinement at his home with +a kicked knee. His place on sick report was taken +by Private Rowland, who had been slightly ill for +several days, although he kept that information to +himself until scarcely able to stand upon his feet.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span>Inspection of arms and equipments of the Troopers +came on Saturday, and, as the arms just issued were +uniformly dirty, a large number of the men put in an +hour or two of hard cleaning and polishing. In the +evening a dozen of the City Troopers attended the +Camp Alger Theatre, the tent for which had been +pitched right at the foot of the company's street. +The price at that popular resort was twenty-five cents +for all seats, and the audience generally contained two +rows of Troopers, who joined heartily with the vaudeville +performers in singing the choruses and making +things lively. Every feature was first-class in all +respects, and good temper always prevailed on and +off the stage.</p> + +<p>An incident occurred at the Theatre that night, +which served to show the frame of mind of the +American volunteers. A portion of the performance +consisted of an exhibition of moving pictures. Finally +a large flag was thrown on the sheet, and the man +in charge said:</p> + +<p>"There's the flag you are fighting for, boys!"</p> + +<p>Instantly a dry western voice called out from the +audience: "I wish to God we could get the chance!" +and the immediate and tremendous cheer which followed, +showed how heartily his wish was echoed by +all present.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span>On Monday and Tuesday several details were +sent out to do some work upon a site for a new camp +nearer the station. Time began to hang heavy on all +hands, and a strong rumor that the Troop was soon +to go to Puerto Rico, failed to excite the interest that +it would have a month before. Not that the men +were less anxious to get to the front, but simply that +they hated to let their hopes rise for fear of another +disappointment.</p> + +<p>On Tuesday night, while watching Corporal +Chew throw his horse, in order to put a bridle on +the unruly animal, Private Wetherill received both +heels of the beast on his left thigh, the horse having +succeeded for a moment in getting away from the +big corporal. The injuries were not of a serious +nature, however, and the bruised trooper refused to +put in a plea of sickness.</p> + +<p>It was expected by the men that the camps +would be shifted on the 20th, and the failure to do +so was regarded as lending color to the Puerto Rico +rumors. On this morning the Troop dismounted and +drilled finely. Their excellent work culminated when +Lieutenant Browning rallied the men. Standing in +close order, they fired three volleys that produced +long cheering from the crowd. About two minutes +later an orderly rode over from General Graham and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +reported to Lieutenant Browning that the commanding +officer wished to know what company had fired +those volleys. The General expressed himself as +delighted to hear that it was a troop of cavalry +dismounted.</p> + +<p>Nearly every horse in camp at this time had +distemper, and at night it was decided to give each +of the invalids a pretty stiff drink, consisting of a +pint of whiskey and sixty grains of quinine. The +dose was shot down the animals throats from a great +syringe, and the stable guard was advised to be on +the lookout for any unusual hilarity; but no behavior +out of the ordinary was noticed.</p> + +<p>J. L. Wetherill was granted sick leave on the +21st. He had been ill for several days, and it was +thought best for him to return home. Shortly after +he had done so his sickness took a serious turn, and +he was unable to rejoin the Troop until its return +from Puerto Rico.</p> + +<p>Squadron guard mount, drills and evening parade +continued throughout the Troop's stay, under orders +of Acting Major Groome. The day before the cavalry +troops left Camp Alger, however, Captain Jones, +of the Sheridan Troop, was commissioned major. +Captain Jones held the longest record of any officer +in the Pennsylvania State troops, and had served as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +a captain in the Civil War. As his commission did +not arrive until after the squadron had left Camp +Alger, his appointment made no difference in the +camp routine, and as the Sheridan and Governor's +troops were left behind at Newport News, the City +Troopers were not affected in the least by the change +in the officer commanding the squadron.</p> + +<p>The night of the 21st one more of the greys died, +but the rest of the animals were in splendid condition, +and the men felt that they could make a good showing, +so far as their mounts were concerned, in the foreign +service soon to come.</p> + +<p>There were many occurrences to make Friday, +July 22d, an eventful day. In the morning one hundred +Krag-Jorgensen carbines arrived for the City +Troopers; there was an unusually interesting skirmish +drill in the afternoon, and late in the evening came +the eagerly awaited orders for the Troop to proceed +forthwith to Newport News to take transports for +Puerto Rico. Needless to say the camp was at once +thrown into a thoroughly happy mood, and dozens of +telegrams were sent notifying Philadelphia friends of +the good luck of the Troop in securing active service, +when fully 7,000 regular cavalrymen were fretting +in camps of mobilization. Post Quartermaster Hugh +Craig, Jr., arrived the next day, and announced his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +intention of staying with the Troop until it left for +the front. The men could not help feeling better when +they saw his jolly face in the camp.</p> + +<p>Tents were struck at five o'clock Sunday morning, +and an hour later the squadron boarded a special +train waiting to carry it to Newport News. The +journey occupied the entire day, it being nearly nine +o'clock when the cars reached their destination. Instead +of trying to find a camping ground that night, +the men curled up in the cars and slept as best they +could. In a pleasant spot on the coast, about two +miles outside the city, the Troopers went into camp +the next day. Even before the tents went up there +were several visitors from Philadelphia who had +hurried down to bid the Troopers "God-speed" upon +their departure for the seat of war.</p> + +<p>An unexpected guest was Charles Wheeler, an +old member of the organization, but off the active list +for years. He had just returned from a trip through +Japan. He was anxious to rejoin his old comrades, +and as there was one vacancy in the Troop it was +promptly filled.</p> + +<p>Tuesday morning Captain Groome received orders +to have his men ready to embark at four o'clock. +Tents were struck at noon, the operation being +watched by scores of friends who had reached the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +camp by that time. Promptly at the hour mentioned +in the order the Captain marched his men down to the +wharf, where they found no transport awaiting them. +Hour after hour passed, and still no sign of a vessel. +Night found the Troopers still lounging about the +dock.</p> + +<p>During this long wait a full score of prominent +Philadelphia ladies, who had come down to say a last +good-by to their relatives and friends in the Troop, +had an opportunity to show the traditional spirit of +American women. The ladies had stood around the +camp all morning, had followed the Troop into the +city and to the wharf, where they had shared all the +discomforts of the situation. It began to rain, but +they only laughed and refused to seek shelter. Not +a mouthful had they eaten since breakfast, but tired, +wet and hungry as they were, they smiled bravely +to keep up the spirits of the men; all unconsciously +they afforded fine illustrations of what the mothers, +wives and sisters of American soldiers have been in +all hours of need.</p> + +<p>When six o'clock came, and it was evident that +the Troopers were in for a tough time of it, the +ladies went in a body to the nearest restaurant and +secured some sandwiches and coffee. Walking fearlessly +through the crowd upon the dock, dodging<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +under <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'horses'">horses'</ins> heads and around mule packs, they +brought the food to the cavalrymen, and even waited +upon them. In the language of one trooper whose +young bride was among the number of ladies upon +the wharf, "there was only one regret at going to the +front, and that was the leaving behind of girls like +those."</p> + +<p>Until seven o'clock the City Troopers were kept +upon the wharf. At that hour Captain Groome was +informed that no transport could then be secured, +and that he should return with the Troop to Newport +News and report to General Fred. Grant. Captain +Groome ordered the Troop to <i>bivouac</i> in the grass in +front of the hotel for the night. There was a general +rush for shelter. The ladies sought their rooms in +the hotel, from the windows of which they could see +the cavalrymen lying in the grass of a field opposite, +rolled up in their blankets.</p> + +<p>Captain Groome did not retire however. He +returned to the wharf and spent several hours arguing +with various captains, in order to find a speedy way +in which to embark the Troop. It was not easy work +to make headway against the seemingly endless array +of objections and red tape, but perseverance won out, +and the Captain was at last informed, that if he would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +have his men on hand at four o'clock they would be +taken aboard.</p> + +<p>This last <i>bivouac</i> upon American soil was exceedingly +picturesque to the spectator, but hard upon +the men. Every Trooper had been thoroughly soaked +by the rain while standing upon the wharf. In their +wet clothes they had been obliged to wrap their +blankets about them and lay down to slumber in the +midst of a damp grass plot under a cloudy sky, which +threatened another downpour at any moment. With +the exception of some pretty tough sandwiches the +men had been without food since morning, and the +easy way in which they accepted the situation spoke +volumes for the value of the training in camp life received +at Mt. Gretna and Camp Alger.</p> + +<p>The Troop at this time consisted of three officers, +one contract surgeon, ninety-nine men, one hundred +and four horses and twenty mules. The Sheridan +and Governor's Troop had not received orders to +sail, and the members of these commands were extremely +disappointed. They remained at Newport +News under the command of Major Jones.</p> + +<p>Captain Groome arranged for an early breakfast +of coffee and sandwiches for his men, and at 4.30 +<span class="smcap">a. m.</span> the next day the City Troopers were again +ordered to the wharf. This time there was no disappointment.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +The transport "Massachusetts" was +there taking on a great load of men, horses and +mules. All was bustle and confusion. Within a short +time the Troopers went aboard, and almost at once +the vessel made ready to sail. Last words to the +faithful friends ashore were shouted, there was a +waving of hands and handkerchiefs, and a little after +midday the "Massachusetts" began ploughing her +way toward the southern isle, where General Brooke's +army and the Spanish forces were reported to be already +face to face.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h3>LIFE ABOARD A TROOP SHIP.</h3> + + +<p>Life aboard a troop ship is not a round of pleasure +at the best. Long tales of woe, regarding the +trials and hardships upon transports of various infantry +commands, quickly found their way into print +within a few weeks after active war operations commenced. +Not one word, however, regarding the discomforts +of the City Troop on the trip to Puerto +Rico was written. Yet, if existence upon a transport +ship, crowded with men is disagreeable, what would +the complaining infantrymen have said had they +found themselves in the Troop's plight, on a vessel +containing more animals than men.</p> + +<p>Truly discouraging was the situation in which +the cavalrymen were placed. Their hammocks were +swung between decks, and but eighteen inches were +allowed between the hammock of each man and the +hammocks above and on each side of him. Two feet +is the regulation distance in the navy, but circumstances +alter cases, and what might be a fair allowance +on a carefully kept, well-ventilated war vessel, +became a distinct hardship aboard the "Massachusetts."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +Especially was this the case where several +of the tall, broad-shouldered men found their hammocks +adjoining one another—for the men's bodies +touched at all times, and bumped together vigorously +at every lurch of the vessel.</p> + +<p>The transport upon which the Troopers found +themselves had been built to carry about four hundred +horses and an ordinary crew, yet when pressed +into government service seven hundred men and fourteen +hundred horses and mules were considered about +her proper capacity. When the Troopers first boarded +the vessel their bundles of clothing and equipments +were scattered about in great confusion, and a good +part of the first day was spent by the men in collecting +their belongings and bringing them into some sort +of order.</p> + +<p>The weather during the first day at sea was exceedingly +hot, although fairly pleasant until toward +evening, when the wind began to show itself and +the sky became cloudy. A majority of the men prepared +to sleep upon deck, but as the vessel came off +Cape Hatteras about midnight she struck a regular +squall. The air became cold, the "Massachusetts" +began to pitch about violently and then rain came +rushing down in great volumes, driving the men below +in a hurry. There they found many of their fellow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +passengers with their dreams of glory swallowed up +in seasickness. The horses, too, succumbed to the +complaint in large numbers, and required much care.</p> + +<p>Aboard the "Massachusetts" there were, in all, +seven hundred horses and a like number of mules. +Hundreds of the mules were fastened just below +the deck to which the Troopers had been driven +by the squall, while above could be heard the constant +stamping of horses. Between these two layers +of animals the cavalrymen passed a restless night. +But if their first attempt at sleep was disturbed, the +conditions prevailing the second night can better be +imagined than described. Despite the best efforts +to keep the quarters of the animals clean, the odor +which arose from the hundreds of horses and mules +was sickening, and a majority of the Philadelphia men +found sleeping in the hammocks impossible.</p> + +<p>Early the next morning Captain Groome took +the matter in hand, and secured permission for his +men to sleep upon the baled hay, which was piled +high on the main deck. There, under the stars, +swept by refreshing sea breezes, the Troopers slept +well—if not comfortably—the remaining nights aboard. +Special sentries were appointed to see that no tired +Trooper rolled from his hay mattress into the sea.</p> + +<p>But the greatest hardship of the voyage to Puerto +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +Rico was the lack of drinking water. Dirty, yellowish +fluid was all that could be had. This would not +have troubled the men a particle had it been cool +enough to be refreshing. But the water was warm; +sometimes it was positively hot, and always insipid +and filthy looking. A skirmish by the commissary +brought to light a case of beer, although there was +no ice to make it palatable. The beer lasted but a +day, and to keep alive the water had to be accepted +and made the best of. Worse came to worst on +Sunday. The pumps of the "Massachusetts" broke +down, and the Troopers were obliged to go into the +hold of the offensively fragrant vessel and bring up +water bucketful by bucketful for the animals under +their charge.</p> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/i067.png" width="600" height="390" alt="GLIMPSE INTO A TROOP SHIP." title="GLIMPSE INTO A TROOP SHIP." /> +<span class="caption">GLIMPSE INTO A TROOP SHIP.</span> +</div> + +<p>Sergeant Martin and Corporal Wagner, stripped +to the waist, were at the bottom of what looked like +a deep well. The atmosphere was stifling, and in +order to enable the men at the bottom to stand the +heat, their comrades kept pouring water down upon +their heads and bodies. As fast as pails could be +filled from the bottom they were passed up along a +long line of men composed of details from the various +commands aboard.</p> + +<p>It was exhausting labor, but of all the men on +board the City Troopers stood the work best. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +water thus brought up was of a kind absolutely +dangerous for a human being to drink, and all through +the day's trying struggle the Troopers silently endured +the added pangs of thirst. There was more +real suffering for twenty-four hours than any man in +the Troop will admit, but when the pumps resumed +operations in the morning, the thankful air with which +the formerly despised yellowish warm water was accepted +spoke volumes.</p> + +<p>The days passed along slowly. No extremely +rough weather was encountered, but on several occasions +the old transport reeled sufficiently to send a +few of the Troopers to their hammocks with slight attacks +of <i>mal de mer</i>.</p> + +<p>The motion of the vessel was sufficient, however, +to completely disarrange each night the outfit +of the Troopers, and it was their duty each morning +to gather together their equipments for inspection, +the same as though they were in camp. This constant +readiness was in marked contrast with the arrangements +among other commands aboard.</p> + +<p>Many of the Troopers will never forget the first +time the alarm of fire was given aboard the ship. It +was the third morning out that a guard discovered +smoke slowly curling from between the crevices of +the baled hay piled high on deck. The guard was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +startled, and his call for the corporal and statement +of the discovery of the fire was given in a loud tone, +which instantly caused the alarm to spread throughout +the ship. It was no pleasant thought for the +men, who knew so well the inflammable nature of +the cargo and the crowded condition aboard, and +there was a rush for the point from which the alarm +had come. Fortunately the blaze was a trivial affair +easily extinguished, and the excitement was speedily +at an end. Three other times, however, during the +trip the same alarm was given, but the careful watch +kept prevented the fire, in a single instance, from gaining +any headway.</p> + +<p>Although the "Massachusetts" was supposed to +be one of the fastest transports, she found the entire +flotilla, which had left Newport News about the same +time she did, awaiting her arrival off Guayama. A +despatch boat came puffing down to meet her, flying +the signal, "Follow me," and Troopers in the bow +saw a man armed with a megaphone mount the bridge +of the despatch boat and shout: "'The Massachusetts' +will lead the way, landing at Ponce."</p> + +<p>These instructions as to the exact landing place +were somewhat contrary to those before given Captain +Pitcher, who was in charge of the transport, so +he shouted back, "By whose authority do you give<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +those orders?" and the reply promptly came, "By +the authority of Major General Nelson A. Miles, +commanding."</p> + +<p>This was at three o'clock, and the "Massachusetts" +at once went ahead. At 4.30 the harbor of +Ponce was sighted, and several of the Philadelphia +cavalrymen in the bow saw that the transport was +steering directly into shoal water, at the bottom of +which a coral reef could be plainly seen. They +shouted to the man at the wheel, but too late—the +great transport drove bow on into the reef, and +at last, on the afternoon of August 4th, the Troopers +were upon hostile soil, hard and fast.</p> + +<p>Instantly upon the stoppage of the "Massachusetts," +a period of suffering began for the Troopers, +in comparison with which all former experiences went +as nothing. Deprived of all breeze, exposed to a +torrid sun, half stifled by the fumes from the hundreds +of horses and mules aboard, without water, +the situation was well nigh unbearable. Up to the +moment of grounding not an animal aboard had died. +Within two hours after the motion of the vessel had +stopped three horses perished, and two more died before +they could be taken off. Fortunately none +of these belonged to City Troopers. This suffering<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +among the animals shows slightly what the men had +to contend with.</p> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i073.png" width="500" height="324" alt="CATHEDRAL VIRGIN DEL CARMEN." title="CATHEDRAL VIRGIN DEL CARMEN." /> +<span class="caption">CATHEDRAL VIRGIN DEL CARMEN.</span> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/i074.png" width="600" height="395" alt="BIVOUAC OUTSIDE CATHEDRAL VIRGIN DEL CARMEN." title="BIVOUAC OUTSIDE CATHEDRAL VIRGIN DEL CARMEN." /> +<span class="caption">BIVOUAC OUTSIDE CATHEDRAL VIRGIN DEL CARMEN.</span> +</div> + +<p>Captain Groome secured permission to send Lieutenant +Browning ashore to select a camp site, and +report. He made quick work of it, choosing a spot +beside the Cathedral de la Carmen, and returning +with an order from General Miles that the First +Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, should land at +once. This order amazed the New York cavalrymen, +who had been heard to boast frequently that they +would surely be given the preference in all military +arrangements.</p> + +<p>The orders were received with great joy by the +Philadelphians, who were ready to disbark in short +order, owing to the constant readiness in which they +had kept. A rope tied about their outfit was all that +was necessary, and the men were only too eager +to leave the grounded vessel and its disagreeable +quarters.</p> + +<p>The Troopers were rescued by the little lighter +"Whitney," sent by General Miles to bring the +Philadelphia men ashore. As soon as the Troopers +reached land themselves they set to work to bring +their horses off the transport. The air was full of +rumors that the cavalry were needed in a hurry for +active service, and the men went at the task of unshipping<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +horses with a will. Some amusing attempts +at interference on the part of the men of C Troop, +Brooklyn, were simply ignored.</p> + +<p>At three o'clock the next morning sixty-one of +the one hundred and seven horses belonging to the +Troop had been landed. The men not on duty had +gone into the camp selected by Lieutenant Browning +the day before, on the flagstones outside of the little +cathedral. All day rain came down in torrents, introducing +the Troopers to the duckings which were +to be their lot several times each day during their +stay upon the island.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i078.png" width="500" height="323" alt="BRINGING THE HORSES ASHORE AT PONCE." title="BRINGING THE HORSES ASHORE AT PONCE." /> +<span class="caption">BRINGING THE HORSES ASHORE AT PONCE.</span> +</div> + +<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h3>IN THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY.</h3> + + +<p>The morning of August 5th broke clear, however, +and the day was one of the few without rain +that the Troopers enjoyed while in Puerto Rico. A +fine breeze was blowing, and the cavalrymen's ideas +of the country began to take on a roseate hue. +Everywhere their eyes met deep green tropical foliage +and the cute little yellow houses without windows; +strange old churches and curious natives made +the entire scene appear more like a theatrical setting +than a reality.</p> + +<p>In the morning before five o'clock the blaring of +trumpets announced a hurry call. As soon as the +men came to their senses they heard the non-commissioned +officers shouting: "Fall in without arms." +The Troop never appeared to better advantage. The +guard, the fourth platoon, tumbled out fully armed, +and were standing in place in two minutes, and one +minute later the entire Troop, in column of fours, +with the captain in command, was double-quicking +toward the dock. When the men got there, ten or +fifteen minutes ahead of anyone else except the regulars,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +who arrived shortly after the Troop, they found +that a lighter loaded with five thousand rifles for the +infantry was sinking close to shore.</p> + +<p>No example of the discipline, which always prevails +in the City Troop, could be more striking than +the one then witnessed by a score of other commands, +which came rushing, all disorganized, to the +scene. While the men in other companies were hesitating +and wondering what to do, the City Troop +broke into regular squads, under the command of the +non-commissioned officers, and began methodical relief +work. Every rifle was saved. Regular army +officers on the spot warmly complimented Captain +Groome upon the showing made by his men.