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diff --git a/37755.txt b/37755.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b88f852 --- /dev/null +++ b/37755.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2690 @@ +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: 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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