'.- ^^-n^ •^ ^-o.^ A-^' %5 <"^ '<.,v* ,0 ^^'^■f o^"^ ,*^ /^s % V^ , o » » > " e N ' ^i^JM*' 3V .V ,^n^' %.c^' <55^^ • AV C ^0 yh >' .^^"^_ V Captain GROOMt First Lieutenant Rrowninc; Second Lieutenant McFaduen CAMPAIGN OF THE First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry APRIL 2^— NOVEMBER I I ^ • 1898 I JAMES COOPER PHILADELPHIA: HALLOWELL CO. LTD., PUBLISHERS 14 South Fifth Street For all that is good in this little hook ack>iowledg>neitt is due to Captain John C. Groouie, Lieutenant J. Frank McFadden, Lieutenant J. Willis J/artin, Sergeant John Wagner, Jr., Sergeant Robert IL Glendinning, F. B. Neilso)i, T. ]]\illis Hnidekopcr, Lfngh Craig, Jr., and the publisher. They have provided the photographs and practically all the material used. Ma)iy passages are taken entirely from letters and other writ- ings of these Troopers. The rvriter' s personal observations merely covered the time of the Troop\% stay at Ml. Gretna, Camp Alger and Neivport Neivs. &1A CONTENTS CHAP. "^^^ I. THE Call to Arms .... 9 11. The troop at Mt. Gretna . . . i8 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 Grnome. Lieuts. Browning and M^Fadden, . . . frontispiece Troopers Camp at Mt. Gretna '7 Pistol Practice at Camp Hastings 3° V A Lesson in Horse Tlirowing 34 ^ Having Fun with " Hazel," 39 >•' Glimpse into a Troop Ship. 5^ "' Cathedral Virgin del Carmen, 62 ^' Bivouac Outside Cathedral Virgin del Carmen 63 / Bringing the Horses Ashore at Ponce, °5 V Camp at Arrox'o "' / En Route to the Battlefield.- Military Road from Guayama to CaRey, . 77 ^ "Camp Esperanca."— Guayama in the Distance 85 / At the Beach near Guayama ^7 Return Along the Road from Guayama to Ponce, 93 '^ Hacienda Carmen 99 V Sergeant's Club at Guayama '°3 CHAPTER I. THE CALL TO ARMS. WHEN the members of the First Troop of Phila- delphia 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 ex- plosion 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 treach- ery. Both branches of Congress were debating meas- ures regarding American intervention in the Cuban re- bellion, which the natives of that island had success- fully 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 occur- red just at this time was merely a coincidence — six months before the plans had been made. Nothing (A) 10 THE CALL TO ARMS. was changed by the exciting rumors of the day, for the Troopers belonged to that conservative class of busi- ness 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 in- spection for mancEuvres 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 i8th, the Troop having as- sembled 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 move- ments 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 THE CALL TO ARMS. II 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 dur- ing 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 pre- pare for invasion. It was announced that Spain had been given forty-eight hours in which to answer. Her only reply was to dispatch her best fleet westward. 12 THE CALL TO ARMS. On Saturday, the day of the Troopers inspec- tion, 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 tele- gram 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 Thurs- day morning. As a matter of fact, a majority of the Troopers spent the two preceding days there, help- ing pack the stores and equipments, and getting every- thing 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 THE CALL TO ARMS. 13 rushing work upon their fortifications in Cuba and Porto Rico. War had been begun without any formal declara- tion. Spain had refused to answer the American ultimatum and had given Minister Woodford his pass- ports, 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 M THE CALL TO ARMS. chilled to the bone those compelled to endure its pelt- ing attack. An icy wind was twisting and cutting through the streets of the city. When the Troopers stepped from their comfort- able 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 THE CALL TO ARMS. I? 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 Mc- Fadden, 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. Good- man 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 i6 THE CALL TO ARMS. 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 THE CALL TO ARMS. 17 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. 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 infantry- men, 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 War- burton, 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 over- head. 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 observa- tions 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. THE TROOP AT MT. GRETNA. ' 1 9 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 Phila- delphia 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 Batallion of State Fencibles re- mained 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 com- paratively 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 20 THE TROOP AT Mr. GRETNA, kept up their pluck splendidly under a stress of unfor- tunate 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 straight- ening up the camp. In the afternoon there were a number of visitors on hand from* Philadelphia, al- though 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 vol- unteer 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 volun- teer, 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 1 should request the Governor of Pennsyl- vania to issue to you a commission, for the same places THE TROOP AT MT. GRETNA. 21 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 Ma- nila. 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, prelimin- ary to their being mustered into the volunteer ser- vice. 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 22 THE TROOP AT MT. GRETNA. 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 ofificer 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 specta- tors removed their hats while Major Thompson re- peated 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 ene- mies 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 .?" " 1 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 THE TROOP AT MT. GRETNA. 23 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 popu- lar 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 sur- rounded 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 infantry- (B) 24 THE TROOP AT MT. GRETNA. men were compelled to endure. The foot soldiers in the first place had not taken tlie 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, in- variably 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 system- atic drill, captains throughout the camp were gradu- ally 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 THE TROOP AT MT. GRETNA. 25 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 review- ing party, and the finest display ever made by Penn- sylvania 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 fol- lowing 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 26 THE TROOP AT MT. GRETNA. 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 Regi- ment 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 de- tained 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 TROOP AT MT. GRETNA. 27 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, Cap- tain Groome was called to Washington and Lieu- tenant Browning remained in charge of the City Troopers camp. He put the men through a long dis- mounted 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. 