</p> + +<p>That afternoon Captain Groome, with Major +Flagler and Major McMichael, of General Wilson's +staff, rode out from Ponce into the country looking +for a suitable camp site. The heat was intense, the +dust thick, and a place which would fulfill all requirements +was not easily found. The officers kept at it, +however, until satisfied; although they were in a state +of complete exhaustion upon their return. Indeed, +all the men's faces for the first few days in Puerto +Rico showed plainly the enervating influence of the +climate, to which they could not easily get accustomed. +Their tasks done, the Troopers would throw<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +themselves down upon bales of hay, piles of boards +or even the pavements, too weary to care where +they were or how they looked. Men famed for their +strength and endurance at home, would sit by the +hour with their heads in their hands, rendered listless +and weak by the heat and moisture.</p> + +<p>That night again the men spread their blankets +on the stones outside the cathedral. A citizen placed +his front porch at the disposal of the Troop as a guard +house. This furnished protection for the sentries on +duty from the heavy showers which invariably occurred +about midnight.</p> + +<p>On Saturday morning more horses were unloaded, +and in the afternoon all the men who had +mounts rode out beyond Ponce, on the highway which +leads to Barros, to the camp selected by Captain +Groome. While riding along the Troopers excited +great interest among the natives because of the size +of the American horses. In Puerto Rico all the horses +are small, mere ponies in fact, less than fourteen +hands high, and the islanders never failed to stare +with open mouth at the City Troops handsome greys. +The size of the Troopers themselves also caused +many expressions of amazement, and as some of the +broad-shouldered men in the second and third platoons +passed, the spectators would make admiring signs<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +with their hands, indicating the men's <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'heighth'">height</ins> and +breadth.</p> + +<p>The first trial of the horses proved that the sea +voyage had done them good in one respect. Many +were suffering from distemper when they left Newport +News, but there was not a case noticed after the +animals landed. They were thin, stiff and sore, however, +so that they were led over most of the six +miles leading to the new camp.</p> + +<p>Those Troopers still without horses remained +aboard the "Massachusetts" unloading the seemingly +endless string of horses and mules, and their +energetic efforts were crowned with success late Saturday +night, when the last of the animals were landed. +Sunday morning was cool, but cloudy—and as the +last detail of City Troopers were packing and saddling +their horses, they heard the voice of a priest +conducting early mass in the tiny cathedral close by. +The cavalrymen walked with their <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'horses'">horses'</ins> bridles +over their arms. As they passed through Ponce they +encountered many scowling faces, but once in the +country a majority of the natives shouted a welcome. +By noon they reached the spot chosen for a camp; +the Troopers were together again in a magnificent +bit of country, blue mountains everywhere, and brilliant, +luxurious foliage on all sides. "Hazel" manifested<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +a striking fondness for all things Puerto Rican, +and had to be tied in a rather barren spot to prevent +overfeeding.</p> + +<p>Reveille sounded at four o'clock Monday morning, +and the packing of saddles began at once. At +seven o'clock the order came to join with H Troop +as escort to a train of one thousand mules, headquarter +horses, signal and ambulance corps, and as +quickly as possible to join General Brooke's command +at Guayama. Mounted for the first time, off +the Troop went, retracing its steps through a glorious +stretch of country to Ponce, where on the main +southern road the long supply train for General +Brooke's army was overtaken. Thus hampered, the +march became slow. It was terrifically hot, and the +dust blew about in clouds. At one o'clock the cavalrymen +passed through Santa Isabella, where a half +hours stop was made to bring up the stragglers of +the mule train, and to take a turn at the hard tack +and dried beef.</p> + +<p>Then the march began through the enemy's +country, the City Troop acting as advance guard, +and H Troop, of the Sixth Regular Cavalry, acting +as rear guard. Flankers were sent out, and the advance +guard was frequently informed by natives that +quite a large number of Spaniards were retreating a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +short distance ahead. The City Troopers came upon +many signs of the enemy's presence along the road, +and at four o'clock the Troops went into camp at the +Hacienda Fortuna, a rich sugar plantation. An outpost +of City Troopers was immediately established, and all +barns and outbuildings were thoroughly searched before +night.</p> + +<p>Just before midnight a hurry call sent six City +Troopers and six H Troopers, under Captain Groome +and Lieutenant Ryan, scouring a neighboring cane +brake for Spaniards, spies having reported their presence +there in force. No lurking Dons were found, +however, and at four o'clock the next morning camp +was broken and the march resumed in dead earnest. +The City Troopers acted as rear guard to the train. +No American troops had passed through this part of +the island before, and as it was said to be a Spanish +stronghold, great watchfulness was observed. On +both sides of the ragged road were cane breaks and +great growths of underbrush, and it was a tiresome +ride and no small task looking out for Spaniards, +stubborn mules and foolish drivers.</p> + +<p>Late that afternoon a camp was reached at the +foot of the Caney mountains, on the Hacienda Magdelane, +an English estate. There the two cavalry troops +and the tremendous mule train went into camp again.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +They had passed through Selinas in the early afternoon.</p> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i086.png" width="500" height="324" alt="CAMP AT ARROYO." title="CAMP AT ARROYO." /> +<span class="caption">CAMP AT ARROYO.</span> +</div> + +<p>In the blackness of Wednesday morning the roll +was called at 3.30, and an hour later saw the march +resumed, with the City Troopers acting as advance +guard. Lieutenant McFadden commanded the advance +guard and Corporal Merrill commanded the +point. Reports of native spies left no doubt as to +the serious character of the situation, and the march +was of necessity slow. Every two or three miles +the sight of small bands of armed Spaniards would +cause a halt, while out the skirmishers would go to +report.</p> + +<p>About nine o'clock the point came to a twelve-foot +bridge, freshly torn up. This was quickly replaced +and on the column moved. About 10.30 a few +shots were heard, which fact was at once reported to +Captain Groome, who gave orders for the Troop to +advance at a gallop. In a few minutes the point +came in sight, talking with armed men, and like a +flash the word came back through the chain of advance +supports that the Troop had at last reached +General Brooke's outposts, the Fourth Illinois.</p> + +<p>Orders were given Captain Groome to proceed +through Guayama, toward Arroyo, one mile from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +which place the Troop went into camp. A few hours +later H Troop came up and camped alongside.</p> + +<p>Thursday, August 11th, was a day of wild +rumors. All sorts of movements were about to take +place, according to report, and a majority of the plans +had some Trooper, who believed in them. From the +Philadelphia men's camp a Spanish blockhouse could +be seen on the mountains two miles away. Several +batteries, encamped near the Troop, wheeled into +position in the morning and indulged in target practice. +Many of the Troopers witnessed this stirring +sight, and returned to camp with the announcement +that the practice was superb. The daily rain was +unusually heavy, and the men turned in early to fight +the bugs, mosquitoes and stifling heat.</p> + +<p>All conditions were unfavorable to comfort at +Arroyo. Great clouds would come drifting in from +the sea toward the mountains, and rain and wind +would beat in at one side of the Troop's shelter tents. +Within an hour the clouds would come rolling back +to the sea, and the wind and rain would besiege +the opposite side of the tents. Thursday night the +Troopers slept in soaking blankets, inches deep in +rain and mud. Nothing but good-natured chaffing over +the discomforts was heard however.</p> + +<p>Friday afternoon the Troopers went in a body to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +the beach, about a mile away, and took a dip in the +Caribbean Sea. Rumors of an engagement close at +hand kept growing in force, and when a careful inspection +of carbines took place upon their return from +bathing, the Troopers were fully prepared for the orders +which came to them at retreat that evening, to be +ready to move in heavy marching order at 5.30 in +the morning. This was formal notice that a battle +would take place on the morrow, and members of the +City and H Troops offered mutual congratulations.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<h3>THE FIGHT THAT FAILED.</h3> + + +<p>Much has been written and more said about +"the night before the battle." Then it is, +that sentiment is supposed to seize upon a soldier; +thoughts and talks of home, wife and mother are +proper, and in fact necessary, according to all writers +of fiction. But even in the face of this traditional +outline of a soldier's last hours before an engagement, +it must be written that the City Troopers +retained their characteristic coolness. On that Friday +evening a close observer of the Troopers' camp +would have supposed that the men were upon familiar +ground, and that a battle was months in the future, +instead of being as sure to take place on the morrow +as anything could be in human foresight.</p> + +<p>All down the line the saddle packing went on +amid jests and laughter. Had the Troopers been +preparing for a homeward journey they could not +have seemed more light-hearted. Few men spoke +of the coming battle at all, yet it was in every heart, +and many men felt a lump rise in their throats as +the popular First Sergeant blurted out these words:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +"In a scrap like this the cavalry is sure to be heavily +engaged. A good many of us are bound to be +stopped, and, good God! just think of digging a hole +to chuck one of this outfit in."</p> + +<p>Captain Groome paced in front of company headquarters +for nearly an hour, with only his inevitable +cigar as a companion. Dozens of the men watched +him, and speculated as to his meditations. Lieutenants +Browning and McFadden passed through the +camp several times, speaking with the men on minor +matters, and avoiding absolutely all talk of the coming +day. Later in the evening they wrote letters.</p> + +<p>Within an hour after taps the heavy rumbling +of artillery began to be heard. Five batteries, numbering +thirty guns, passed near the camp during the +hours between midnight and four o'clock, and many +a sleepless Trooper listened anxiously to the bumping, +thumping and rattling as the guns, caissons and +ammunition wagons kept rolling by.</p> + +<p>When the Troopers tumbled out at four o'clock +it was pitch dark, and the everlasting rain was descending +in torrents. A few feeble glimmering lanterns +supplied just enough light to show the rain-filled +plates, in which bacon and potatoes floated unconcernedly +about. Coffee was consumed in quantities +that only Troopers know how to master; and then, in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> +the midst of the darkness and flood, feeding, saddling +and loading of ox carts was accomplished. On +this morning of battle little attention had been paid +to uniforming. Some men wore Khaiki breeches, +others the old familiar blue. Hats and caps of all +varieties were seen, several men wearing broad straw +hats secured from the natives. All wore blue shirts +of various ages and conditions of cleanliness. Sleeves +were rolled up, and scarcely two men appeared in +the same kind of boots. The closest friends of the +Troopers would never have recognized the rain-bedraggled +warriors as the same men who so often had +shone resplendent in the streets of Philadelphia as +the guard of honor of The President or distinguished +soldiers.</p> + +<p>At last the command came, "Prepare to mount," +and a moment later the cavalrymen had swung into +the saddle, where they found themselves seated in +good-sized puddles. The City Troop mounted ninety-five +men and three officers, the only absentees being +Privates Wetherill and Rowland, on sick report in +Philadelphia; Brooke, in the Red Cross Hospital at +Ponce, and Trumpeter Brossman, in a hospital at +Guayama.</p> + +<p>Captain Groome, in a blue silk shirt, Khaiki +breeches, rode at the head of the column, while on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +his left rode Lieutenant Browning, in full Khaiki, +and Lieutenant Ryan, commander of H Troop of the +Sixth regular cavalry. Behind them came H Troop's +trumpeter and the City Troop's faithful trumpeter, +Dick Singer. Then the head of the column, Sergeant +Wagner, with the guidon, and Sergeant Thibault and +Private Bower leading the long line of two's. Each +saddle had a poncho strapped upon it, the carbine +swung from the off side, saber opposite to the carbine; +each man wore a belt of one hundred Krag-Jorgensen +cartridges, with his revolver strung in his +belt. On the cantle behind, each man carried his +blanket wrapped in his half of a shelter tent.</p> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i094.png" width="500" height="313" alt="EN ROUTE TO THE BATTLEFIELD. MILITARY ROAD FROM GUAYAMA TO CANEY." title="EN ROUTE TO THE BATTLEFIELD. MILITARY ROAD FROM GUAYAMA TO CANEY." /> +<span class="caption">EN ROUTE TO THE BATTLEFIELD. MILITARY ROAD FROM GUAYAMA TO CANEY.</span> +</div> + +<p>Without warning the sun came out in all its +fury, and then occurred the phenomena, often witnessed +there, of rain falling from an apparently clear +sky. The hot sun made the rain come down much +like steam, but it ceased to fall after a few minutes.</p> + +<p>At six o'clock the two troops were in Guayama, +and halted by the Custom House, while Captain +Groome reported to General Brooke for orders. Half +an hour was spent by the Troopers watching the +passing of artillery, infantry, hospital and signal +corps men. Sometime before seven o'clock Captain +Groome returned with orders to go into line of battle +and cover the left flank of the Americans. Simultaneous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +with the movement of the cavalry the entire +brigade of four regiments, consisting of the Third +Ohio, Third Illinois, Fourth Pennsylvania and Sixth +Illinois, were also off. As the Troop passed along +the road at a trot it overtook the Sixth Illinois and +Fourth Pennsylvania. The infantry received orders +to let the cavalry through, and the mass of soldiers +parted. Away at a trot, between this friendly +gauntlet of cheering infantrymen, the Troopers rode +amid all sorts of shouts. The foot soldiers thought +the cavalry was going in to deploy as skirmishers +and start the fight, so they gave the Troopers a +good, hearty American cheer, and from each company +came encouraging yells, such as: "Give them +bullets, boys!" "We will follow you!" And the +Fourth Pennsylvania gave three times three for the +City Troop and Old Pennsylvania. All in all it was +a moment that the Philadelphia riders will not soon +forget.</p> + +<p>The Spanish earthworks, as nearly as could be +made out by the Troopers, were something in the +form of an S. After a two-mile ride the fresh dirt +on these trenches was plainly visible, and it seemed +that a few minutes more riding would bring the Troop +within the range of the Spaniards. Suddenly the +course turned abruptly to the left and the Troop<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +came upon Major General Brooke and his staff, standing +on a little hill to the right of the road, waiting for +the artillery to get into position. Captain Groome +reported to General Brooke, and received orders to +take the two troops of cavalry into an adjoining field, +to dismount the men and unsaddle the horses. There, +surrounded by beautiful tropical flowers and heavy +foliage, the men awaited the boom of the cannon, +which had been agreed upon as the signal for opening +the battle.</p> + +<p>Strangely out of place looked the grim weapons +and warlike trappings in that garden spot. Beneath +the towering palm and rubber trees, amid hundreds +of crimson blossoms the Philadelphia men gathered +in groups to discuss the outlook, while their horses +grazed at their feet.</p> + +<p>It began to rain again about eleven o'clock, a +dark, steaming drizzle. In the midst of it Mr. Davies, +of the New York <i>Sun</i>, came over to inspect the cavalry. +He informed Captain Groome that Major Redmond, +in charge of the artillery, had just announced +that he would open fire in a half hour.</p> + +<p>A look down the line of the City Troopers +at this crucial moment revealed still an absolutely +amazing indifference to the conflict now all but upon +them—most of their men were asleep. The three<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +officers were sitting by the roadside chatting together +a couple of hundred feet away from the remainder +of the Troop. At the head of the column, with +his arm through his bridle rein, lay Sergeant Wagner +asleep. Sergeant Martin and Private Robb were +entertaining a dozen or so of the men with an argument +as to the relative charms of a Philadelphia girl +and a native girl, "fat, black and greasy, with a +cigar stuck in her face." A little farther back, sitting +on the ground, was Harry Riley, holding the big +bay mule he had been riding since reaching the island; +he was quiet, but the mule was not. Next came a +group composed of Billy Bates, whose beautiful little +grey was lying at his feet like a faithful dog, Charlie +Smith, Hecksher, Cliff Pemberton, Harry Godfrey, +Bromley Wharton, the two Warden boys, Fred Neilson +and "Doug" Jacobs. Charlie Smith was inviting +them all to lunch with him on the mountain where +the Spaniards were encamped. Coulston and Woodman +were talking Spanish to each other, and Mills +and Wheeler were asleep. Way in front were Jim +Starr and Frank Bower, standing on a knoll and trying +to see the batteries get into position, while Carroll +Smyth, George McFadden and Charlie Brinton went +about among the different groups distributing crackers.</p> + +<p>In a nearby field a corps of field telegraph operators<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +could be seen stringing their wires from tree to +tree, and at times making use of the wire fences for +continuing their lines.</p> + +<p>About one o'clock Lieutenant Reynolds rode into +camp at a furious rate and gave an order to General +Brooke, who was standing in the road about three +hundred yards to the right of the Troopers camp. +At once the assembly sounded, and with many a +sternly muttered, "At last," the City Troopers +mounted and took their places.</p> + +<p>Lieutenant Browning rode up, and all ears were +strained to catch the order to advance. The lieutenant +looked as if he was thoroughly disgusted with +life, as in a calm tone he said: "The men will fall in +and ride back to camp; General Miles has ordered all +military operations to cease."</p> + +<p>"Oh, hell!" exclaimed a Trooper near the lieutenant, +throwing down his carbine as the pent up +disappointment and suspense in his heart sought expression +almost involuntarily. This forcible exclamation, +and more particularly the tone in which it +was uttered, seemed to represent the feelings of the +entire Troop.</p> + +<p>Listlessly the men mounted, grumbled "one, +two, three, four," and sought a new camping ground +at Hacienda De Placida. A more downcast lot of men<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> +than turned in that Saturday night, of August 13th, +would be hard to find. By night it was told through +camp how a messenger, on a played-out horse, had +reached General Brooke with the order from General +Miles, just as the gunners of Battery B, of Pittsburgh, +had their hands on the lanyards awaiting General +Brooke's orders to pull and give the signal for attack. +Mr. Davies, of the New York <i>Sun</i>, afterward told Captain +Groome that General Brooke had given the messenger +a scanty welcome, and had remarked that +he might have spared his horse a little, although his +haste undoubtedly saved many lives.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<h3>AFTER THE BATTLE.</h3> + + +<p>Sunday morning Captain Scott brought an order +to Captain Groome to send a commissioned officer, +a sergeant and six privates to establish an outpost +two miles beyond the farthest infantry outpost, +and to maintain a flag of truce. This outpost was +necessary because of the general fear of Spanish +treachery. The Spaniards had a white flag flying +over their blockhouse, but there was no telling at +what moment they might pull it down and charge into +the American ranks; so the watchers at the outpost +were entrusted with an important duty. The detail +first selected was in charge of Lieutenant Browning, +who took with him Sergeant Glendinning, Corporal +Thayer and Privates S. and W. Goodman, Strawbridge, +Wheeler, Mills and Ridgeway. Captains Scott +and Groome accompanied the detail to select the +ground for the outpost.</p> + +<p>As the men were about to start, it was found +that they had nothing to serve as a flag of truce. +Captain Groome informed Captain Scott that the +Troop was just out of such articles, and for a moment<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +the officers were at a loss to know what to do. A +handkerchief was too small and too frail, but suddenly +Lieutenant Browning had an inspiration. His +wife had supplied the officers' mess with some fine, +large napkins. One of these was therefore pressed +into service as a flag of truce, and the detachment +rode forth. It was early morning, and the rain was +pelting down as usual.</p> + +<p>On through the town, along the road the troops +had tramped ready for the fray, around the mountain +side, past the place Rodney had planted his batteries, +past the pickets, past the last infantry outpost, under +a ridge dotted with Spanish sentries, the detachment, +with the now historic napkin, went on until, coming +around a sharp turn in the road, they saw a mile and +a half across the valley the Spanish outpost with its +flag of truce already up.</p> + +<p>Then the little band of Troopers halted and +chopped down a stout sapling. To this they lashed +the flag of truce for the American army, and set up +the pole in a little clearing. Two Troopers were left +on guard, while the rest retired a couple of hundred +yards around a bend in the road and put up the little +dog tents, beginning at once the routine work of a +vidette outpost. The flag was pitched squarely upon +the top of the mountain, so that it rained there continually,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +but the discomforts were swallowed up in a +sense of the responsibility felt by all on duty there.</p> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i104.png" width="500" height="322" alt=""CAMP ESPERANCA." GUAYAMA IN THE DISTANCE." title=""CAMP ESPERANCA." GUAYAMA IN THE DISTANCE." /> +<span class="caption">"CAMP ESPERANCA." GUAYAMA IN THE DISTANCE.</span> +</div> + +<p>The six men were divided in pairs, and each +pair stood guard by the fluttering flag as vidette for +two hours and then rested four, throughout the day +and night. Through field glasses the Spanish troops +could be plainly seen standing on guard or idling +about the trenches.</p> + +<p>Thirty minutes after the flag first went up a +group of Spanish officers were seen approaching. As +they came nearer it was plain that the party consisted +of a general and six aids. Captain Scott advanced +to meet the Spaniards, and was informed that +the general carried a message for General Brooke. +The Spaniard declined to entrust the message to Captain +Scott. Captain Groome was informed of the +difficulty, and at once galloped back to the American +camp, returning in a short time with General +Sheridan and others of General Brooke's staff. After +much formality the Spanish general delivered his +message to General Sheridan and ceremoniously retired.</p> + +<p>At eight o'clock the next day Lieutenant Ryan +and a like detachment from H Troop relieved Lieutenant +Browning. The next day Lieutenant McFadden, +with Sergeant Bates, Corporal Butcher and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> +Privates Green, Newbold, Wilson, Fell, Woodman +and Armstrong relieved the H men. The day following, +at eight o'clock, Lieutenant Heiberg and his +detachment of regulars, and relieving them on the +morrow went Lieutenant Browning, Sergeant Smith, +Corporal Thibault and Privates Jacobs, Wharton, +Neilson, Barclay, Cramp and Shober. Thus, as in +all cavalry work for General Brooke's army at Guayama, +H Troop and the City Troop took share and +share alike.</p> + +<p>Meantime the Troopers, in camp near Guayama, +had little besides routine duty to keep them occupied. +The rainy season was on hand with a vengeance. +Day and night, with but slight intervals of clear +weather, it rained and poured. Good-sized creeks +would be formed in a half hour by the floods of rain, +and these little streams seemed always aimed straight +at the Troopers' camp. To change clothing was useless, +and at times it was impossible to obtain dry garments. +Flannel shirts would be spread out in the +hot sun to dry at eleven o'clock, and at half-past +they would be lying in pools of water, getting more +thoroughly drenched each minute.