Campaign of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry Part 5

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, pa.s.sing 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. G.o.dfrey, 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 a.s.sured, 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 pa.s.sage 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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 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 pa.s.sed 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. a.s.sembly 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--subst.i.tuted. 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 ill.u.s.trate 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 polis.h.i.+ng 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 s.h.i.+p, 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 hards.h.i.+ps 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 s.h.i.+p 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.