</p> + +<p>Since leaving the United States, a wonderful +change had taken place in the appearance of the City +Troopers. At the time of sailing from Newport News,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +all the cavalrymen were bronzed and weather beaten. +After but little more than two weeks in southern +Puerto Rico, exposed daily to natural steam baths +and kept in a constant state of perspiration, the +men were bleached out. Faces once ruddy became +as white as paper, and all the men had lost rapidly +in weight.</p> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i108.png" width="500" height="318" alt="AT THE BEACH NEAR GUAYAMA." title="AT THE BEACH NEAR GUAYAMA." /> +<span class="caption">AT THE BEACH NEAR GUAYAMA.</span> +</div> + +<p>The horses, too, showed the effect of the tropical +climate. When herded together there was not one +head that did not droop, and their eyes were without +spirit. The change in men and beasts had come +quickly, but until after it was known that hostilities +were over the Troopers had been too busy to notice +the change in one another.</p> + +<p>Each day the horses had to be herded, and the +tidings that an animal had broken away and must be +pursued was always hailed with delight, as the chase +was a welcome break in the slow camp life.</p> + +<p>As there was a splendid beach about three miles +from the camp at Guayama, and about the same distance +from Arroyo, Captain Groome issued orders to +the City Troopers for one platoon to bathe in the +morning, each day, and a second platoon in the afternoon. +At the beach the trees and foliage extended +clear to the water's edge. In some places the water +was deep right from the tree line, but there were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> +three or four sand bars that extended way out, so +that a bather could walk as far out in the water at +some points as at Atlantic City. There was always +a heavy surf at the beach, that made bathing a good +sport.</p> + +<p>It was also great fun to take the horses into +the surf. At first the greys did not take kindly to +surf bathing, but under the wise guidance of their +riders they soon were taught that waves would not +hurt them, and in some of the deep water places +they quickly learned to take long swims with the +Troopers.</p> + +<p>In all their manœuvres in Puerto Rico, the City +Troopers were divided into four platoons. No drills +were held, but, as a matter of record, the Roster +of the Troop at this period of the campaign is here +given, passing from right to left in the line:</p> + +<blockquote><p>Captain, John C. Groome.</p> + +<p>First Lieutenant, Edward Browning.</p> + +<p>Second Lieutenant, J. Frank McFadden.</p> + +<div class="center">FIRST PLATOON.</div> + +<p><i>Right Squad.</i>—Sergeant, Frederic Thibault; Privates, Frank +Bower, Alfred Pardee, Alfred Bright, Thomas Cadwalader, H. +Percy Glendinning, Thomas Robb, Jr., Henry J. Wetherill, +T. Wallis Huidekoper, Edward Gregg; Corporal, J. Houston +Merrill.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span><i>Left Squad.</i>—Privates, Edward E. Stetson, Charles +Wheeler, Edward Rawle, William I. Forbes, William West, +Williams Biddle Cadwalader, Charles C. Brinton, Frank A. +Janney, James De Kay, Edward Cann; Corporal, Adolph G. +Rosengarten.</p> + + +<div class="center">SECOND PLATOON.</div> + +<p><i>Right Squad.</i>—Sergeant, William H. Hart; Privates, Robert +Fell, William Farr, Samuel K. Reeves, Thomas J. Orbison, +Samuel Goodman, Jr., Henry S. Godfrey, Clifford Pemberton, +Jr., Maitland Armstrong, George Wilson; Corporal, Gustav +A. Heckscher.</p> + +<p><i>Left Squad.</i>—Privates, N. B. Warden, Stuart Wheeler, +M. G. Rosengarten, J. Warren Coulston, Jr., Charles Coates, +James M. Rhodes, Jr., Francis C. Green, John Conygham +Stevens, John Zimmerman, Norman Risley; Corporal, Samuel +Chew.</p> + + +<div class="center">THIRD PLATOON.</div> + +<p><i>Right Squad.</i>—Sergeant, William E. Bates; Privates, Edward +Lord, Henry G. Woodman, C. King Lennig, Trenchard +Newbold, Thomas Ridgway, Benjamin B. Reath, Carroll Smyth, +James Starr, Edward Brooke; Corporal, George C. Thayer.</p> + +<p><i>Left Squad.</i>—Privates, John Strawbridge, William E. +Goodman, Jr., William G. Warden, Jr., George L. Farnum, +J. Clifford Rosengarten; Hospital Steward, William H. Cornell; +Privates, S. Frederick Mills, Francis Rawle, Edward B. Cornell; +Corporal, Henry C. Butcher, Jr.</p> + + +<div class="center">FOURTH PLATOON.</div> + +<p><i>Right Squad.</i>—Sergeant, Charles H. Smith; Privates, +George H. McFadden, Jr., Harry C. Barclay, Reginald H. +Shober, Francis L. Cramp, Carroll Hodge, H. Austin Smith, +Ward Brinton, Edward Rogers, Charles B. Lewis; Corporal, +Francis A. Thibault.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span><i>Left Squad.</i>—Privates, Herman A. Denckla, Henry +Drinker Riley, Edward C. Taylor, W. B. Duncan Smith, +Bromley Wharton, Lightner Witmer, Frederick B. Neilson, +Douglas H. Jacobs; Commissary Corporal, A. Mercer Biddle; +Corporal, Alexander W. Wister, Jr.</p> + +<p> +Private Ranson, Farrier.<br /> +Private Newlin, Cook.<br /> +Private Kirk, Cook.<br /> +Private Gibbons, Saddler.<br /> +Private Halbustadt, Wagoner.<br /> +Private Nilon, Blacksmith.<br /> +Trumpeter, Brossman.<br /> +Trumpeter, R. Singer.<br /> +Stable Sergeant, John Wagner, Jr.<br /> +Ordnance Sergeant, Robert E. Glendinning.<br /> +Quartermaster-Sergeant, Dr. William C. Lott.<br /> +First Sergeant, J. Willis Martin.<br /> +</p></blockquote> + +<p>While the Troopers were in camp at Guayama, +under orders from General Brooke, they changed +their old style of camp life a little by using a number +of large hospital tents, loaned by General Brooke's +headquarters, which were occupied by six or seven +men each, instead of the little dog tents intended for +two men. The larger tents made life more bearable +during the heavy rains, and were greatly appreciated +by all.</p> + +<p>Although each duty was taken up with uniform +cheerfulness, and nothing was slighted, it soon became +evident that for the first time there was a +unanimous desire on the part of the City Troopers,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +now that peace was assured, to get home as quickly +as possible. So there was great rejoicing when, on +Thursday morning, August 25th, Captain Groome received +orders to proceed at once to Ponce with the +Troop, there to take passage for New York. Just +before this order came, a detachment of Troopers had +gone from camp on a hunt after Spanish guerrillas. +They were promptly recalled by General Brooke's +command.</p> + +<p>The packing of saddles and stowing away of tents +was attended to with a will, and on Friday morning +the march of thirty-seven miles to Ponce was begun. +This distance was to be made in two stages, as +marching was slow at the best with skirmishers out, +and the weather was so sultry that for most of the +distance the men trudged along on foot, leading their +horses.</p> + +<p>Although buoyed up by the prospect of soon +seeing home and friends again, the Troopers found +the first day's march the hardest work they had +undertaken since enlistment. Spaniards could be +seen in the hills all about, and a close outlook had to +be kept. The march led through deep cuts in the +road, where there was not a breath of air stirring, +where the terrific heat seemed determined to beat +to the ground all living things that ventured to brave<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +its fury. Rain—hot, steam-like rain—alternated with +the blazing sun, and uniforms were one hour drenched +with rain, the next hour dried by the sun, and a few +moments later soaking wet with perspiration.</p> + +<p>At midday a halt was made at the same plantation +visited on the way out. There was a grove of +what the Troopers styled "United States trees," +and in its shade they lay around and ate canned +stuff and dried their clothes. Then the tramp was +resumed with all its fatigue, and at night a camp fire +was built on another sugar plantation. Three of the +men living there spoke English, and the first use of it +they made was to notify Captain Groome that a +number of the laborers were sick with small pox, and +that the spot selected for a camp was particularly infected.</p> + +<p>The Captain had quite a consultation with various +people before selecting the final camping ground, +and the weary Troopers had no sooner attended to +their horses than they dropped off to sleep. Like +dead men they lay in their blankets, totally oblivious +of the swarms of mosquitoes which gathered +about them, or of the land crabs, little snakes and +other queer creatures that all night long crawled over +their bodies in a familiarly inquiring manner.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i116.png" width="500" height="319" alt="RETURN ALONG THE ROAD FROM GUAYAMA TO PONCE." title="RETURN ALONG THE ROAD FROM GUAYAMA TO PONCE." /> +<span class="caption">RETURN ALONG THE ROAD FROM GUAYAMA TO PONCE.</span> +</div> + +<p>The second day began with a cool shower, which +left the atmosphere in a splendid condition, and the +advance was more rapid. While all the men had +been supplied with Khaiki uniforms, it was noticeable +that on this last day's march in the enemy's +country a majority clung to the blue. A short rest +was taken at midday. Late in the afternoon the +heavens began to let loose a flood of rain, and +streams sprang up beneath the feet of the cavalrymen. +Twenty minutes after the Troopers passed the +bridge leading to Playa de Ponce, the structure was +swept away by a raging torrent one hundred feet +wide. At nightfall the City Troopers had just put +up their small tents and gone into camp for the +night, when, at 9.30 <span class="smcap">p. m.</span>, the signal service sent +word to Captain Groome that the tents would have +to come up and the men get away quickly, as a +river would soon be rolling over the spot where the +Troopers were preparing to turn in. Indeed, by the +time the warning came, trickling streams innumerable +were sweeping through the field below the +camp. Assembly was sounded, and in forty-five +minutes tents were struck, bags packed, horses saddled, +four wagons loaded, and the Troop moved out. +When the tents were first pitched, it was the intention +of the Troopers to name the camp after Hugh +Craig, Jr., but this idea was given up after the message<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +from the signal corps, and the name "<i>Mala +Aqua</i>"—wicked water—substituted. Mr. Craig's +name was afterward bestowed upon the last camp +occupied by the Troopers on foreign soil.</p> + +<p>No sheltered spot could be found that night after +the retreat from the oncoming river, so the Troopers +philosophically wrapped themselves in their blankets +and lay down in the streets of Playa, unmindful of +the beating rain. Despite the downpour there were +soon a number of fires burning about the camp, for +the Philadelphia men had become experts in the art +of getting a cheery blaze out of wet wood, and damp +matches no longer possessed any terrors.</p> + +<p>While the men slept on the pavement, their +horses were tied to logs along the curb. Some of +the Troopers induced their mounts to lie down and +be used as pillows. It was a strange sight, more +picturesque than it was comfortable for the men who +made up the tableau. If any one incident in the +campaign could be said to illustrate better than +another the clean grit which actuated every move of +the Troopers, this night spent in the streets of Playa, +amid drenching rain, would probably be selected by +a historian.</p> + +<p>In the morning Captain Groome marched the +Troopers into "Dolorales" lumber yard, where the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +sheds, roofed over with galvanized iron, looked extremely +inviting to the rain-soaked men. Blankets +were spread on the top of lumber piles, under the roof, +and perched up there the Troopers were sheltered +from the alternate sun and showers.</p> + +<p>For one week there was a hard struggle to kill +time. There was nothing to do but look after the +horses, and no place to go. Several times members +of the Troop took carriage rides about the city, and +had all the points of interest explained by guides. +Hope was high in the hearts of officers and men alike +that a start for Philadelphia could be made by September +1st, but the first came and still no orders. +Relief was close at hand, however, for on Friday, +September 2d, orders came to turn the Troop's horses +and equipments over to the headquarter officers at +Ponce, and to embark the Troopers upon the transport +"Mississippi," which was lying a half mile out +in the harbor.</p> + +<p>Before turning over the horses to other hands, +the old greys were given a careful rub down, and +then a thorough cleaning was bestowed upon halters, +bridles, carbines, scabbards, sabers, pistols and holsters. +The Troopers were complimented upon the +condition of their mounts, for they came out of the +campaign much the best of any other horses, although<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +admittedly they had been given the hardest +work to do.</p> + +<p>While there was naturally much regret expressed +by the cavalrymen at parting with the horses and +equipments, which had formed so close a part of their +lives during the summer, yet there was a bright side +to the matter, inasmuch as the Troopers on their +homeward trip were saved most of their hard work. +No longer were they obliged to feed and water their +horses twice a day, and do stable duty each morning; +they were also rid of all the tugging on and off +of lighters, transports and trains of saddles and equipments, +and they were through spending their spare +moments polishing up the numerous small belongings +of a Trooper. In the turning over of all these things +there was a great relief.</p> + +<p>All day Friday A and C Troops, of New York; +the Governor's and Sheridan Troops, of Pennsylvania; +and Pennsylvania A Battery, loaded the transport +with their horses. Finally at six o'clock in the afternoon, +the City Troop, their canvas and commissary +having been lightered to the ship, fell in and marched +to the dock. At eight o'clock Captain Groome +ordered them on a big lighter, and drawn by the tug +"Sarah," of Philadelphia, they went out in the harbor +to the "Mississippi." There, with blanket rolls<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> +over one shoulder, and haversacks and saddlebags +over the other, they tumbled up the ladder to the +deck of the slow, but comparatively commodious +transport. Not until midnight did General Wilson's +headquarter horses get aboard, and the vessel was +soon afterward steering for New York. No demonstration +was made during the embarking of the troops. +The cavalrymen were too tired to do any cheering +themselves, even at the thought of home. The +natives about the dock did some cheering, but as +they were always ready to hurrah over anything, +their yells did not particularly inspire the departing +soldiers.</p> + +<p>The City Troop had its quarters forward on the +"Mississippi," with A Battery alongside and A Troop +on the deck below. This was pleasant all around, as +the New York and Philadelphia Troopers were the +best of friends, and in addition the Troopers had +many friends in the Philadelphia battery.</p> + +<p>For this ocean trip of one thousand, three hundred +and ninety miles the City Troopers were better prepared +than on their voyage to Ponce. Of course, +there were great hardships to be endured, but the +commissary had laid in a supply of ice, so that the +drinking water could be kept at a reasonable temperature, +and the men had gained enough experience to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +hustle for good sleeping places on deck and not +bother with the hammocks.</p> + +<p>The old transport averaged about two hundred +miles a day, which seemed particularly slow to the +impatient Troopers. At the time the "Mississippi" +had been forty-eight hours out, it became clear that +the sea voyage was doing all the cavalrymen a vast +deal of good; the unhealthy pallor, induced by tropical +weather, began to wear off, and the men felt +that they would be in good condition to receive the +welcome which they knew was awaiting them.</p> + +<p>Daily routine aboard ship was established as +follows: Reveille at 6 o'clock, stables at 6.30, mess +at 7, sick at 8, fatigue at 8.30, guard mount at 9, +mess at 12, and again at 6, tattoo at 9, and taps at +9.30.</p> + +<p>Fair weather remained with the "Mississippi" +throughout the entire trip. Guidons of each troop +aboard were affixed to the foremast head.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i124.png" width="500" height="326" alt="HACIENDA CARMEN." title="HACIENDA CARMEN." /> +<span class="caption">HACIENDA CARMEN.</span> +</div> +<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<h3>HOME AGAIN.</h3> + + +<p>From the time the Jersey coast was sighted the +Troopers began to realize how glad they really +were to get back home. Early on the morning of +Saturday, September 10th, the "Mississippi" passed +Sandy Hook, and was soon cleaving the waters of +New York Bay. It was rather misty, and objects at +any great distance were very obscure. The Philadelphia +cavalrymen were often obliged to smile at the airs +which some of the members of the New York and Brooklyn +troops assumed as they found themselves in familiar +waters. The men of Gotham boasted much of the +fine reception which they felt sure was in store for +them, and looked rather pityingly upon the Philadelphia +cavalrymen. When, through the mist, a tug was +made out, with flags flying, approaching the "Mississippi" +at full speed, several of the New Yorkers +pointed to it and said to the Quaker City men, "Here +comes the advance guard of our escort."</p> + +<p>While the tug was still too much surrounded by +mist to make out her identity, there came floating +from her deck the ringing notes of a bugle. At the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +first sound the Philadelphia Troopers became all attention, +and a moment later the air of the Troop +march—strains known to City Troopers for two generations—could +be clearly distinguished.</p> + +<p>"It's our friends," shouted the City Troopers +with glee, while the New York riders did not attempt +to conceal their surprise at the fact that citizens of +their city had been out-generaled by the Philadelphia +visitors in the effort to give the first greeting to the +returning Troopers.</p> + +<p>But while the later recruits among the Troopers +shouted "It's our friends," the older members cried +out, "It's Ellis Pugh," for they knew almost by instinct +from whose lips had come the welcoming blast. +Dick Singer was upon the deck with his bugle in a +twinkling, and tooted back a response. Nearer and +nearer the two vessels approached, until at last the +two buglers joined together in the long final note.</p> + +<p>Then other tugs appeared—six in all—five of +which were filled with enthusiastic Philadelphians. +The Troopers crowded to the rail and occupied all +points of vantage in the rigging. Up the bay the +transport and her shrieking escort continued their +course. From the whistle of every vessel met there +came a welcome, until the din became almost deafening.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span>While the health officer boarded the transport, +friends on the tugs and troop ship yelled greetings +back and forth. A port hole in the "Mississippi" +was opened, and an avalanche of boxes and bottles +poured into the hands of the soldiers aboard. The +moment quarantine was raised, there was a general +scramble of male visitors onto the deck of the transport, +followed by a whirlwind of affectionate greetings. +Fathers proudly hugged their brawny, dirt-stained +sons; chums and brothers shook each <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'others'">others'</ins> +hands off.</p> + +<p>Soon there came along another tug, and Governor +Hastings and Major Richardson clambered over +the rail amid loud cheers of the Pennsylvanians. +And so the big reception went on until the "Mississippi" +pulled into dock at Jersey City. There the +cavalrymen looked down from the high decks upon a +sea of men and women, the great majority of whom +were Philadelphians. The hospital train was run in +on a siding right under the ship, and the sick were +unloaded with but little delay.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, Captain Groome had accepted an invitation +from the Philadelphia Councils Committee, +to participate in a public reception upon the Troop's +arrival home, and word to that effect was telegraphed +to Mayor Warwick. The Troopers partook of a light<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> +lunch before unloading their camp equipage, and after +two hours hard work the last piece of canvas was +loaded on the cars, and late in the afternoon they +finally found themselves rolling rapidly homeward.</p> + +<p>In the New York <i>Sun</i>, the day after the City +Troop's arrival, there appeared the following paragraph +by a reporter of reputation, who had been in +Puerto Rico during the campaign:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"In commissariat, general intelligence and knowledge +of tactics, the First City Troop of Philadelphia +outranked any volunteers I saw at the front. They +were the only company to take a water filter with +them, so were the only men to drink pure water. +They were the only soldiers with forethought enough +to provide salt, mustard and the other little things +that help make army rations palatable. Then they +knew how to cook. They kept their camp clean. +They kept their horses in good condition, in fact they +neglected nothing, and shirked no duty, no matter +how disagreeable. So much for the dude soldier."</p></blockquote> + +<p>It was eight o'clock when the train bearing the +City Troopers, every man ready and fit for duty, +came puffing into the Broad Street Station. Outside +the building and along Broad, Chestnut and Market +Streets, the route over which it had been planned to +have the cavalrymen march, dense throngs packed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> +the sidewalks, and were only kept from the streets +by ropes in charge of hundreds of policemen.</p> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i130.png" width="500" height="325" alt="SERGEANT'S CLUB AT GUAYAMA." title="SERGEANT'S CLUB AT GUAYAMA." /> +<span class="caption">SERGEANT'S CLUB AT GUAYAMA.</span> +</div> + +<p>Captain Groome was the first man to alight from +the cars, and he was at once requested by General +Morrell and Director Riter to permit a street parade +of the command before going to Horticultural Hall, +where a banquet had been prepared. The Captain +said his men would be pleased to do anything the +Reception Committee wished, and the line was immediately +formed for parade. Police horses had been +secured and were on hand for the Troopers.</p> + +<p>The procession was led by a file of mounted +policemen and carriages containing the Citizen's Reception +Committee, which had gone to New York +to meet the Troop. Following them came the Third +Regiment Band and the Second City Troop. Last +of all came the veterans in their Khaiki uniforms, +and cheer after cheer went up everywhere as they +came into view, mingled with enthusiastic shouts of +"Here comes the Rough Riders!"</p> + +<p>Up Broad Street, through an endless multitude, +the procession moved, through brilliant displays of +fireworks and past brightly illuminated residences. +On Chestnut Street the scene was repeated with +the added effect of booming cannon from the roof of +the Union Republican Club. Down Chestnut to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> +Eighth, and up Eighth to Market, and thence to the +City Hall, the Troop passed, and when Horticultural +Hall was reached the riders had the satisfaction of +knowing that they had participated in the greatest +parade ever given by the Troop in its century and a +quarter of existence.</p> + +<p>As the Troop drew up in front of the hall, amid +wild cheering, the men dismounted and turned the +horses over to the mounted police. The men then +filed into the banquet room between lines of the +Battery A men, who stood at "Present arms." +While standing at their designated seats Mayor +Warwick addressed the Troopers as follows:</p> + +<p>"Welcome home! We are here to-night to greet +you with all our hearts. God bless you, and God +keep you. The Republic is proud of you, and the +city thrown open to you."</p> + +<p>While the cavalrymen were eating, their relations +and friends crowded in upon them. There was +much laughing and much hand-shaking. The men +had all been granted a sixty-day furlough, and they +took their time about punishing the good things, leaving +the hall at a late hour in groups of two's and +three's—home at last.</p> + +<p>Within a short time after their return, and before +their muster-out, the Troopers participated in a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +number of interesting events. Several receptions and +dinners were given in their honor by individuals and +clubs, and the one hundred and twenty-fourth anniversary +of the Troop's organization was celebrated. +The cavalrymen took a leading part in the military +parade, on the second day of the Jubilee Celebration, +October 27th. President McKinley reviewed the +parade, and as the tradition of the Troop required that +its members should act as the President's escort while +in the city, the following Honorary members of the +Troop were appointed to act in that capacity: Captain +General E. Burd Grubb, Captain Joseph Lapsley +Wilson, Captain Edmund H. McCullough, First Lieutenant +James Rawle, Second Lieutenant Major J. Edward +Carpenter, Second Lieutenant Frank E. Patterson, +Second Lieutenant Edward K. Bispham, Cornet +Charles E. Kelly, Cornet Richard Tilghman, Surgeon +J. William White, Surgeon John B. Shober, Surgeon +Charles H. Frazier, Quartermaster Hugh Craig, Jr.</p> + +<p>All of these occurrences were joyous occasions, +but one day in October the Troopers were called +upon to perform a duty which saddened every heart. +On that day, for the first time since the outbreak of +hostilities, there was a voice missing at roll call which +would never respond again. Stuart Wheeler had +fallen a victim to typhoid fever, contracted while in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +Puerto Rico, and to the grave of this lost comrade +the Troopers marched in silent sorrow to pay the last +military respects.</p> + +<p>Mr. Wheeler had seemed in good health upon +his arrival in the United States after the campaign, +and, with several friends, had gone upon a hunting +trip in the Maine woods. There the fever seized him, +and he died a few days after his removal to a Boston +hospital.</p> + +<p>Of the departed young hero, the Troopers will +ever speak with affection and praise. In college he +was an unusually earnest student, on the athletic fields +he won laurels that will long remain green, at home he +was a loving son and brother, with the Troop he +showed the mettle of a gallant soldier. He died for +his country—as surely as though his body had been +found on a Puerto Rican battlefield, pierced with a +Spanish bullet.</p> + +<p>At noon on the eleventh day of November, the +City Troopers gathered at their armory to bid farewell +to the United States Volunteer service. Their +sixty-day furlough had expired, and while there was +not one who would have hesitated to re-enlist should +need arise, it is safe to say that none were sorry that +the moment for ending their terms as warriors had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> +arrived. Six men were unable to be present because +of sickness.</p> + +<p>Lieutenant B. F. Hughes, of the Tenth U. S. +Cavalry, was on hand to muster-out the men, all of +whom were first obliged to report to Doctors Spelissy +and Brinton for physical examinations.</p> + +<p>For a week preceding Captain Groome had made +every preparation calculated to expedite the work, +and before the men were drawn up for roll call, +all the muster-out rolls, the descriptive lists and discharge +papers had been prepared for the mustering +officer. Even the computations of pay for each man +had been figured out. As soon as each Trooper had +received his physical examination he was dismissed +until the following Monday. On the morning of that +day discharge papers and pay were ready for all the +Troopers, and so far as they were concerned the war +was over.</p> + +<p>It was not until twenty days later that the +Spanish Commissioners, in Paris, agreed to accept the +American terms, and surrendered to the United States +240,110 square miles of territory, with a population +estimated at 9,500,000. A treaty of peace between +the nations was then prepared. Practically, however, +peace had existed since that day in August<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +when but a few minutes separated the City Troopers' +<i>bivouac</i>, in a field of flowers, from a charge which +would have made desolate hundreds of homes.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 350px;"> +<img src="images/i136.png" width="350" height="153" alt="Decoration" title="Decoration" /> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="tn"><h3>Transcriber's Notes:</h3> +<p>Typographical errors silently corrected except those listed below. Spelling has been made consistent throughout where the author's preference could be ascertained.</p> + +<p>Page 16 "less than three hours consumed, in the Troopers case," added apostrophe "in the Troopers' case".</p> + +<p>Page 43 "from the headquarters mules would come an answering bray," added apostrophe "headquarter's mules."</p> + +<p>Page 43 "these sounds appealed to the Troopers sense of humor" added apostrophe "Troopers' sense".</p> + +<p>Page 61 "dodging under horses heads" added apostrophe "horses' heads".</p> + +<p>Page 68 "with their horses bridles over their arms" added apostrophe "horses' bridles".</p> + +<p>Page 68 "indicating the mens heighth and breadth" changed to "men's height".</p> + +<p>Page 101 "brothers shook each others hands" added apostrophe "each others' hands".</p> +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Campaign of the First Troop +Philadelphia City Cavalry, by James Cooper + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAMPAIGN OF THE FIRST TROOP *** + +***** This file should be named 37755-h.htm or 37755-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/7/5/37755/ + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Campaign of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry + April 25-November 11, 1898 + +Author: James Cooper + +Release Date: October 14, 2011 [EBook #37755] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAMPAIGN OF THE FIRST TROOP *** + + + + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + +[Illustration: FIRST LIEUTENANT BROWNING CAPTAIN GROOME SECOND +LIEUTENANT MCFADDEN] + + + + + CAMPAIGN + + OF THE + + First Troop + + Philadelphia City Cavalry + + APRIL 25--NOVEMBER 11 + + 1898 + + + JAMES COOPER + + + PHILADELPHIA: + + HALLOWELL CO. LTD., PUBLISHERS + + 14 SOUTH FIFTH STREET + + + + +_For all that is good in this little book acknowledgment is due to +Captain John C. Groome, Lieutenant J. Frank McFadden, Lieutenant J. +Willis Martin, Sergeant John Wagner, Jr., Sergeant Robert E. +Glendinning, F. B. Neilson, T. Wallis Huidekoper, Hugh Craig, Jr., and +the publisher. They have provided the photographs and practically all +the material used. Many passages are taken entirely from letters and +other writings of these Troopers. The writer's personal observations +merely covered the time of the Troop's stay at Mt. Gretna, Camp Alger +and Newport News._ + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAP. PAGE + + I. THE CALL TO ARMS 9 + + II. THE TROOP AT MT. GRETNA 18 + + III. DEPARTURE FOR CAMP ALGER 32 + + IV. FIRST DAYS AT CAMP ALGER 37 + + V. CAMP ALGER AND NEWPORT NEWS 46 + + VI. LIFE ABOARD A TROOP SHIP 56 + + VII. IN THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY 65 + + VIII. THE FIGHT THAT FAILED 74 + + IX. AFTER THE BATTLE 83 + + X. HOME AGAIN 99 + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS. + + + PAGE + + Captain Groome, Lieuts. Browning and McFadden, _frontispiece_ + + Troopers Camp at Mt. Gretna, 17 + + Pistol Practice at Camp Hastings, 30 + + A Lesson in Horse Throwing, 34 + + Having Fun with "Hazel," 39 + + Glimpse into a Troop Ship, 58 + + Cathedral Virgin del Carmen, 62 + + Bivouac Outside Cathedral Virgin del Carmen, 63 + + Bringing the Horses Ashore at Ponce, 65 + + Camp at Arroyo, 71 + + En Route to the Battlefield.--Military Road from Guayama to Caney, 77 + + "Camp Esperanca,"--Guayama in the Distance, 85 + + At the Beach near Guayama, 87 + + Return Along the Road from Guayama to Ponce, 93 + + Hacienda Carmen, 99 + + Sergeant's Club at Guayama, 103 + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE CALL TO ARMS. + + +When the members of the First Troop of Philadelphia City Cavalry were +summoned to prepare for the annual inspection, on April 23rd, 1898, +there was but one great topic of conversation among the people of the +United States. Early in February, the U. S. Battleship Maine had been +destroyed by an explosion in Havana harbor, and two hundred and +forty-eight American sailors had lost their lives. A board of naval +officers, after daily sessions for seven weeks, had decided that the +destruction of the vessel was not due to an accident; confirming the +popular opinion that the blowing up of this vessel was an act of Spanish +treachery. Both branches of Congress were debating measures regarding +American intervention in the Cuban rebellion, which the natives of that +island had successfully carried on against Spanish rule for three years. +The question of the hour was whether war with Spain was at hand. + +That the annual inspection of the Troop occurred just at this time was +merely a coincidence--six months before the plans had been made. +Nothing was changed by the exciting rumors of the day, for the Troopers +belonged to that conservative class of business men, which even at this +time, did not believe in the likelihood of a resort to arms over the +disputes pending between the United States and Spain. + +In former years it had been the custom of the Troopers to drill Saturday +afternoons, throughout the spring, in Fairmount Park. This plan had +proven so troublesome that it had been decided to give up every +afternoon for one week previous to the annual inspection for manoeuvres +at Fort Side grounds and omit the Saturday drills in the Park. The +Wednesday before the date set for the first practice, some new horses +for the City Troopers were sent to Fort Washington, and rooms were +secured for the men at Fort Side Inn. + +On Monday, April 18th, the Troop having assembled at Fort Side, in +service uniform, fully equipped and mounted, were formed in line +promptly at four o'clock, and at the command of Captain Groome trotted +off to their first drill, which was held in a fine broad meadow +bordering on the Wissahickon, opposite the Inn. After two hours of troop +and squad movements they returned to the Inn, where they learned that +while they had been drilling the House and Senate conferrees had agreed +to a joint resolution in regard to intervention. Throughout the week +the drills continued, and each afternoon showed a marked improvement, +both in the men and horses. The latter soon became accustomed to the +noise of the firing during the skirmish drill, and one hour each day was +spent in drilling in extended order and "as skirmishers." As each +twenty-four hours passed the reports from the nation's capitol showed +war to be closer at hand than upon the preceding day. On Wednesday +despatches from Washington were printed in all papers saying that the +National Guard would be called out within forty-eight hours and sent to +camp at Mt. Gretna, Pa. Captain Groome quietly passed word along the +line to make ready, and arrangements were completed with the +Pennsylvania Railroad to transport the Troopers to the State camp, +direct from Fort Washington, should need arise. In fact there was a +general hope among the men that in this way the dreaded farewells from +loved ones might be avoided. Thursday night the President signed the +resolutions of Congress, which stated that American troops would be sent +to Cuba at once to end the war. At the same time an ultimatum was sent +to Spain to withdraw her troops from the island quietly or prepare for +invasion. It was announced that Spain had been given forty-eight hours +in which to answer. Her only reply was to despatch her best fleet +westward. + +On Saturday, the day of the Troopers inspection, President McKinley +issued a call for 125,000 volunteers. While this fact overshadowed all +others, the Troopers made a splendid showing that afternoon, and were +heartily congratulated upon their high state of efficiency by Major +Sweeney, Inspector of the First Brigade. + +Sunday was the last day of rest at home that the Troopers were to enjoy +for months to come. On the following Monday, Governor Hastings ordered +the State Troops to mobilize at Mt. Gretna Thursday. President +McKinley's call had made no requisition for cavalry, but Captain Groome +received a personal telegram from Governor Hastings saying that the +Troop would be wanted without question, and the usual printed notices +were sent out, ordering the men to be at the armory ready to start at +five o'clock Thursday morning. As a matter of fact, a majority of the +Troopers spent the two preceding days there, helping pack the stores and +equipments, and getting everything in perfect condition. + +Wednesday night all was in readiness, and the cavalrymen's spirits were +high as they read in the evening papers how Sampson's fleet was engaged +in bombarding Matanzas, and how the Spaniards were rushing work upon +their fortifications in Cuba and Porto Rico. + +War had been begun without any formal declaration. Spain had refused to +answer the American ultimatum and had given Minister Woodford his +passports, thus breaking diplomatic relations. At once the United States +fleet, off the Cuban coast, began to capture Spanish vessels. Then, at +the request of the President, Congress passed a declaration to the +effect that a state of war had existed between the United States and +Spain since Monday, April 25th. + +At this time Spain was credited with having two powerful fleets of a +strength almost equal to that of the United States Navy, and with +possessing an army in Cuba and Porto Rico of 150,000 well seasoned, +splendidly drilled men; war problems were admittedly assuming a graver +aspect each day. + +All the forces of nature seemed combined, on Thursday morning, to deter +the City Troopers from their expressed intention of joining the +volunteer army. Faint-hearted men would surely have been terrified at +the first view presented of the hardships of a soldier's life. It was +freezing cold, yet a sort of rain was falling that at times became hail +and at times came down as snow. Whatever form the downfall took, it +soaked through all coverings and chilled to the bone those compelled to +endure its pelting attack. An icy wind was twisting and cutting through +the streets of the city. + +When the Troopers stepped from their comfortable homes into the storm, +it was not yet five o'clock. Daylight was scarce as strong as the light +from the lamps still burning in the streets; deep slush covered the +streets and sidewalks. Singly, and by groups of two or threes, the +cavalrymen slipped and splashed their way to the old armory on +Twenty-first Street. + +Roll call at five o'clock found, out of the sixty-six active members of +the Troop, the following present: Captain John C. Groome, First +Lieutenant Edward Browning, Assistant Surgeon Charles H. Frazier, Cornet +Richard Tilghman, First Sergeant J. Willis Martin, Quartermaster +Sergeant William C. Lott, Sergeants R. E. Glendinning, John Wagner, Jr., +Frederick Thibault, C. Emory McMichael and William H. Hart; Corporals +William E. Bates, Charles H. Smith, John Houston Merrill and Francis A. +Thibault; Trumpeters Pugh and Singer; Privates A. Mercer Biddle, Frank +B. Bower, Ward Brinton, Thomas Cadwalader, Jay Cooke, 3d, Francis L. +Cramp, Herman A. Denckla, George L. Farnum, J. Edward Farnum, William I. +Forbes, Persifor Frazier, Jr., H. Percy Glendinning, Henry S. Godfrey, +Samuel Goodman, Francis E. Green, Robert E. Griffith, Guston A. +Heckscher, T. Wallis Huidekoper, Francis A. Janney, Charles K. Lennig, +George McFadden, Percy C. Madeira, Richard W. Meirs, Frederick B. +Neilson, Edward P. Rawle, Benjamin B. Reath, Samuel K. Reeves, J. +Ridgway Reilly, James M. Rhodes, Jr., Thomas Ridgway, Henry D. Riley, +Thomas Robb, Jr., Adolph G. Rosengarten, Mitchell G. Rosengarten, Jr., +Edward K. Rowland, Reginald K. Shober, James Starr, J. C. Stevens, +Edward C. Taylor, Nelson B. Warden, William G. Warden, Bromley Wharton +and Alexander W. Wister, Jr. The absentees were: Second Lieutenant J. +Frank McFadden, who was coming to rejoin his command as fast as the +"Lucania" could bring him from Europe; George Thayer, who had cabled +from Ireland that he would return upon the first available vessel; H. C. +Butcher, who was in the mountains near Cripple Creek beyond the reach of +telegrams, and who at that time did not know war was talked of; W. +Goodman and S. Chew, who were in a similar condition of ignorance +somewhere in the Klondike regions of Alaska, and Corporal Borie, sick in +bed with typhoid fever. + +Just at 5.50 the ringing notes of the bugle sounded assembly. At six +o'clock came "boots and saddles." Ten minutes later the men mounted and +rode out into the icy rain, each man wearing the service uniform, heavy +overcoat and poncho, and armed with saber, Springfield carbine (cal. 45) +and Colts' revolver (cal. 38), and with the blanket, mess outfit, +haversack and nose bag, and two days' rations securely strapped to the +saddle. + +With bowed heads they slowly passed to the Reading siding at the corner +of Twenty-third and Arch Streets, where the long troop train was +waiting. Quartermaster Sergeant Lott and his detail having loaded all +the stores and camp equipage before the arrival of the Troop, there was +nothing for the men to do but load their horses on the cars. Inside of +half an hour the last horse had been loaded, and the Troop was ready to +start. For nearly an hour, however, they remained in the cars at the +siding, and "last" good-bys were said over again to the few remaining +friends who had braved the weather to see the cavalrymen off. Finally at +7.30 the engine gave a warning toot, and the train pulled slowly out +amid prolonged cheers. + +Delays innumerable and inexplainable occurred on that journey, and a +trip which ordinarily requires less than three hours consumed, in the +Troopers' case, an entire day; so that the shades of evening were added +to the gloom which had prevailed all day when Camp Hastings was +reached. From the cars the Troopers tramped a half mile, up and down +hill, to a little valley which had been designated as their camp site. + +[Illustration: TROOPERS CAMP AT MT. GRETNA.] + +After the flood of the day the valley was ankle deep in mud, and a more +discouraging prospect than confronted the Troopers would be hard to +imagine. No shelter had been prepared for them, nor could any be +secured. By some mistake, on the part of others, their tents had not yet +arrived from the State Arsenal. All buildings about the camp grounds +were crowded with the constantly increasing throngs of infantrymen, each +troop train upon its arrival adding to the thousands of shelterless +soldiers. + +A half dozen of the largest Troopers were sent out to forage, and while +they were gone arrangements were made, through the courtesy of Captain +Warburton, with the men of Battery A to share their tents for the night. +The battery had arrived the day before and was comfortably located. Of +course the doubling up of quarters caused crowding, but the grateful +Troopers, wet and tired as they were, were soon dreaming their first +soldier dreams, while the rain beat a mournful tattoo on the canvas +overhead. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE TROOP AT MT. GRETNA. + + +Had the Troopers not known from experience that Mt. Gretna was an ideal +spot for a camp, their impressions of the place, gained from +observations taken the morning after their arrival, would have been +disagreeable beyond expression. In the words of "Longfeller," as one +Trooper expressed it, in a letter to the _Press_, + + "We saw the tents of the others, + Gleam through the rain and the mist, + And a feeling of sadness came o'er us, + That our hearts could not resist." + +For, to the disgust of the Troopers, daylight brought no news of the +missing canvas, and visions of another night in the mess tents of the +Battery and Sheridan Troop began to disturb the men. Captain Groome and +his lieutenants had planned plenty of work for the men, however, and as +soon as their minds were once occupied they began to feel better. +Details were sent to relieve the guard that had been placed over the +baggage car, to secure wagons to haul the luggage to the camp grounds +and to do regular sentry duty. + +While the spot selected for a camp by Captain Groome had its +disadvantages in rainy weather, it proved to be on the whole, the most +desirable spot on the entire grounds; one of its greatest advantages +being the nearness of Lake Conawago, where later in the season the men +enjoyed a daily bath. The Philadelphia infantry commands had been +assigned the worst quarters at Mt. Gretna. They occupied a deep basin, +fully a mile and a half from the station and telegraph office, and +during the entire time the First, Second, Third Regiments and Battalion +of State Fencibles remained there, the valley was a sea of red mud. +Every other regiment was encamped on rising ground, where the sandy soil +was well drained and kept comparatively dry despite the long continued +rains which set in. + +In the afternoon the Troopers tents arrived, and went up with +astonishing rapidity. The men worked hard arranging wooden supports for +their straw-filled canvas bags, so they would not be obliged to sleep on +the wet turf. The horses had been well sheltered in the woods near the +camp, but men and beasts alike were glad when they saw the bright sun on +Saturday morning. These weather conditions quickly wrought a great +change throughout the miles of tented streets. Soldiers faces brightened +and the Troopers, who had kept up their pluck splendidly under a stress +of unfortunate circumstances such as no other organization had been +obliged to face, could not help showing their pleasure at the improved +prospects. + +Sunday was spent for the most part in straightening up the camp. In the +afternoon there were a number of visitors on hand from Philadelphia, +although rainy weather had set in again. All kind of rumors were current +as to what would be done with the State organizations, and many feared +that the Troop would not be allowed to enlist as a whole, but that the +men would be called upon to enter the volunteer service as individuals. +These rumors soon died away, however, and on Monday when the men were +lined up and asked if they were willing to enter the service of the +United States there was but a single dissenting voice. One private +refused to volunteer, and he at once resigned from the Troop. As there +was no provision in the call for volunteers for an assistant surgeon, +with a troop of cavalry, Dr. Charles H. Frazier could not be mustered +in. + +After the privates and non-commissioned officers had expressed their +willingness to volunteer, Colonel Morrell addressed the officers as +follows: "Is it your desire that I should request the Governor of +Pennsylvania to issue to you a commission for the same places you now +hold in the volunteer army of the United States?" + +Captain Groome and Lieutenants Browning and McFadden signified their +desire to serve, and Governor Hastings at once responded that it would +give him great pleasure to have the commissions made out as requested. + +After this inspection the men settled down to camp life with zest. On +the day they had signified their willingness to enlist, the great news +had come of Commodore Dewey's victory in the harbor of Manila. The +destruction of the entire Spanish fleet in the East, gave a new turn to +the war, and it was soon whispered that it would not be long before some +of the men encamped at Mt. Gretna would be on their way to these distant +islands in the Pacific. Daily drills were taken up with added interest. +Wednesday and Thursday were rainy. The brigade surgeons were being +examined, and all was put in readiness for the physical examination of +the soldiers, preliminary to their being mustered into the volunteer +service. Friday the City Troopers were examined and four men were +rejected by the surgeons, chiefly for defects in eyesight. Two of these +were afterward reinstated by direct orders from Washington. + +Saturday, April 28th, the Troopers were marched down to division +headquarters to be mustered in. A heavy Scotch mist hung over the camp, +and objects at a short distance were invisible. The men were lined up +before a long wooden platform upon which stood Major William A. +Thompson, of the First U. S. Cavalry, the officer detailed by the War +Department to muster the Pennsylvania National Guard troops into the +Volunteer service of the United States; Governor Hastings and his staff, +and hundreds of spectators. As the roll was called, each Trooper stepped +forward and answered to his name. Then the mustering officer told the +men and officers to raise their right hand. Up went the hands and the +spectators removed their hats while Major Thompson repeated this oath: + +"Do you solemnly swear that you will bear true faith and allegiance to +the United States of America, and will serve them faithfully against all +their enemies whomsoever, and that you will obey the orders of the +President of the United States and the orders of officers appointed over +you, according to the rules and articles of war?" + +"I do!" shouted each man in the same breath, and as the hearty response +went up, the spectators applauded and the Third Regiment Band, sheltered +in a building near at hand, struck up "The Star Spangled Banner." The +officers' commissions were then filled in by the Governor and handed to +their owners. Back to their camp marched the Troopers, no longer their +own masters but servants of Uncle Sam, and as they filed past the +mustering stand, a company of infantrymen stepped up to go through the +same ceremony. + +Noah is credited with being the only man who ever saw it rain for forty +days and forty nights, but the City Troopers ran him a close race in the +month that followed. The intervals between showers were almost too brief +to be noticed, and it became a popular jest that the weather man was +trying to break the men in for a campaign in Cuba during the rainy +season. The worst storm of the lot was reserved for the Sunday following +the muster-in of the Troopers. In regular cloud-bursts the floods +descended upon Camp Hastings. The camp of the Troopers was surrounded by +hills on three sides, and down these hills came innumerable streams, all +headed for the Troop street. Visitors in large numbers had come out from +the city on the long excursion trains, and many were half ferried, half +driven to camp in an old wagon which seemed especially designed to do +service as a boat. Bad as was the Troopers' lot, it was almost nothing +compared to what the Philadelphia infantrymen were compelled to endure. +The foot soldiers in the first place had not taken the same precautions +as the Troopers in raising their mattresses from the ground, and in some +cases they actually found their beds under water by nightfall. Mud in +the streets of every camp in the First Brigade was six inches deep, and +so sticky that to attempt to walk through it, invariably meant the loss +of a boot. + +On Monday morning, drills were resumed by the Troopers, and upon Tuesday +they were called to bid farewell to the men of Battery A, who had been +ordered to Newport News for guard duty. + +Although the rain spoiled all attempts at systematic drill, captains +throughout the camp were gradually getting their men in better shape, +and the work of mustering-in had proceeded uninterruptedly. On Friday, +the 13th, the last of the Pennsylvania Troops had entered the volunteer +army. There were at that time 10,860 in all, and a grand review by the +Governor was planned for the next afternoon. As if to compensate for +past sins and sins to come, the weather for that day was perfect, and by +three o'clock on Saturday afternoon the various troops and regiments +throughout the camp began wending their way from the tents to the parade +ground. The Troopers took up their stand on a little hill near their +camp, but the rising ground prevented their seeing the miles of blue +ranks, glittering with steel, that stretched away just beyond. + +The Governor and his staff rode at full gallop along the lines, while a +little band, the only one in camp, kept blowing out the strains of "Hail +to the Chief." The lack of proper music was the only drawback to this +occasion. Then the order to march came; the many commands swung past the +reviewing party, and the finest display ever made by Pennsylvania troops +since the Civil War was at an end. + +The second command of Philadelphia soldiers to leave Camp Hastings was +the Third Regiment. Colonel Ralston received his orders the Sunday +following the review, and attempted to get off that afternoon, but +railroad facilities were wanting and it was not until Monday evening +that the boys of the Third got away. Tampa was their destination. + +The next day Captain Groome received an order to report to General +Merritt, of the Department of the East, and this order gave the +reporters of the various papers material for many scare stories, as it +became known the next day that General Merritt had been ordered to take +command of the expedition to the Philippines, and it was supposed by +some that he would take the Troopers with him. This rumor was in a +measure substantiated by the orders which came for the Tenth Regiment to +prepare to take a journey to the islands. For, like the Troopers, the +Tenth had just previously been ordered to report to General Merritt, and +when the orders came regarding the Philippines, the men of the Tenth had +struck tents preparatory to going to meet General Merritt in New York. +On this same Tuesday the First Regiment, made up of Philadelphia men, +left Mt. Gretna for Camp Thomas, Chickamauga, and the Ninth Regiment +started for the same camp. + +From the movement of the infantry regiments it seemed probable that they +would soon be required for active service, but the cavalry troops were +detained at Mt. Gretna waiting for the issue of arms and equipments from +the Government. As the City Troop was fully armed with the carbine, +saber and pistol, uniformed, equipped and mounted, and owned all their +equipments and horses, Captain Groome offered to Governor Hastings, and +through him to the Secretary of War, to transfer immediately all the +horses and troop property of every description to the United States, to +be settled for at any time and price satisfactory to the Government. The +Troopers hoped by this offer to be enabled to take the field at once, +but unfortunately this was not accepted, although the spirit which +prompted it was warmly commended in the return message from the War +Department. After this there was nothing to do but wait for the +Government to provide new horses and equipments. + +On the afternoon of Wednesday, the 19th, Captain Groome was called to +Washington and Lieutenant Browning remained in charge of the City +Troopers camp. He put the men through a long dismounted drill and +followed it up with another the next day. While the captain was away, a +report came from Washington, through the Associated Press despatches, +that the Pennsylvania Cavalry were to be ordered at once to Hempstead, +L. I., to camp there until wanted. Saturday noon Captain Groome +returned. He borrowed thirty horses belonging to the Sheridan Troop and +took one-half of the City Troopers out for drill. When they returned +Lieutenant Browning took out the other squad. In the evening there came +an inquiry from the War Department as to how many horses were needed by +the City Troop. This did not arouse any enthusiasm, however, as the same +request had been made two weeks before and nothing had come of it. + +Sunday was a pleasant day, for a change, and the Troopers spent it +quietly. There were not many visitors on the grounds, as all the +regiments had departed except the Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Sixteenth and +Eighteenth. Most of these men came from distant parts of the State. In +the afternoon Sergeant Glendinning tried some experiments in kite flying +that were watched with interest, and others of the Troopers planned to +go into the kite manufacturing business to be ready for sport on the +next clear day. + +There was a novelty in the way of drill in store for thirty of the +Troopers, on Monday, as they were sent out in search of tramps who had +settled in a nearby mountain, and were said to be moonshiners on a small +scale. The exercise was splendid, but no tramps were found. That night a +baby cyclone struck the camp. The wind got in its fine work about one +o'clock in the morning, and the Troopers had to jump out of bed and hold +their tents down. Some of the tents were sent flying before the alarm +was given, and as rain immediately followed the blow, there were many +men who passed an uncomfortable night. + +At this time the order of the day, in camp, was as follows: + + 5.55 A. M. First call. + 6 A. M. Reveille roll call. + 6.05 A. M. Setting up exercises. + 6.20 A. M. Mess. + 7 A. M. Police camp. + 8 A. M. Guard mount. + 8.30 A. M. Drill. + 11.30 A. M. Inspection of quarters. + 12 M. Mess. + 3 P. M. Drill. + 6.15 P. M. Mess. + 7 P. M. Retreat roll call. + 9.30 P. M. Tattoo. + 10 P. M. Taps. + +All the men contributed to the mess from their pay, so that the meals +did not consist solely of salt pork and hard tack. In the mornings the +drill covered the manual of carbine or saber drills, and pistol practice +by squad or troop, also dismounted drill by the Troop; this drill lasted +as a rule two hours. The afternoon drill as a rule extended over three +hours, and was chiefly in outpost and skirmish work. One platoon would +start, under the command of an officer, telling the general direction it +would take, and having gone a certain distance would establish outposts +of an imaginary camp, twenty minutes later a second platoon would start +on a march through the country, throwing out flankers and advance guard. +The men of the two platoons wearing different colors on their hats so as +to distinguish them. Up hill and down dale the men would crawl their way +until the crack of the pistols would show that one platoon had been +unmasked. Then it was left to the officers to decide which side had the +best of the manoeuvres. While two platoons were thus engaged a third was +always left in charge of camp. Each morning half the Troop would be +taken over to the rifle range for pistol and carbine practice. + +One piece of work had been done by the Troopers, during the early days +of their stay at Camp Hastings, that has not been referred to. It was a +squad of City Troopers that went over the triple muster rolls of the +entire quota of Pennsylvania volunteers, for Major Thompson, and their +quick, accurate work helped greatly in the rapid mustering-in of the +men. When he discharged these Troopers from further duty, Major Thompson +wrote a cordial letter to Captain Groome, giving the Troopers high +praise. + +And so the days passed on. Sometimes the Troopers felt that their +peaceful camp life was pretty slow, but as the drills became harder day +by day they realized that it was not only a great school of experience, +but that each day's drill was part of a general plan of their officers, +that would gradually improve their physical condition and bring them to +a high state of efficiency as a Troop when they were needed for active +service. And so each night, when at the last note of "retreat" the +guidon was taken in, they felt they had not only earned a good +night's rest, but that they had learned something during the day. + +[Illustration: PISTOL PRACTICE AT CAMP HASTINGS.] + +On May 25th, President McKinley issued his second call for troops, and +it was announced that the men thus called for would be added to the +organizations already in the field. The City Troop was to be recruited +up to a complete war footing of one hundred men, and arrangements were +made to notify the men upon the waiting list of the opportunity that +would be thus offered. Two days later the Paymaster reached camp for the +first time. Three members of the Troop were sent to Harrisburg to secure +the cash, and that night the men had their first look at Government +money; for in their previous campaigns, as a troop, their pay had come +from the State. A Board was appointed, consisting of Major W. A. +Thompson, First U. S. Cavalry, and Captain Paxton, Sixth Infantry, U. S. +A., to purchase horses for the three troops of cavalry, and the last day +of May Captain Groome left camp to join them in New Castle, Pa. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +DEPARTURE FOR CAMP ALGER. + + +June first found Captain Groome back again, with the information that if +possible the horses for the City Troop would be grey. A large number of +that color had been found and accepted by the Board, and as grey was the +color best suited for service in tropical countries, the Captain had +bespoken the greys for his troop. On June 4th the Captain rejoined the +Horse Board, and the first animals purchased reached camp. The greys +were tied to the picket line, which was extended in front of the Troop's +long row of tents. + +On the seventh of the month the City Troop received orders from +Major-General Graham, commanding the Second Army Corps, to proceed at +once to Camp Alger, and report as a part of that corps. To do this would +be to leave the camp with but a part of the Troop's horses and +equipments, so Captain Groome requested that the Troop be allowed to +remain until fully equipped, if possible. However, all arrangements were +made in compliance with the first order, and camp was broken on the +afternoon of June 9th. Some of the officers' wives, who had taken +cottages at Chautauqua, had dismissed their servants, and the Troopers +were ready to march to the train, when an order came granting the +Captain's request, and ordering the Troop to remain until fully +equipped. + +Recruiting officers were at once sent to Philadelphia, and two days +later twelve new Troopers arrived, fully uniformed. Captain Groome was +too busy to remain with the Horse Board any longer, and Lieutenant +Browning went in his stead. The drills increased in length each day, and +the new recruits as fast as they arrived were sent out in squads to +learn the first principles, and then were given a turn with the entire +Troop. The officers had a class in tactics daily, and the men took up +the study of bugle calls. The recruits were given much guard duty to +perform, and wherever they went they carried their books of regulations, +learning the paragraphs by heart. + +On June 24th, Samuel Chew arrived at camp, direct from the Klondike gold +regions, and took up his duties as if he had done nothing unusual, yet +he had made the long journey in record-breaking time simply to rejoin +his comrades. Twenty new tents arrived that day, affording +accommodations for the new men. On the 17th, the last of the regiments +of infantry left, and the Troopers were monarchs of all they surveyed. +While the infantrymen were good fellows, there were many reasons why +the Troopers were glad when they had gone. Some time previously the +Troopers had erected a rough shed in which they had placed shower baths, +but now that they had undisputed possession of the lake, they enjoyed +long daily swims. + +Upon the departure of the last infantry regiment Captain Groome became +the commanding officer at Camp Hastings, by virtue of seniority, he +having been the first volunteer cavalry officer to be sworn into the +United States service. He at once formed the three troops, Governor's, +Sheridan and City Troop, into a squadron and assumed command. A change +in the camp routine at once went into effect. Squadron drills were held +daily, and other features of camp life, which interested all visitors, +were squadron guard mount and evening parade. + +The new horses were utterly unused to cavalry exercises, in fact many of +them had never been ridden before, and the Troopers had lively times +training their steeds. One of the sights which visitors to the camp were +never tired of watching was the skill with which the Troopers "threw" +their horses, to accustom them to the exercise in which the horses are +supposed to lie down and afford forts for the riders. The throwing is +exciting sport. The left fore leg of a horse is strapped up so that +the animal stands upon three legs, a strap is attached to the other fore +leg and grasped by the rider, who suddenly turns the horse's head way +around to one side and pulls the other fore leg from the ground. The +animal is obliged to fall to his knees and is then coaxed over. When +once the horse realizes that the rider means him no harm, the work is +more than half done. + +[Illustration: A LESSON IN HORSE THROWING] + +On the 20th of June, Private Edward Carpenter was notified of his +appointment, by the President, as a second lieutenant in the regular +service. He had long been anxious to make the army his profession, and +was greatly pleased. The first Khaiki uniform in the Trooper's camp +appeared the next day upon Lieutenant McFadden, and was the subject of +much attention. Fifteen men from each troop were constantly on guard +duty over the camp grounds and railroad property. "Two hours on and four +hours off," was the rule with the men during their day's duty. + +A blacksmith's forge was set up at the foot of the Trooper's camp, and +men were detailed each day to act as assistants. The horses had all been +unshod upon their arrival, and it was a long job getting them properly +fitted out. + +June passed into July, and still the Troopers remained at Mt. Gretna. +By this time the Troop had practically its full number of horses, and +the men were drilled almost to the point of perfection. They were as fit +for service as soldiers could be, and the orders to move, which came +July 7th, were welcome indeed. The squadron was to go to Camp Alger, but +all the men felt that this was but a preliminary move, and that soon +they would be at the front. Tents were struck the same day. No +countermanding orders came this time, and all the camp luggage was +despatched to the station ahead of the cavalrymen. + +The squadron at this time consisted of three troops and nine officers. +Each troop consisted of one hundred men and one hundred and six horses. +The men of the three commands had become well acquainted with one +another during their long wait at Camp Hastings, and upon their camp +sites left mementoes of their stay which will be seen for years to come. +Two of the Troops names are cut deeply upon great rocks, together with +the dates of their arrival and departure. The men of the Governor's +troop erected a huge monument of stones, held together with mud, and +great pride was taken by the Harrisburg Troopers in this "work of art." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +FIRST DAYS AT CAMP ALGER. + + +From the little valley, in which the Troopers had pitched their tents +seventy-one days previous, they rode away late in the afternoon of +Thursday, July 8th, in the best condition of any command which had been +mustered in at Mt. Gretna. No comrades in arms remained to be drawn up +in line to give the cavalrymen a parting cheer, but fully two hundred +cottagers of the Chautauqua grounds were at the station to witness the +departure. The train was in waiting, made up in two sections; the +baggage, horses and horse detail were to go in the first, and the work +of loading was at once begun. + +While the greys were being led aboard the cars, many friends of the +Philadelphia men gathered upon the railroad platform to say a last +good-by. Among those from whom the Troopers parted with sincere regret +were T. Dawson Coleman and William T. Smith, President of the Cornwall +and Lebanon road, both of whom had done much to contribute to the +pleasure of the men in camp during their long stay. + +At seven o'clock the first section pulled out of the station, Stable +Sergeant Wagner and Troopers T. Cadwalader, Goodman, Pemberton and +Rogers being detailed to accompany the horses. An hour later the +remainder of the Troop was allowed to start. + +The train arrangements were excellent, every man in the squadron having +a full seat to himself. It was interesting to note the various ways in +which the Troopers prepared for their night of travel. A trip through +the train showed all sorts of games in progress--cards, checkers, +dominoes and the like. The good story tellers of the various troops were +the centre of laughing groups; many of the business men had their heads +buried in the commercial page of the evening papers; some of the more +stolid warriors attempted to go to sleep the moment the train started; +in all it formed a picturesque grouping, and furnished rich material for +the students of human nature among the troops. + +The discussions of the men regarding the general campaign were +interesting, as the war fever was then at its height. Four days before +the Atlantic Squadron, under Sampson and Schley, had destroyed the fleet +of Admiral Cervera during its attempt to escape from the harbor of +Santiago. General Shafter's men were then pressing upon Santiago, and +its surrender was hourly expected. Then it was believed that the word +would come "On to Havana," and many of the Troopers believed that their +command would surely have a part in this movement. + +[Illustration: HAVING FUN WITH "HAZEL."] + +So far the war had been one of surprises, scarcely an engagement having +taken place at a point where a few months before the military leaders +would have deemed it possible to expect one. Spain's navy had proven no +match for that of the United States, but her little army about Santiago +had made a good showing, and hard fights seemed probable before the main +army would be driven from Cuba. + +The train first came to a stop in Harrisburg, in the midst of a mass of +enthusiastic men and women, assembled to greet the members of the +Governor's troop and Sheridan troop. The crowd rushed pell-mell through +the cars containing the troopers of the other organizations, knocking +down carbines and sabers, and upsetting things generally. But sentries +had thoughtfully been placed by Lieutenant Browning at the doors of the +City Troop cars, and this company's share in the demonstration was +conducted through the windows. "Hazel," the goat presented to the Troop +during its service at the time of the Hazelton riots, gravely surveyed +the scene from her outlook, and came in for a lion's share of attention. +Just as the train started an enthusiastic young woman, who had been +fighting her way toward the train, thrust a white kitten into the hands +of Corporal Wister, with instructions to be good to it. In all it was a +pleasant break in the monotony of a long ride. + +By midnight the State line was passed, and at Baltimore the first +section of the train was overtaken. The Troopers, with the exception of +the officers, were in day coaches, and made a picturesque sight, asleep +in all conceivable attitudes. Enough were awake, however, to chat for a +time with the members of the horse detail. By half-past four the men +aroused, and thirty minutes later reached the station at Dunn Loring, +Va. A breakfast of milk and sandwiches was eaten on the train, and then +the unloading began. This work was speedily accomplished without a hitch +or accident, and by nine o'clock the canvas of the three troops began to +go up on the site of the camp formerly occupied by the Eighth Ohio +Infantry, commonly known as "The President's Own." + +All day long the cavalrymen worked upon the sun-baked slope, and by +nightfall the grounds were in splendid order. In one regard the Troopers +were fortunate, an artesian well being within fifty feet of their camp. +This, however, supplied the wants of the men only, the horses, at first, +having to be led more than a mile for water. Shade was abundant near +the camp, the horses being better off in that respect than at Camp +Hastings. + +After a good night's sleep the men were called upon for disagreeable +duty, which was at once cheerfully taken up. The "doughboys" who had +occupied the grounds previously had left the woods in the rear in such a +condition as to menace the health of the camp, and twenty men from each +troop were detailed by Captain Groome to police the woods, and at the +end of the second day the grounds were comparatively clean, and the men +were then called upon for their first drill at Camp Alger. There was a +great crowd around the parade grounds when the Troopers made their first +appearance, and the repeated cheers and applause of the spectators came +as an unexpected and pleasing surprise. + +Upon return to camp Private J. Edward Farnum was notified of his +appointment, by the President, as an assistant commissary, with the rank +of captain. The new government carbines, saddles and spurs were also +received and distributed, but by some mistake no saddle blankets were +sent, so the Troopers continued to use their regular blankets. + +Sunday the Khaiki uniforms arrived, and were at once donned by all the +men. The universal verdict seemed to be that the new uniforms were not +particularly adapted for cavalry service, and were as ugly as they well +could be. + +Right from the moment of their appearance at Camp Alger the City +Troopers were in demand by the headquarters officers. Large details were +required each day for orderlies at Camp, Division and Brigade +headquarters, and for mounted patrol duty. + +On July 10th quite an addition was made to the camp of the City Troop. +Eight government mules, with all the largeness of ears, friskiness of +feet and sweetness of voice, possessed by their race, were assigned to +Captain Groome's command. The men gathered about the new comers in an +admiring group, wondered how fast they could trot, what would happen if +a Trooper twisted one of their tails, and just what they were good for +anyway. Before the campaign was over mules had ceased to arouse any +admiration whatever, but the Troopers at Camp Alger could not see into +the future, with its endless mule train and trials, so they made the +most of their new possessions for the time being. + +Besides the mules, two wagons and two teamsters were assigned to the +Troop, and these aids were greatly appreciated, as up to this time there +had been a constant struggle to find conveyances for troop supplies and +baggage between different points of the camps. + +Although the mules were in a thriving condition, the Troopers had +troubles of their own with their greys. A majority of the horses had +contracted shipping colds, and incessant doctoring was the order of the +day and night. + +All of the animals came through all right, however, with the exception +of the horse ridden by Sergeant Hart, which died the fifth day after the +Troop's arrival at the new camp. + +The first detachment of mules was soon followed by another, until a full +score had been sent to the Troop. Other commands throughout the camp had +also received supplies of mules, and the animals showed a great fondness +for communicating with one another in the early morning. Far away on one +side of the camp a mule would raise his silvery voice to heaven; +somewhere from the headquarter's mules would come an answering bray, and +in a moment the chorus would resound throughout the camping grounds. At +first the novelty of these sounds appealed to the Troopers' sense of +humor, but the best jokes grow wearisome by repetition, and it was not +long before the men were mentally offering all sorts of rewards for the +man who could devise a plan to silence the long-eared singers. + +On the morning of July 14th, Corporal Hecksher and Troopers Coulston, +Wheeler and Mills were sent by the Provost Marshal to escort back from +Washington fifteen foot soldiers who had overstayed their leave of +absence. The derelicts were turned over to the tender mercies of the +headquarters guard, to be dealt with as military regulations direct. A +private of a western regiment, who had evidently been in Washington, +returned to camp about eleven o'clock this night. After some parley with +the Troop's sentinel, then on guard on the main road back of Captain +Groome's headquarters, he proceeded to mix things up with the sentry, +and was promptly marched to the guard house, where he spent a repentant +night. + +Since the arrival of the squadron at Camp Alger Captain Groome, who was +in command, had posted orders for Squadron Guard Mount every morning, +and for Troop Drill and Squadron Parade every evening. The number of +spectators upon these occasions kept increasing daily, and the +reputation for excellence in drill on the part of the squadron spread +rapidly. The officers of all the commands in the camp were attracted by +these reports, and the evolutions of the cavalrymen were frequently +watched with a critical eye by many of the best known officers of the +army. Though they came as critics they remained to praise, and many +admitted that they gained a vast amount of useful knowledge by an +inspection of the camp of the squadron. + +The paymaster put in an appearance July 15th. The Troop lined up and +received their portions of hard-earned government money, and then +promptly turned the cash over to the Quartermaster. In the afternoon +General Butler honored the Troopers by riding out especially to watch +their drill, and he warmly commended Captain Groome for the fine showing +of the cavalry. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +CAMP ALGER AND NEWPORT NEWS. + + +At retreat roll call, on the evening of July 15th, an example was given +of the affectionate regard the rest of the Pennsylvania Militia feel and +show toward the Philadelphia horsemen. The battalion of State Fencibles, +which formed a portion of the Sixth Regiment, marching in fours, came +tramping into the Troop's street. Once there they halted and gave +repeated cheers for the cavalrymen. Then away they trudged, after being +assured that their compliment was appreciated by the Troopers. Two +members of the City Troop served on the Provost Guard the night of the +16th, and great was their amazement, when, amid the drunks and +disorderly prisoners turned over to their charge, they found a chaplain. +He was escorted to the guard house by a very disgusted squad. + +That same night, Private Robert Fell returned to camp, after two weeks +confinement at his home with a kicked knee. His place on sick report was +taken by Private Rowland, who had been slightly ill for several days, +although he kept that information to himself until scarcely able to +stand upon his feet. + +Inspection of arms and equipments of the Troopers came on Saturday, and, +as the arms just issued were uniformly dirty, a large number of the men +put in an hour or two of hard cleaning and polishing. In the evening a +dozen of the City Troopers attended the Camp Alger Theatre, the tent for +which had been pitched right at the foot of the company's street. The +price at that popular resort was twenty-five cents for all seats, and +the audience generally contained two rows of Troopers, who joined +heartily with the vaudeville performers in singing the choruses and +making things lively. Every feature was first-class in all respects, and +good temper always prevailed on and off the stage. + +An incident occurred at the Theatre that night, which served to show the +frame of mind of the American volunteers. A portion of the performance +consisted of an exhibition of moving pictures. Finally a large flag was +thrown on the sheet, and the man in charge said: + +"There's the flag you are fighting for, boys!" + +Instantly a dry western voice called out from the audience: "I wish to +God we could get the chance!" and the immediate and tremendous cheer +which followed, showed how heartily his wish was echoed by all present. + +On Monday and Tuesday several details were sent out to do some work upon +a site for a new camp nearer the station. Time began to hang heavy on +all hands, and a strong rumor that the Troop was soon to go to Puerto +Rico, failed to excite the interest that it would have a month before. +Not that the men were less anxious to get to the front, but simply that +they hated to let their hopes rise for fear of another disappointment. + +On Tuesday night, while watching Corporal Chew throw his horse, in order +to put a bridle on the unruly animal, Private Wetherill received both +heels of the beast on his left thigh, the horse having succeeded for a +moment in getting away from the big corporal. The injuries were not of a +serious nature, however, and the bruised trooper refused to put in a +plea of sickness. + +It was expected by the men that the camps would be shifted on the 20th, +and the failure to do so was regarded as lending color to the Puerto +Rico rumors. On this morning the Troop dismounted and drilled finely. +Their excellent work culminated when Lieutenant Browning rallied the +men. Standing in close order, they fired three volleys that produced +long cheering from the crowd. About two minutes later an orderly rode +over from General Graham and reported to Lieutenant Browning that the +commanding officer wished to know what company had fired those volleys. +The General expressed himself as delighted to hear that it was a troop +of cavalry dismounted. + +Nearly every horse in camp at this time had distemper, and at night it +was decided to give each of the invalids a pretty stiff drink, +consisting of a pint of whiskey and sixty grains of quinine. The dose +was shot down the animals throats from a great syringe, and the stable +guard was advised to be on the lookout for any unusual hilarity; but no +behavior out of the ordinary was noticed. + +J. L. Wetherill was granted sick leave on the 21st. He had been ill for +several days, and it was thought best for him to return home. Shortly +after he had done so his sickness took a serious turn, and he was unable +to rejoin the Troop until its return from Puerto Rico. + +Squadron guard mount, drills and evening parade continued throughout the +Troop's stay, under orders of Acting Major Groome. The day before the +cavalry troops left Camp Alger, however, Captain Jones, of the Sheridan +Troop, was commissioned major. Captain Jones held the longest record of +any officer in the Pennsylvania State troops, and had served as a +captain in the Civil War. As his commission did not arrive until after +the squadron had left Camp Alger, his appointment made no difference in +the camp routine, and as the Sheridan and Governor's troops were left +behind at Newport News, the City Troopers were not affected in the least +by the change in the officer commanding the squadron. + +The night of the 21st one more of the greys died, but the rest of the +animals were in splendid condition, and the men felt that they could +make a good showing, so far as their mounts were concerned, in the +foreign service soon to come. + +There were many occurrences to make Friday, July 22d, an eventful day. +In the morning one hundred Krag-Jorgensen carbines arrived for the City +Troopers; there was an unusually interesting skirmish drill in the +afternoon, and late in the evening came the eagerly awaited orders for +the Troop to proceed forthwith to Newport News to take transports for +Puerto Rico. Needless to say the camp was at once thrown into a +thoroughly happy mood, and dozens of telegrams were sent notifying +Philadelphia friends of the good luck of the Troop in securing active +service, when fully 7,000 regular cavalrymen were fretting in camps of +mobilization. Post Quartermaster Hugh Craig, Jr., arrived the next day, +and announced his intention of staying with the Troop until it left for +the front. The men could not help feeling better when they saw his jolly +face in the camp. + +Tents were struck at five o'clock Sunday morning, and an hour later the +squadron boarded a special train waiting to carry it to Newport News. +The journey occupied the entire day, it being nearly nine o'clock when +the cars reached their destination. Instead of trying to find a camping +ground that night, the men curled up in the cars and slept as best they +could. In a pleasant spot on the coast, about two miles outside the +city, the Troopers went into camp the next day. Even before the tents +went up there were several visitors from Philadelphia who had hurried +down to bid the Troopers "God-speed" upon their departure for the seat +of war. + +An unexpected guest was Charles Wheeler, an old member of the +organization, but off the active list for years. He had just returned +from a trip through Japan. He was anxious to rejoin his old comrades, +and as there was one vacancy in the Troop it was promptly filled. + +Tuesday morning Captain Groome received orders to have his men ready to +embark at four o'clock. Tents were struck at noon, the operation being +watched by scores of friends who had reached the camp by that time. +Promptly at the hour mentioned in the order the Captain marched his men +down to the wharf, where they found no transport awaiting them. Hour +after hour passed, and still no sign of a vessel. Night found the +Troopers still lounging about the dock. + +During this long wait a full score of prominent Philadelphia ladies, who +had come down to say a last good-by to their relatives and friends in +the Troop, had an opportunity to show the traditional spirit of American +women. The ladies had stood around the camp all morning, had followed +the Troop into the city and to the wharf, where they had shared all the +discomforts of the situation. It began to rain, but they only laughed +and refused to seek shelter. Not a mouthful had they eaten since +breakfast, but tired, wet and hungry as they were, they smiled bravely +to keep up the spirits of the men; all unconsciously they afforded fine +illustrations of what the mothers, wives and sisters of American +soldiers have been in all hours of need. + +When six o'clock came, and it was evident that the Troopers were in for +a tough time of it, the ladies went in a body to the nearest restaurant +and secured some sandwiches and coffee. Walking fearlessly through the +crowd upon the dock, dodging under horses' heads and around mule packs, +they brought the food to the cavalrymen, and even waited upon them. In +the language of one trooper whose young bride was among the number of +ladies upon the wharf, "there was only one regret at going to the front, +and that was the leaving behind of girls like those." + +Until seven o'clock the City Troopers were kept upon the wharf. At that +hour Captain Groome was informed that no transport could then be +secured, and that he should return with the Troop to Newport News and +report to General Fred. Grant. Captain Groome ordered the Troop to +_bivouac_ in the grass in front of the hotel for the night. There was a +general rush for shelter. The ladies sought their rooms in the hotel, +from the windows of which they could see the cavalrymen lying in the +grass of a field opposite, rolled up in their blankets. + +Captain Groome did not retire however. He returned to the wharf and +spent several hours arguing with various captains, in order to find a +speedy way in which to embark the Troop. It was not easy work to make +headway against the seemingly endless array of objections and red tape, +but perseverance won out, and the Captain was at last informed, that if +he would have his men on hand at four o'clock they would be taken +aboard. + +This last _bivouac_ upon American soil was exceedingly picturesque to +the spectator, but hard upon the men. Every Trooper had been thoroughly +soaked by the rain while standing upon the wharf. In their wet clothes +they had been obliged to wrap their blankets about them and lay down to +slumber in the midst of a damp grass plot under a cloudy sky, which +threatened another downpour at any moment. With the exception of some +pretty tough sandwiches the men had been without food since morning, and +the easy way in which they accepted the situation spoke volumes for the +value of the training in camp life received at Mt. Gretna and Camp +Alger. + +The Troop at this time consisted of three officers, one contract +surgeon, ninety-nine men, one hundred and four horses and twenty mules. +The Sheridan and Governor's Troop had not received orders to sail, and +the members of these commands were extremely disappointed. They remained +at Newport News under the command of Major Jones. + +Captain Groome arranged for an early breakfast of coffee and sandwiches +for his men, and at 4.30 A. M. the next day the City Troopers were again +ordered to the wharf. This time there was no disappointment. The +transport "Massachusetts" was there taking on a great load of men, +horses and mules. All was bustle and confusion. Within a short time the +Troopers went aboard, and almost at once the vessel made ready to sail. +Last words to the faithful friends ashore were shouted, there was a +waving of hands and handkerchiefs, and a little after midday the +"Massachusetts" began ploughing her way toward the southern isle, where +General Brooke's army and the Spanish forces were reported to be already +face to face. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +LIFE ABOARD A TROOP SHIP. + + +Life aboard a troop ship is not a round of pleasure at the best. Long +tales of woe, regarding the trials and hardships upon transports of +various infantry commands, quickly found their way into print within a +few weeks after active war operations commenced. Not one word, however, +regarding the discomforts of the City Troop on the trip to Puerto Rico +was written. Yet, if existence upon a transport ship, crowded with men +is disagreeable, what would the complaining infantrymen have said had +they found themselves in the Troop's plight, on a vessel containing more +animals than men. + +Truly discouraging was the situation in which the cavalrymen were +placed. Their hammocks were swung between decks, and but eighteen inches +were allowed between the hammock of each man and the hammocks above and +on each side of him. Two feet is the regulation distance in the navy, +but circumstances alter cases, and what might be a fair allowance on a +carefully kept, well-ventilated war vessel, became a distinct hardship +aboard the "Massachusetts." Especially was this the case where several +of the tall, broad-shouldered men found their hammocks adjoining one +another--for the men's bodies touched at all times, and bumped together +vigorously at every lurch of the vessel. + +The transport upon which the Troopers found themselves had been built to +carry about four hundred horses and an ordinary crew, yet when pressed +into government service seven hundred men and fourteen hundred horses +and mules were considered about her proper capacity. When the Troopers +first boarded the vessel their bundles of clothing and equipments were +scattered about in great confusion, and a good part of the first day was +spent by the men in collecting their belongings and bringing them into +some sort of order. + +The weather during the first day at sea was exceedingly hot, although +fairly pleasant until toward evening, when the wind began to show itself +and the sky became cloudy. A majority of the men prepared to sleep upon +deck, but as the vessel came off Cape Hatteras about midnight she struck +a regular squall. The air became cold, the "Massachusetts" began to +pitch about violently and then rain came rushing down in great volumes, +driving the men below in a hurry. There they found many of their fellow +passengers with their dreams of glory swallowed up in seasickness. The +horses, too, succumbed to the complaint in large numbers, and required +much care. + +Aboard the "Massachusetts" there were, in all, seven hundred horses and +a like number of mules. Hundreds of the mules were fastened just below +the deck to which the Troopers had been driven by the squall, while +above could be heard the constant stamping of horses. Between these two +layers of animals the cavalrymen passed a restless night. But if their +first attempt at sleep was disturbed, the conditions prevailing the +second night can better be imagined than described. Despite the best +efforts to keep the quarters of the animals clean, the odor which arose +from the hundreds of horses and mules was sickening, and a majority of +the Philadelphia men found sleeping in the hammocks impossible. + +Early the next morning Captain Groome took the matter in hand, and +secured permission for his men to sleep upon the baled hay, which was +piled high on the main deck. There, under the stars, swept by refreshing +sea breezes, the Troopers slept well--if not comfortably--the remaining +nights aboard. Special sentries were appointed to see that no tired +Trooper rolled from his hay mattress into the sea. + +But the greatest hardship of the voyage to Puerto + + + +Rico was the lack of drinking water. Dirty, yellowish fluid was all that +could be had. This would not have troubled the men a particle had it +been cool enough to be refreshing. But the water was warm; sometimes it +was positively hot, and always insipid and filthy looking. A skirmish by +the commissary brought to light a case of beer, although there was no +ice to make it palatable. The beer lasted but a day, and to keep alive +the water had to be accepted and made the best of. Worse came to worst +on Sunday. The pumps of the "Massachusetts" broke down, and the Troopers +were obliged to go into the hold of the offensively fragrant vessel and +bring up water bucketful by bucketful for the animals under their +charge. + +[Illustration: GLIMPSE INTO A TROOP SHIP.] + +Sergeant Martin and Corporal Wagner, stripped to the waist, were at the +bottom of what looked like a deep well. The atmosphere was stifling, and +in order to enable the men at the bottom to stand the heat, their +comrades kept pouring water down upon their heads and bodies. As fast as +pails could be filled from the bottom they were passed up along a long +line of men composed of details from the various commands aboard. + +It was exhausting labor, but of all the men on board the City Troopers +stood the work best. The water thus brought up was of a kind absolutely +dangerous for a human being to drink, and all through the day's trying +struggle the Troopers silently endured the added pangs of thirst. There +was more real suffering for twenty-four hours than any man in the Troop +will admit, but when the pumps resumed operations in the morning, the +thankful air with which the formerly despised yellowish warm water was +accepted spoke volumes. + +The days passed along slowly. No extremely rough weather was +encountered, but on several occasions the old transport reeled +sufficiently to send a few of the Troopers to their hammocks with slight +attacks of _mal de mer_. + +The motion of the vessel was sufficient, however, to completely +disarrange each night the outfit of the Troopers, and it was their duty +each morning to gather together their equipments for inspection, the +same as though they were in camp. This constant readiness was in marked +contrast with the arrangements among other commands aboard. + +Many of the Troopers will never forget the first time the alarm of fire +was given aboard the ship. It was the third morning out that a guard +discovered smoke slowly curling from between the crevices of the baled +hay piled high on deck. The guard was startled, and his call for the +corporal and statement of the discovery of the fire was given in a loud +tone, which instantly caused the alarm to spread throughout the ship. It +was no pleasant thought for the men, who knew so well the inflammable +nature of the cargo and the crowded condition aboard, and there was a +rush for the point from which the alarm had come. Fortunately the blaze +was a trivial affair easily extinguished, and the excitement was +speedily at an end. Three other times, however, during the trip the same +alarm was given, but the careful watch kept prevented the fire, in a +single instance, from gaining any headway. + +Although the "Massachusetts" was supposed to be one of the fastest +transports, she found the entire flotilla, which had left Newport News +about the same time she did, awaiting her arrival off Guayama. A +despatch boat came puffing down to meet her, flying the signal, "Follow +me," and Troopers in the bow saw a man armed with a megaphone mount the +bridge of the despatch boat and shout: "'The Massachusetts' will lead the +way, landing at Ponce." + +These instructions as to the exact landing place were somewhat contrary +to those before given Captain Pitcher, who was in charge of the +transport, so he shouted back, "By whose authority do you give those +orders?" and the reply promptly came, "By the authority of Major General +Nelson A. Miles, commanding." + +This was at three o'clock, and the "Massachusetts" at once went ahead. +At 4.30 the harbor of Ponce was sighted, and several of the Philadelphia +cavalrymen in the bow saw that the transport was steering directly into +shoal water, at the bottom of which a coral reef could be plainly seen. +They shouted to the man at the wheel, but too late--the great transport +drove bow on into the reef, and at last, on the afternoon of August 4th, +the Troopers were upon hostile soil, hard and fast. + +Instantly upon the stoppage of the "Massachusetts," a period of +suffering began for the Troopers, in comparison with which all former +experiences went as nothing. Deprived of all breeze, exposed to a torrid +sun, half stifled by the fumes from the hundreds of horses and mules +aboard, without water, the situation was well nigh unbearable. Up to the +moment of grounding not an animal aboard had died. Within two hours +after the motion of the vessel had stopped three horses perished, and +two more died before they could be taken off. Fortunately none of these +belonged to City Troopers. This suffering among the animals shows +slightly what the men had to contend with. + +[Illustration: CATHEDRAL VIRGIN DEL CARMEN.] + +[Illustration: BIVOUAC OUTSIDE CATHEDRAL VIRGIN DEL CARMEN.] + +Captain Groome secured permission to send Lieutenant Browning ashore to +select a camp site, and report. He made quick work of it, choosing a +spot beside the Cathedral de la Carmen, and returning with an order from +General Miles that the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, should +land at once. This order amazed the New York cavalrymen, who had been +heard to boast frequently that they would surely be given the preference +in all military arrangements. + +The orders were received with great joy by the Philadelphians, who were +ready to disbark in short order, owing to the constant readiness in +which they had kept. A rope tied about their outfit was all that was +necessary, and the men were only too eager to leave the grounded vessel +and its disagreeable quarters. + +The Troopers were rescued by the little lighter "Whitney," sent by +General Miles to bring the Philadelphia men ashore. As soon as the +Troopers reached land themselves they set to work to bring their horses +off the transport. The air was full of rumors that the cavalry were +needed in a hurry for active service, and the men went at the task of +unshipping horses with a will. Some amusing attempts at interference on +the part of the men of C Troop, Brooklyn, were simply ignored. + +At three o'clock the next morning sixty-one of the one hundred and seven +horses belonging to the Troop had been landed. The men not on duty had +gone into the camp selected by Lieutenant Browning the day before, on +the flagstones outside of the little cathedral. All day rain came down +in torrents, introducing the Troopers to the duckings which were to be +their lot several times each day during their stay upon the island. + +[Illustration: BRINGING THE HORSES ASHORE AT PONCE.] + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +IN THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY. + + +The morning of August 5th broke clear, however, and the day was one of +the few without rain that the Troopers enjoyed while in Puerto Rico. A +fine breeze was blowing, and the cavalrymen's ideas of the country began +to take on a roseate hue. Everywhere their eyes met deep green tropical +foliage and the cute little yellow houses without windows; strange old +churches and curious natives made the entire scene appear more like a +theatrical setting than a reality. + +In the morning before five o'clock the blaring of trumpets announced a +hurry call. As soon as the men came to their senses they heard the +non-commissioned officers shouting: "Fall in without arms." The Troop +never appeared to better advantage. The guard, the fourth platoon, +tumbled out fully armed, and were standing in place in two minutes, and +one minute later the entire Troop, in column of fours, with the captain +in command, was double-quicking toward the dock. When the men got there, +ten or fifteen minutes ahead of anyone else except the regulars, who +arrived shortly after the Troop, they found that a lighter loaded with +five thousand rifles for the infantry was sinking close to shore. + +No example of the discipline, which always prevails in the City Troop, +could be more striking than the one then witnessed by a score of other +commands, which came rushing, all disorganized, to the scene. While the +men in other companies were hesitating and wondering what to do, the +City Troop broke into regular squads, under the command of the +non-commissioned officers, and began methodical relief work. Every rifle +was saved. Regular army officers on the spot warmly complimented Captain +Groome upon the showing made by his men. + +That afternoon Captain Groome, with Major Flagler and Major McMichael, +of General Wilson's staff, rode out from Ponce into the country looking +for a suitable camp site. The heat was intense, the dust thick, and a +place which would fulfill all requirements was not easily found. The +officers kept at it, however, until satisfied; although they were in a +state of complete exhaustion upon their return. Indeed, all the men's +faces for the first few days in Puerto Rico showed plainly the +enervating influence of the climate, to which they could not easily get +accustomed. Their tasks done, the Troopers would throw themselves down +upon bales of hay, piles of boards or even the pavements, too weary to +care where they were or how they looked. Men famed for their strength +and endurance at home, would sit by the hour with their heads in their +hands, rendered listless and weak by the heat and moisture. + +That night again the men spread their blankets on the stones outside the +cathedral. A citizen placed his front porch at the disposal of the Troop +as a guard house. This furnished protection for the sentries on duty +from the heavy showers which invariably occurred about midnight. + +On Saturday morning more horses were unloaded, and in the afternoon all +the men who had mounts rode out beyond Ponce, on the highway which leads +to Barros, to the camp selected by Captain Groome. While riding along +the Troopers excited great interest among the natives because of the +size of the American horses. In Puerto Rico all the horses are small, +mere ponies in fact, less than fourteen hands high, and the islanders +never failed to stare with open mouth at the City Troops handsome greys. +The size of the Troopers themselves also caused many expressions of +amazement, and as some of the broad-shouldered men in the second and +third platoons passed, the spectators would make admiring signs with +their hands, indicating the men's height and breadth. + +The first trial of the horses proved that the sea voyage had done them +good in one respect. Many were suffering from distemper when they left +Newport News, but there was not a case noticed after the animals landed. +They were thin, stiff and sore, however, so that they were led over most +of the six miles leading to the new camp. + +Those Troopers still without horses remained aboard the "Massachusetts" +unloading the seemingly endless string of horses and mules, and their +energetic efforts were crowned with success late Saturday night, when +the last of the animals were landed. Sunday morning was cool, but +cloudy--and as the last detail of City Troopers were packing and +saddling their horses, they heard the voice of a priest conducting early +mass in the tiny cathedral close by. The cavalrymen walked with their +horses' bridles over their arms. As they passed through Ponce they +encountered many scowling faces, but once in the country a majority of +the natives shouted a welcome. By noon they reached the spot chosen for +a camp; the Troopers were together again in a magnificent bit of +country, blue mountains everywhere, and brilliant, luxurious foliage on +all sides. "Hazel" manifested a striking fondness for all things Puerto +Rican, and had to be tied in a rather barren spot to prevent +overfeeding. + +Reveille sounded at four o'clock Monday morning, and the packing of +saddles began at once. At seven o'clock the order came to join with H +Troop as escort to a train of one thousand mules, headquarter horses, +signal and ambulance corps, and as quickly as possible to join General +Brooke's command at Guayama. Mounted for the first time, off the Troop +went, retracing its steps through a glorious stretch of country to +Ponce, where on the main southern road the long supply train for General +Brooke's army was overtaken. Thus hampered, the march became slow. It +was terrifically hot, and the dust blew about in clouds. At one o'clock +the cavalrymen passed through Santa Isabella, where a half hours stop +was made to bring up the stragglers of the mule train, and to take a +turn at the hard tack and dried beef. + +Then the march began through the enemy's country, the City Troop acting +as advance guard, and H Troop, of the Sixth Regular Cavalry, acting as +rear guard. Flankers were sent out, and the advance guard was frequently +informed by natives that quite a large number of Spaniards were +retreating a short distance ahead. The City Troopers came upon many +signs of the enemy's presence along the road, and at four o'clock the +Troops went into camp at the Hacienda Fortuna, a rich sugar plantation. +An outpost of City Troopers was immediately established, and all barns +and outbuildings were thoroughly searched before night. + +Just before midnight a hurry call sent six City Troopers and six H +Troopers, under Captain Groome and Lieutenant Ryan, scouring a +neighboring cane brake for Spaniards, spies having reported their +presence there in force. No lurking Dons were found, however, and at +four o'clock the next morning camp was broken and the march resumed in +dead earnest. The City Troopers acted as rear guard to the train. No +American troops had passed through this part of the island before, and +as it was said to be a Spanish stronghold, great watchfulness was +observed. On both sides of the ragged road were cane breaks and great +growths of underbrush, and it was a tiresome ride and no small task +looking out for Spaniards, stubborn mules and foolish drivers. + +Late that afternoon a camp was reached at the foot of the Caney +mountains, on the Hacienda Magdelane, an English estate. There the two +cavalry troops and the tremendous mule train went into camp again. +They had passed through Selinas in the early afternoon. + +[Illustration: CAMP AT ARROYO.] + +In the blackness of Wednesday morning the roll was called at 3.30, and +an hour later saw the march resumed, with the City Troopers acting as +advance guard. Lieutenant McFadden commanded the advance guard and +Corporal Merrill commanded the point. Reports of native spies left no +doubt as to the serious character of the situation, and the march was of +necessity slow. Every two or three miles the sight of small bands of +armed Spaniards would cause a halt, while out the skirmishers would go +to report. + +About nine o'clock the point came to a twelve-foot bridge, freshly torn +up. This was quickly replaced and on the column moved. About 10.30 a few +shots were heard, which fact was at once reported to Captain Groome, who +gave orders for the Troop to advance at a gallop. In a few minutes the +point came in sight, talking with armed men, and like a flash the word +came back through the chain of advance supports that the Troop had at +last reached General Brooke's outposts, the Fourth Illinois. + +Orders were given Captain Groome to proceed through Guayama, toward +Arroyo, one mile from which place the Troop went into camp. A few hours +later H Troop came up and camped alongside. + +Thursday, August 11th, was a day of wild rumors. All sorts of movements +were about to take place, according to report, and a majority of the +plans had some Trooper, who believed in them. From the Philadelphia +men's camp a Spanish blockhouse could be seen on the mountains two miles +away. Several batteries, encamped near the Troop, wheeled into position +in the morning and indulged in target practice. Many of the Troopers +witnessed this stirring sight, and returned to camp with the +announcement that the practice was superb. The daily rain was unusually +heavy, and the men turned in early to fight the bugs, mosquitoes and +stifling heat. + +All conditions were unfavorable to comfort at Arroyo. Great clouds would +come drifting in from the sea toward the mountains, and rain and wind +would beat in at one side of the Troop's shelter tents. Within an hour +the clouds would come rolling back to the sea, and the wind and rain +would besiege the opposite side of the tents. Thursday night the +Troopers slept in soaking blankets, inches deep in rain and mud. Nothing +but good-natured chaffing over the discomforts was heard however. + +Friday afternoon the Troopers went in a body to the beach, about a mile +away, and took a dip in the Caribbean Sea. Rumors of an engagement close +at hand kept growing in force, and when a careful inspection of carbines +took place upon their return from bathing, the Troopers were fully +prepared for the orders which came to them at retreat that evening, to +be ready to move in heavy marching order at 5.30 in the morning. This +was formal notice that a battle would take place on the morrow, and +members of the City and H Troops offered mutual congratulations. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE FIGHT THAT FAILED. + + +Much has been written and more said about "the night before the battle." +Then it is, that sentiment is supposed to seize upon a soldier; thoughts +and talks of home, wife and mother are proper, and in fact necessary, +according to all writers of fiction. But even in the face of this +traditional outline of a soldier's last hours before an engagement, it +must be written that the City Troopers retained their characteristic +coolness. On that Friday evening a close observer of the Troopers' camp +would have supposed that the men were upon familiar ground, and that a +battle was months in the future, instead of being as sure to take place +on the morrow as anything could be in human foresight. + +All down the line the saddle packing went on amid jests and laughter. +Had the Troopers been preparing for a homeward journey they could not +have seemed more light-hearted. Few men spoke of the coming battle at +all, yet it was in every heart, and many men felt a lump rise in their +throats as the popular First Sergeant blurted out these words: "In a +scrap like this the cavalry is sure to be heavily engaged. A good many +of us are bound to be stopped, and, good God! just think of digging a +hole to chuck one of this outfit in." + +Captain Groome paced in front of company headquarters for nearly an +hour, with only his inevitable cigar as a companion. Dozens of the men +watched him, and speculated as to his meditations. Lieutenants Browning +and McFadden passed through the camp several times, speaking with the +men on minor matters, and avoiding absolutely all talk of the coming +day. Later in the evening they wrote letters. + +Within an hour after taps the heavy rumbling of artillery began to be +heard. Five batteries, numbering thirty guns, passed near the camp +during the hours between midnight and four o'clock, and many a sleepless +Trooper listened anxiously to the bumping, thumping and rattling as the +guns, caissons and ammunition wagons kept rolling by. + +When the Troopers tumbled out at four o'clock it was pitch dark, and the +everlasting rain was descending in torrents. A few feeble glimmering +lanterns supplied just enough light to show the rain-filled plates, in +which bacon and potatoes floated unconcernedly about. Coffee was +consumed in quantities that only Troopers know how to master; and then, +in the midst of the darkness and flood, feeding, saddling and loading +of ox carts was accomplished. On this morning of battle little attention +had been paid to uniforming. Some men wore Khaiki breeches, others the +old familiar blue. Hats and caps of all varieties were seen, several men +wearing broad straw hats secured from the natives. All wore blue shirts +of various ages and conditions of cleanliness. Sleeves were rolled up, +and scarcely two men appeared in the same kind of boots. The closest +friends of the Troopers would never have recognized the rain-bedraggled +warriors as the same men who so often had shone resplendent in the +streets of Philadelphia as the guard of honor of The President or +distinguished soldiers. + +At last the command came, "Prepare to mount," and a moment later the +cavalrymen had swung into the saddle, where they found themselves seated +in good-sized puddles. The City Troop mounted ninety-five men and three +officers, the only absentees being Privates Wetherill and Rowland, on +sick report in Philadelphia; Brooke, in the Red Cross Hospital at Ponce, +and Trumpeter Brossman, in a hospital at Guayama. + +Captain Groome, in a blue silk shirt, Khaiki breeches, rode at the head +of the column, while on his left rode Lieutenant Browning, in full +Khaiki, and Lieutenant Ryan, commander of H Troop of the Sixth regular +cavalry. Behind them came H Troop's trumpeter and the City Troop's +faithful trumpeter, Dick Singer. Then the head of the column, Sergeant +Wagner, with the guidon, and Sergeant Thibault and Private Bower leading +the long line of two's. Each saddle had a poncho strapped upon it, the +carbine swung from the off side, saber opposite to the carbine; each man +wore a belt of one hundred Krag-Jorgensen cartridges, with his revolver +strung in his belt. On the cantle behind, each man carried his blanket +wrapped in his half of a shelter tent. + +[Illustration: EN ROUTE TO THE BATTLEFIELD. MILITARY ROAD FROM GUAYAMA +TO CANEY.] + +Without warning the sun came out in all its fury, and then occurred the +phenomena, often witnessed there, of rain falling from an apparently +clear sky. The hot sun made the rain come down much like steam, but it +ceased to fall after a few minutes. + +At six o'clock the two troops were in Guayama, and halted by the Custom +House, while Captain Groome reported to General Brooke for orders. Half +an hour was spent by the Troopers watching the passing of artillery, +infantry, hospital and signal corps men. Sometime before seven o'clock +Captain Groome returned with orders to go into line of battle and cover +the left flank of the Americans. Simultaneous with the movement of the +cavalry the entire brigade of four regiments, consisting of the Third +Ohio, Third Illinois, Fourth Pennsylvania and Sixth Illinois, were also +off. As the Troop passed along the road at a trot it overtook the Sixth +Illinois and Fourth Pennsylvania. The infantry received orders to let +the cavalry through, and the mass of soldiers parted. Away at a trot, +between this friendly gauntlet of cheering infantrymen, the Troopers +rode amid all sorts of shouts. The foot soldiers thought the cavalry was +going in to deploy as skirmishers and start the fight, so they gave the +Troopers a good, hearty American cheer, and from each company came +encouraging yells, such as: "Give them bullets, boys!" "We will follow +you!" And the Fourth Pennsylvania gave three times three for the City +Troop and Old Pennsylvania. All in all it was a moment that the +Philadelphia riders will not soon forget. + +The Spanish earthworks, as nearly as could be made out by the Troopers, +were something in the form of an S. After a two-mile ride the fresh dirt +on these trenches was plainly visible, and it seemed that a few minutes +more riding would bring the Troop within the range of the Spaniards. +Suddenly the course turned abruptly to the left and the Troop came upon +Major General Brooke and his staff, standing on a little hill to the +right of the road, waiting for the artillery to get into position. +Captain Groome reported to General Brooke, and received orders to take +the two troops of cavalry into an adjoining field, to dismount the men +and unsaddle the horses. There, surrounded by beautiful tropical flowers +and heavy foliage, the men awaited the boom of the cannon, which had +been agreed upon as the signal for opening the battle. + +Strangely out of place looked the grim weapons and warlike trappings in +that garden spot. Beneath the towering palm and rubber trees, amid +hundreds of crimson blossoms the Philadelphia men gathered in groups to +discuss the outlook, while their horses grazed at their feet. + +It began to rain again about eleven o'clock, a dark, steaming drizzle. +In the midst of it Mr. Davies, of the New York _Sun_, came over to +inspect the cavalry. He informed Captain Groome that Major Redmond, in +charge of the artillery, had just announced that he would open fire in a +half hour. + +A look down the line of the City Troopers at this crucial moment +revealed still an absolutely amazing indifference to the conflict now +all but upon them--most of their men were asleep. The three officers +were sitting by the roadside chatting together a couple of hundred feet +away from the remainder of the Troop. At the head of the column, with +his arm through his bridle rein, lay Sergeant Wagner asleep. Sergeant +Martin and Private Robb were entertaining a dozen or so of the men with +an argument as to the relative charms of a Philadelphia girl and a +native girl, "fat, black and greasy, with a cigar stuck in her face." A +little farther back, sitting on the ground, was Harry Riley, holding the +big bay mule he had been riding since reaching the island; he was quiet, +but the mule was not. Next came a group composed of Billy Bates, whose +beautiful little grey was lying at his feet like a faithful dog, Charlie +Smith, Hecksher, Cliff Pemberton, Harry Godfrey, Bromley Wharton, the +two Warden boys, Fred Neilson and "Doug" Jacobs. Charlie Smith was +inviting them all to lunch with him on the mountain where the Spaniards +were encamped. Coulston and Woodman were talking Spanish to each other, +and Mills and Wheeler were asleep. Way in front were Jim Starr and Frank +Bower, standing on a knoll and trying to see the batteries get into +position, while Carroll Smyth, George McFadden and Charlie Brinton went +about among the different groups distributing crackers. + +In a nearby field a corps of field telegraph operators could be seen +stringing their wires from tree to tree, and at times making use of the +wire fences for continuing their lines. + +About one o'clock Lieutenant Reynolds rode into camp at a furious rate +and gave an order to General Brooke, who was standing in the road about +three hundred yards to the right of the Troopers camp. At once the +assembly sounded, and with many a sternly muttered, "At last," the City +Troopers mounted and took their places. + +Lieutenant Browning rode up, and all ears were strained to catch the +order to advance. The lieutenant looked as if he was thoroughly +disgusted with life, as in a calm tone he said: "The men will fall in +and ride back to camp; General Miles has ordered all military operations +to cease." + +"Oh, hell!" exclaimed a Trooper near the lieutenant, throwing down his +carbine as the pent up disappointment and suspense in his heart sought +expression almost involuntarily. This forcible exclamation, and more +particularly the tone in which it was uttered, seemed to represent the +feelings of the entire Troop. + +Listlessly the men mounted, grumbled "one, two, three, four," and sought +a new camping ground at Hacienda De Placida. A more downcast lot of men +than turned in that Saturday night, of August 13th, would be hard to +find. By night it was told through camp how a messenger, on a played-out +horse, had reached General Brooke with the order from General Miles, +just as the gunners of Battery B, of Pittsburgh, had their hands on the +lanyards awaiting General Brooke's orders to pull and give the signal +for attack. Mr. Davies, of the New York _Sun_, afterward told Captain +Groome that General Brooke had given the messenger a scanty welcome, and +had remarked that he might have spared his horse a little, although his +haste undoubtedly saved many lives. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +AFTER THE BATTLE. + + +Sunday morning Captain Scott brought an order to Captain Groome to send +a commissioned officer, a sergeant and six privates to establish an +outpost two miles beyond the farthest infantry outpost, and to maintain +a flag of truce. This outpost was necessary because of the general fear +of Spanish treachery. The Spaniards had a white flag flying over their +blockhouse, but there was no telling at what moment they might pull it +down and charge into the American ranks; so the watchers at the outpost +were entrusted with an important duty. The detail first selected was in +charge of Lieutenant Browning, who took with him Sergeant Glendinning, +Corporal Thayer and Privates S. and W. Goodman, Strawbridge, Wheeler, +Mills and Ridgeway. Captains Scott and Groome accompanied the detail to +select the ground for the outpost. + +As the men were about to start, it was found that they had nothing to +serve as a flag of truce. Captain Groome informed Captain Scott that the +Troop was just out of such articles, and for a moment the officers were +at a loss to know what to do. A handkerchief was too small and too +frail, but suddenly Lieutenant Browning had an inspiration. His wife had +supplied the officers' mess with some fine, large napkins. One of these +was therefore pressed into service as a flag of truce, and the +detachment rode forth. It was early morning, and the rain was pelting +down as usual. + +On through the town, along the road the troops had tramped ready for the +fray, around the mountain side, past the place Rodney had planted his +batteries, past the pickets, past the last infantry outpost, under a +ridge dotted with Spanish sentries, the detachment, with the now +historic napkin, went on until, coming around a sharp turn in the road, +they saw a mile and a half across the valley the Spanish outpost with +its flag of truce already up. + +Then the little band of Troopers halted and chopped down a stout +sapling. To this they lashed the flag of truce for the American army, +and set up the pole in a little clearing. Two Troopers were left on +guard, while the rest retired a couple of hundred yards around a bend in +the road and put up the little dog tents, beginning at once the routine +work of a vidette outpost. The flag was pitched squarely upon the top of +the mountain, so that it rained there continually, but the +discomforts were swallowed up in a sense of the responsibility felt by +all on duty there. + +[Illustration: "CAMP ESPERANCA." GUAYAMA IN THE DISTANCE.] + +The six men were divided in pairs, and each pair stood guard by the +fluttering flag as vidette for two hours and then rested four, +throughout the day and night. Through field glasses the Spanish troops +could be plainly seen standing on guard or idling about the trenches. + +Thirty minutes after the flag first went up a group of Spanish officers +were seen approaching. As they came nearer it was plain that the party +consisted of a general and six aids. Captain Scott advanced to meet the +Spaniards, and was informed that the general carried a message for +General Brooke. The Spaniard declined to entrust the message to Captain +Scott. Captain Groome was informed of the difficulty, and at once +galloped back to the American camp, returning in a short time with +General Sheridan and others of General Brooke's staff. After much +formality the Spanish general delivered his message to General Sheridan +and ceremoniously retired. + +At eight o'clock the next day Lieutenant Ryan and a like detachment from +H Troop relieved Lieutenant Browning. The next day Lieutenant McFadden, +with Sergeant Bates, Corporal Butcher and Privates Green, Newbold, +Wilson, Fell, Woodman and Armstrong relieved the H men. The day +following, at eight o'clock, Lieutenant Heiberg and his detachment of +regulars, and relieving them on the morrow went Lieutenant Browning, +Sergeant Smith, Corporal Thibault and Privates Jacobs, Wharton, Neilson, +Barclay, Cramp and Shober. Thus, as in all cavalry work for General +Brooke's army at Guayama, H Troop and the City Troop took share and +share alike. + +Meantime the Troopers, in camp near Guayama, had little besides routine +duty to keep them occupied. The rainy season was on hand with a +vengeance. Day and night, with but slight intervals of clear weather, it +rained and poured. Good-sized creeks would be formed in a half hour by +the floods of rain, and these little streams seemed always aimed +straight at the Troopers' camp. To change clothing was useless, and at +times it was impossible to obtain dry garments. Flannel shirts would be +spread out in the hot sun to dry at eleven o'clock, and at half-past +they would be lying in pools of water, getting more thoroughly drenched +each minute. + +Since leaving the United States, a wonderful change had taken place in +the appearance of the City Troopers. At the time of sailing from Newport +News, all the cavalrymen were bronzed and weather beaten. After but +little more than two weeks in southern Puerto Rico, exposed daily to +natural steam baths and kept in a constant state of perspiration, the +men were bleached out. Faces once ruddy became as white as paper, and +all the men had lost rapidly in weight. + +[Illustration: AT THE BEACH NEAR GUAYAMA.] + +The horses, too, showed the effect of the tropical climate. When herded +together there was not one head that did not droop, and their eyes were +without spirit. The change in men and beasts had come quickly, but until +after it was known that hostilities were over the Troopers had been too +busy to notice the change in one another. + +Each day the horses had to be herded, and the tidings that an animal had +broken away and must be pursued was always hailed with delight, as the +chase was a welcome break in the slow camp life. + +As there was a splendid beach about three miles from the camp at +Guayama, and about the same distance from Arroyo, Captain Groome issued +orders to the City Troopers for one platoon to bathe in the morning, +each day, and a second platoon in the afternoon. At the beach the trees +and foliage extended clear to the water's edge. In some places the water +was deep right from the tree line, but there were three or four sand +bars that extended way out, so that a bather could walk as far out in +the water at some points as at Atlantic City. There was always a heavy +surf at the beach, that made bathing a good sport. + +It was also great fun to take the horses into the surf. At first the +greys did not take kindly to surf bathing, but under the wise guidance +of their riders they soon were taught that waves would not hurt them, +and in some of the deep water places they quickly learned to take long +swims with the Troopers. + +In all their manoeuvres in Puerto Rico, the City Troopers were divided +into four platoons. No drills were held, but, as a matter of record, the +Roster of the Troop at this period of the campaign is here given, +passing from right to left in the line: + + Captain, John C. Groome. + + First Lieutenant, Edward Browning. + + Second Lieutenant, J. Frank McFadden. + + FIRST PLATOON. + + _Right Squad._--Sergeant, Frederic Thibault; Privates, Frank Bower, + Alfred Pardee, Alfred Bright, Thomas Cadwalader, H. Percy + Glendinning, Thomas Robb, Jr., Henry J. Wetherill, T. Wallis + Huidekoper, Edward Gregg; Corporal, J. Houston Merrill. + + _Left Squad._--Privates, Edward E. Stetson, Charles Wheeler, Edward + Rawle, William I. Forbes, William West, Williams Biddle Cadwalader, + Charles C. Brinton, Frank A. Janney, James De Kay, Edward Cann; + Corporal, Adolph G. Rosengarten. + + + SECOND PLATOON. + + _Right Squad._--Sergeant, William H. Hart; Privates, Robert Fell, + William Farr, Samuel K. Reeves, Thomas J. Orbison, Samuel Goodman, + Jr., Henry S. Godfrey, Clifford Pemberton, Jr., Maitland Armstrong, + George Wilson; Corporal, Gustav A. Heckscher. + + _Left Squad._--Privates, N. B. Warden, Stuart Wheeler, M. G. + Rosengarten, J. Warren Coulston, Jr., Charles Coates, James M. + Rhodes, Jr., Francis C. Green, John Conygham Stevens, John + Zimmerman, Norman Risley; Corporal, Samuel Chew. + + + THIRD PLATOON. + + _Right Squad._--Sergeant, William E. Bates; Privates, Edward Lord, + Henry G. Woodman, C. King Lennig, Trenchard Newbold, Thomas Ridgway, + Benjamin B. Reath, Carroll Smyth, James Starr, Edward Brooke; + Corporal, George C. Thayer. + + _Left Squad._--Privates, John Strawbridge, William E. Goodman, Jr., + William G. Warden, Jr., George L. Farnum, J. Clifford Rosengarten; + Hospital Steward, William H. Cornell; Privates, S. Frederick Mills, + Francis Rawle, Edward B. Cornell; Corporal, Henry C. Butcher, Jr. + + + FOURTH PLATOON. + + _Right Squad._--Sergeant, Charles H. Smith; Privates, George H. + McFadden, Jr., Harry C. Barclay, Reginald H. Shober, Francis L. + Cramp, Carroll Hodge, H. Austin Smith, Ward Brinton, Edward Rogers, + Charles B. Lewis; Corporal, Francis A. Thibault. + + _Left Squad._--Privates, Herman A. Denckla, Henry Drinker Riley, + Edward C. Taylor, W. B. Duncan Smith, Bromley Wharton, Lightner + Witmer, Frederick B. Neilson, Douglas H. Jacobs; Commissary + Corporal, A. Mercer Biddle; Corporal, Alexander W. Wister, Jr. + + Private Ranson, Farrier. + Private Newlin, Cook. + Private Kirk, Cook. + Private Gibbons, Saddler. + Private Halbustadt, Wagoner. + Private Nilon, Blacksmith. + Trumpeter, Brossman. + Trumpeter, R. Singer. + Stable Sergeant, John Wagner, Jr. + Ordnance Sergeant, Robert E. Glendinning. + Quartermaster-Sergeant, Dr. William C. Lott. + First Sergeant, J. Willis Martin. + +While the Troopers were in camp at Guayama, under orders from General +Brooke, they changed their old style of camp life a little by using a +number of large hospital tents, loaned by General Brooke's headquarters, +which were occupied by six or seven men each, instead of the little dog +tents intended for two men. The larger tents made life more bearable +during the heavy rains, and were greatly appreciated by all. + +Although each duty was taken up with uniform cheerfulness, and nothing +was slighted, it soon became evident that for the first time there was a +unanimous desire on the part of the City Troopers, now that peace was +assured, to get home as quickly as possible. So there was great +rejoicing when, on Thursday morning, August 25th, Captain Groome +received orders to proceed at once to Ponce with the Troop, there to +take passage for New York. Just before this order came, a detachment of +Troopers had gone from camp on a hunt after Spanish guerrillas. They +were promptly recalled by General Brooke's command. + +The packing of saddles and stowing away of tents was attended to with a +will, and on Friday morning the march of thirty-seven miles to Ponce was +begun. This distance was to be made in two stages, as marching was slow +at the best with skirmishers out, and the weather was so sultry that for +most of the distance the men trudged along on foot, leading their +horses. + +Although buoyed up by the prospect of soon seeing home and friends +again, the Troopers found the first day's march the hardest work they +had undertaken since enlistment. Spaniards could be seen in the hills +all about, and a close outlook had to be kept. The march led through +deep cuts in the road, where there was not a breath of air stirring, +where the terrific heat seemed determined to beat to the ground all +living things that ventured to brave its fury. Rain--hot, steam-like +rain--alternated with the blazing sun, and uniforms were one hour +drenched with rain, the next hour dried by the sun, and a few moments +later soaking wet with perspiration. + +At midday a halt was made at the same plantation visited on the way out. +There was a grove of what the Troopers styled "United States trees," and +in its shade they lay around and ate canned stuff and dried their +clothes. Then the tramp was resumed with all its fatigue, and at night a +camp fire was built on another sugar plantation. Three of the men living +there spoke English, and the first use of it they made was to notify +Captain Groome that a number of the laborers were sick with small pox, +and that the spot selected for a camp was particularly infected. + +The Captain had quite a consultation with various people before +selecting the final camping ground, and the weary Troopers had no sooner +attended to their horses than they dropped off to sleep. Like dead men +they lay in their blankets, totally oblivious of the swarms of +mosquitoes which gathered about them, or of the land crabs, little +snakes and other queer creatures that all night long crawled over their +bodies in a familiarly inquiring manner. + +[Illustration: RETURN ALONG THE ROAD FROM GUAYAMA TO PONCE.] + +The second day began with a cool shower, which left the atmosphere in +a splendid condition, and the advance was more rapid. While all the men +had been supplied with Khaiki uniforms, it was noticeable that on this +last day's march in the enemy's country a majority clung to the blue. A +short rest was taken at midday. Late in the afternoon the heavens began +to let loose a flood of rain, and streams sprang up beneath the feet of +the cavalrymen. Twenty minutes after the Troopers passed the bridge +leading to Playa de Ponce, the structure was swept away by a raging +torrent one hundred feet wide. At nightfall the City Troopers had just +put up their small tents and gone into camp for the night, when, at 9.30 +P. M., the signal service sent word to Captain Groome that the tents +would have to come up and the men get away quickly, as a river would +soon be rolling over the spot where the Troopers were preparing to turn +in. Indeed, by the time the warning came, trickling streams innumerable +were sweeping through the field below the camp. Assembly was sounded, +and in forty-five minutes tents were struck, bags packed, horses +saddled, four wagons loaded, and the Troop moved out. When the tents +were first pitched, it was the intention of the Troopers to name the +camp after Hugh Craig, Jr., but this idea was given up after the +message from the signal corps, and the name "_Mala Aqua_"--wicked +water--substituted. Mr. Craig's name was afterward bestowed upon the +last camp occupied by the Troopers on foreign soil. + +No sheltered spot could be found that night after the retreat from the +oncoming river, so the Troopers philosophically wrapped themselves in +their blankets and lay down in the streets of Playa, unmindful of the +beating rain. Despite the downpour there were soon a number of fires +burning about the camp, for the Philadelphia men had become experts in +the art of getting a cheery blaze out of wet wood, and damp matches no +longer possessed any terrors. + +While the men slept on the pavement, their horses were tied to logs +along the curb. Some of the Troopers induced their mounts to lie down +and be used as pillows. It was a strange sight, more picturesque than it +was comfortable for the men who made up the tableau. If any one incident +in the campaign could be said to illustrate better than another the +clean grit which actuated every move of the Troopers, this night spent +in the streets of Playa, amid drenching rain, would probably be selected +by a historian. + +In the morning Captain Groome marched the Troopers into "Dolorales" +lumber yard, where the sheds, roofed over with galvanized iron, looked +extremely inviting to the rain-soaked men. Blankets were spread on the +top of lumber piles, under the roof, and perched up there the Troopers +were sheltered from the alternate sun and showers. + +For one week there was a hard struggle to kill time. There was nothing +to do but look after the horses, and no place to go. Several times +members of the Troop took carriage rides about the city, and had all the +points of interest explained by guides. Hope was high in the hearts of +officers and men alike that a start for Philadelphia could be made by +September 1st, but the first came and still no orders. Relief was close +at hand, however, for on Friday, September 2d, orders came to turn the +Troop's horses and equipments over to the headquarter officers at Ponce, +and to embark the Troopers upon the transport "Mississippi," which was +lying a half mile out in the harbor. + +Before turning over the horses to other hands, the old greys were given +a careful rub down, and then a thorough cleaning was bestowed upon +halters, bridles, carbines, scabbards, sabers, pistols and holsters. The +Troopers were complimented upon the condition of their mounts, for they +came out of the campaign much the best of any other horses, although +admittedly they had been given the hardest work to do. + +While there was naturally much regret expressed by the cavalrymen at +parting with the horses and equipments, which had formed so close a part +of their lives during the summer, yet there was a bright side to the +matter, inasmuch as the Troopers on their homeward trip were saved most +of their hard work. No longer were they obliged to feed and water their +horses twice a day, and do stable duty each morning; they were also rid +of all the tugging on and off of lighters, transports and trains of +saddles and equipments, and they were through spending their spare +moments polishing up the numerous small belongings of a Trooper. In the +turning over of all these things there was a great relief. + +All day Friday A and C Troops, of New York; the Governor's and Sheridan +Troops, of Pennsylvania; and Pennsylvania A Battery, loaded the +transport with their horses. Finally at six o'clock in the afternoon, +the City Troop, their canvas and commissary having been lightered to the +ship, fell in and marched to the dock. At eight o'clock Captain Groome +ordered them on a big lighter, and drawn by the tug "Sarah," of +Philadelphia, they went out in the harbor to the "Mississippi." There, +with blanket rolls over one shoulder, and haversacks and saddlebags +over the other, they tumbled up the ladder to the deck of the slow, but +comparatively commodious transport. Not until midnight did General +Wilson's headquarter horses get aboard, and the vessel was soon +afterward steering for New York. No demonstration was made during the +embarking of the troops. The cavalrymen were too tired to do any +cheering themselves, even at the thought of home. The natives about the +dock did some cheering, but as they were always ready to hurrah over +anything, their yells did not particularly inspire the departing +soldiers. + +The City Troop had its quarters forward on the "Mississippi," with A +Battery alongside and A Troop on the deck below. This was pleasant all +around, as the New York and Philadelphia Troopers were the best of +friends, and in addition the Troopers had many friends in the +Philadelphia battery. + +For this ocean trip of one thousand, three hundred and ninety miles the +City Troopers were better prepared than on their voyage to Ponce. Of +course, there were great hardships to be endured, but the commissary had +laid in a supply of ice, so that the drinking water could be kept at a +reasonable temperature, and the men had gained enough experience to +hustle for good sleeping places on deck and not bother with the +hammocks. + +The old transport averaged about two hundred miles a day, which seemed +particularly slow to the impatient Troopers. At the time the +"Mississippi" had been forty-eight hours out, it became clear that the +sea voyage was doing all the cavalrymen a vast deal of good; the +unhealthy pallor, induced by tropical weather, began to wear off, and +the men felt that they would be in good condition to receive the welcome +which they knew was awaiting them. + +Daily routine aboard ship was established as follows: Reveille at 6 +o'clock, stables at 6.30, mess at 7, sick at 8, fatigue at 8.30, guard +mount at 9, mess at 12, and again at 6, tattoo at 9, and taps at 9.30. + +Fair weather remained with the "Mississippi" throughout the entire trip. +Guidons of each troop aboard were affixed to the foremast head. + +[Illustration: HACIENDA CARMEN.] + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +HOME AGAIN. + + +From the time the Jersey coast was sighted the Troopers began to realize +how glad they really were to get back home. Early on the morning of +Saturday, September 10th, the "Mississippi" passed Sandy Hook, and was +soon cleaving the waters of New York Bay. It was rather misty, and +objects at any great distance were very obscure. The Philadelphia +cavalrymen were often obliged to smile at the airs which some of the +members of the New York and Brooklyn troops assumed as they found +themselves in familiar waters. The men of Gotham boasted much of the +fine reception which they felt sure was in store for them, and looked +rather pityingly upon the Philadelphia cavalrymen. When, through the +mist, a tug was made out, with flags flying, approaching the +"Mississippi" at full speed, several of the New Yorkers pointed to it +and said to the Quaker City men, "Here comes the advance guard of our +escort." + +While the tug was still too much surrounded by mist to make out her +identity, there came floating from her deck the ringing notes of a +bugle. At the first sound the Philadelphia Troopers became all +attention, and a moment later the air of the Troop march--strains known +to City Troopers for two generations--could be clearly distinguished. + +"It's our friends," shouted the City Troopers with glee, while the New +York riders did not attempt to conceal their surprise at the fact that +citizens of their city had been out-generaled by the Philadelphia +visitors in the effort to give the first greeting to the returning +Troopers. + +But while the later recruits among the Troopers shouted "It's our +friends," the older members cried out, "It's Ellis Pugh," for they knew +almost by instinct from whose lips had come the welcoming blast. Dick +Singer was upon the deck with his bugle in a twinkling, and tooted back +a response. Nearer and nearer the two vessels approached, until at last +the two buglers joined together in the long final note. + +Then other tugs appeared--six in all--five of which were filled with +enthusiastic Philadelphians. The Troopers crowded to the rail and +occupied all points of vantage in the rigging. Up the bay the transport +and her shrieking escort continued their course. From the whistle of +every vessel met there came a welcome, until the din became almost +deafening. + +While the health officer boarded the transport, friends on the tugs and +troop ship yelled greetings back and forth. A port hole in the +"Mississippi" was opened, and an avalanche of boxes and bottles poured +into the hands of the soldiers aboard. The moment quarantine was raised, +there was a general scramble of male visitors onto the deck of the +transport, followed by a whirlwind of affectionate greetings. Fathers +proudly hugged their brawny, dirt-stained sons; chums and brothers shook +each others' hands off. + +Soon there came along another tug, and Governor Hastings and Major +Richardson clambered over the rail amid loud cheers of the +Pennsylvanians. And so the big reception went on until the "Mississippi" +pulled into dock at Jersey City. There the cavalrymen looked down from +the high decks upon a sea of men and women, the great majority of whom +were Philadelphians. The hospital train was run in on a siding right +under the ship, and the sick were unloaded with but little delay. + +Meanwhile, Captain Groome had accepted an invitation from the +Philadelphia Councils Committee, to participate in a public reception +upon the Troop's arrival home, and word to that effect was telegraphed +to Mayor Warwick. The Troopers partook of a light lunch before +unloading their camp equipage, and after two hours hard work the last +piece of canvas was loaded on the cars, and late in the afternoon they +finally found themselves rolling rapidly homeward. + +In the New York _Sun_, the day after the City Troop's arrival, there +appeared the following paragraph by a reporter of reputation, who had +been in Puerto Rico during the campaign: + + "In commissariat, general intelligence and knowledge of tactics, the + First City Troop of Philadelphia outranked any volunteers I saw at + the front. They were the only company to take a water filter with + them, so were the only men to drink pure water. They were the only + soldiers with forethought enough to provide salt, mustard and the + other little things that help make army rations palatable. Then they + knew how to cook. They kept their camp clean. They kept their horses + in good condition, in fact they neglected nothing, and shirked no + duty, no matter how disagreeable. So much for the dude soldier." + +It was eight o'clock when the train bearing the City Troopers, every man +ready and fit for duty, came puffing into the Broad Street Station. +Outside the building and along Broad, Chestnut and Market Streets, the +route over which it had been planned to have the cavalrymen march, dense +throngs packed the sidewalks, and were only kept from the streets by +ropes in charge of hundreds of policemen. + +[Illustration: SERGEANT'S CLUB AT GUAYAMA.] + +Captain Groome was the first man to alight from the cars, and he was at +once requested by General Morrell and Director Riter to permit a street +parade of the command before going to Horticultural Hall, where a +banquet had been prepared. The Captain said his men would be pleased to +do anything the Reception Committee wished, and the line was immediately +formed for parade. Police horses had been secured and were on hand for +the Troopers. + +The procession was led by a file of mounted policemen and carriages +containing the Citizen's Reception Committee, which had gone to New York +to meet the Troop. Following them came the Third Regiment Band and the +Second City Troop. Last of all came the veterans in their Khaiki +uniforms, and cheer after cheer went up everywhere as they came into +view, mingled with enthusiastic shouts of "Here comes the Rough Riders!" + +Up Broad Street, through an endless multitude, the procession moved, +through brilliant displays of fireworks and past brightly illuminated +residences. On Chestnut Street the scene was repeated with the added +effect of booming cannon from the roof of the Union Republican Club. +Down Chestnut to Eighth, and up Eighth to Market, and thence to the +City Hall, the Troop passed, and when Horticultural Hall was reached the +riders had the satisfaction of knowing that they had participated in the +greatest parade ever given by the Troop in its century and a quarter of +existence. + +As the Troop drew up in front of the hall, amid wild cheering, the men +dismounted and turned the horses over to the mounted police. The men +then filed into the banquet room between lines of the Battery A men, who +stood at "Present arms." While standing at their designated seats Mayor +Warwick addressed the Troopers as follows: + +"Welcome home! We are here to-night to greet you with all our hearts. +God bless you, and God keep you. The Republic is proud of you, and the +city thrown open to you." + +While the cavalrymen were eating, their relations and friends crowded in +upon them. There was much laughing and much hand-shaking. The men had +all been granted a sixty-day furlough, and they took their time about +punishing the good things, leaving the hall at a late hour in groups of +two's and three's--home at last. + +Within a short time after their return, and before their muster-out, the +Troopers participated in a number of interesting events. Several +receptions and dinners were given in their honor by individuals and +clubs, and the one hundred and twenty-fourth anniversary of the Troop's +organization was celebrated. The cavalrymen took a leading part in the +military parade, on the second day of the Jubilee Celebration, October +27th. President McKinley reviewed the parade, and as the tradition of +the Troop required that its members should act as the President's escort +while in the city, the following Honorary members of the Troop were +appointed to act in that capacity: Captain General E. Burd Grubb, +Captain Joseph Lapsley Wilson, Captain Edmund H. McCullough, First +Lieutenant James Rawle, Second Lieutenant Major J. Edward Carpenter, +Second Lieutenant Frank E. Patterson, Second Lieutenant Edward K. +Bispham, Cornet Charles E. Kelly, Cornet Richard Tilghman, Surgeon J. +William White, Surgeon John B. Shober, Surgeon Charles H. Frazier, +Quartermaster Hugh Craig, Jr. + +All of these occurrences were joyous occasions, but one day in October +the Troopers were called upon to perform a duty which saddened every +heart. On that day, for the first time since the outbreak of +hostilities, there was a voice missing at roll call which would never +respond again. Stuart Wheeler had fallen a victim to typhoid fever, +contracted while in Puerto Rico, and to the grave of this lost comrade +the Troopers marched in silent sorrow to pay the last military respects. + +Mr. Wheeler had seemed in good health upon his arrival in the United +States after the campaign, and, with several friends, had gone upon a +hunting trip in the Maine woods. There the fever seized him, and he died +a few days after his removal to a Boston hospital. + +Of the departed young hero, the Troopers will ever speak with affection +and praise. In college he was an unusually earnest student, on the +athletic fields he won laurels that will long remain green, at home he +was a loving son and brother, with the Troop he showed the mettle of a +gallant soldier. He died for his country--as surely as though his body +had been found on a Puerto Rican battlefield, pierced with a Spanish +bullet. + +At noon on the eleventh day of November, the City Troopers gathered at +their armory to bid farewell to the United States Volunteer service. +Their sixty-day furlough had expired, and while there was not one who +would have hesitated to re-enlist should need arise, it is safe to say +that none were sorry that the moment for ending their terms as warriors +had arrived. Six men were unable to be present because of sickness. + +Lieutenant B. F. Hughes, of the Tenth U. S. Cavalry, was on hand to +muster-out the men, all of whom were first obliged to report to Doctors +Spelissy and Brinton for physical examinations. + +For a week preceding Captain Groome had made every preparation +calculated to expedite the work, and before the men were drawn up for +roll call, all the muster-out rolls, the descriptive lists and discharge +papers had been prepared for the mustering officer. Even the +computations of pay for each man had been figured out. As soon as each +Trooper had received his physical examination he was dismissed until the +following Monday. On the morning of that day discharge papers and pay +were ready for all the Troopers, and so far as they were concerned the +war was over. + +It was not until twenty days later that the Spanish Commissioners, in +Paris, agreed to accept the American terms, and surrendered to the +United States 240,110 square miles of territory, with a population +estimated at 9,500,000. A treaty of peace between the nations was then +prepared. Practically, however, peace had existed since that day in +August when but a few minutes separated the City Troopers' _bivouac_, +in a field of flowers, from a charge which would have made desolate +hundreds of homes. + +[Illustration: Decoration] + + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's Notes: Typographical errors silently corrected except +those listed below. Spelling has been made consistent throughout where +the author's preference could be ascertained. + +Page 16 "less than three hours consumed, in the Troopers case," added +apostrophe "in the Troopers' case". + +Page 43 "from the headquarters mules would come an answering bray," added +apostrophe "headquarter's mules." + +Page 43 "these sounds appealed to the Troopers sense of humor" added +apostrophe "Troopers' sense". + +Page 53 "dodging under horses heads" added apostrophe "horses' heads". + +Page 68 "with their horses bridles over their arms" added apostrophe +"horses' bridles". + +Page 68 "indicating the mens heighth and breadth" changed to "men's +height". + +Page 101 "brothers shook each others hands" added apostrophe "each +others' hands". + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Campaign of the First Troop +Philadelphia City Cavalry, by James Cooper + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAMPAIGN OF THE FIRST TROOP *** + +***** This file should be named 37755.txt or 37755.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/7/5/37755/ + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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