1., 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 visi- tors on the grounds, as all the regiments had de- 28 THE TROOP AT MT. GRETNA. parted except the Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Sixteenth and Eighteenth. Most of these men came from dis- tant parts of the State, hi the afternoon Sergeant Glendinning tried some experiments in iThe 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 Magde- lane, an English estate. There the two cavalry troops and the tremendous mule train went into camp again. AV THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY. 7 1 They had passed through Selinas in the early after- noon. 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 ad- vance 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 re- placed 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 ad- vance supports that the Troop had at last reached General Brooke's out-posts, the Fourth Illinois. Orders were given Captain Groome to proceed through Guayama, toward Arroyo, one mile from 72 , IN THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY. which place the Troop went into camp. A few hours later H Troop came up and camped alongside. Thursday, August nth, 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 prac- tice. 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 IN THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY. 73 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 in- spection 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. (FJ 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 engage- ment, it must be written that the City Troopers retained their characteristic coolness. On that Fri- day 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 : THE FIGHT THAT FAILED. 75 " In a scrap like this the cavalry is sure to be heav- ily 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 head- quarters for nearly an hour, with only his inevitable cigar as a companion. Dozens of the men watched him, and speculated as to his meditations. Lieuten- ants Browning and McFadden passed through the camp several times, speaking with the men on minor matters, and avoiding absolutely all talk of the com- ing day. Later m the evening they wrote letters. Within an hour after taps the heavy rumbling ■of artillery began to be heard. Five batteries, num- 'bering thirty guns, passed near the camp during the hours between midnight and four o'clock, and many a sleepless Trooper listened anxiously to the bump- ing, 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 de- scending in torrents. A few feeble glimmering lanterns supplied just enough light to show the rain-filled plates, in which bacon and potatoes floated uncon- cernedly about. Coffee was consumed in quantities that only Troopers know how to master ; and then, in 76 THE FIGHT THA T FAILED. the midst of the darkness and flood, feeding, sad- dling 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-be- draggled 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 o THE FIGHT THAT FAILED. 77 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 car- bine; 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. Without warning the sun came out in all its fury, and then occurred the phenomena, often wit- nessed 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 Hause, 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. Simul- 78 THE FIGHT THA T FAILED. taneous 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 sol- diers 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 com- pany 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 THE FIGHT THA T FAHED. 79 came upon Major General Brooke and his staff, stand- ing 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 open- ing 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 Siin, came over to inspect the cav- alry. He informed Captain Groome that Major Red- mond, 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 8o THE FIGHT THA T FAILED. 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 argu- ment 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, sit- ting 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 Neil- son and "Doug" Jacobs. Charlie Smith was invit- ing them all to lunch with him on the mountain where the Spaniards were encamped. Coulston and Wood- man 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 try- ing 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 near-by field a corps of field telegraph opera- THE FIGHT THAT FAILED. 8 1 tors 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 lieu- tenant 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 lieu- tenant, throwing down his carbine as the pent up disappointment and suspense in his heart sought ex- pression almost involuntarily. This forcible excla- mation, 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 82 THE FIGHT THA T FAH.ED. 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 Cap- tain Groome that General Brooke had given the mes- senger 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 offi- cer, a sergeant and six privates to establish an out- post 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, Straw- bridge, 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 84 AFTER THE BA TTLE. the officers were at a loss to know what to do. A handkerchief was too small and too frail, but sud- denly 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 con AFTER THE BATTLE. 85 tinually, but the discomforts were swallowed up in a sense of the responsibility felt by all on duty there. 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 con- sisted of a general and six aids. Captain Scott ad- vanced to meet the Spaniards, and was informed that the general carried a message for General Brooke. The Spaniard declined to entrust the message to Cap- tain Scott. Captain Groome was informed of the difficulty, and at once galloped back to the Ameri- can 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 re- tired. At eight o'clock the next day Lieutenant Ryan and a like detachment from H Troop relieved Lieu- tenant Browning. The next day Lieutenant Mc- Fadden, with Sergeant Bates, Corporal Butcher and (G) 86 AFTER THE BA TTLE. Privates Green, Newbold, Wilson, Fell, Woodman and Armstrong relieved the H men. The day fol- lowing, 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 Guay- ama, 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 use- less, and at times it was impossible to obtain dry gar- ments. 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, AFTER THE BA TTLE. 87 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. 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 dis- tance 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 after- noon. 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 88 AFTER THE BA TTLE. 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.— 'itxgtz.vX, 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. AFTER THE BA TTLE. 89 Left Squad. — ?x\vaits, 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 Sguad.—'StxgtanU^^WWam H. Hart; Privates, Robert Fell, William Farr, Samuel K. Reeves, Thomas J. Orbison, Samuel Goodman, Jr., Henry S. Godfrey, Clifford Pember- ton, Jr., Maitland Armstrong, George Wilson ; Corporal, Gustav A. Heckscher, Left Sqiiad.—?x\wa{ts, 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.— 'Stvgt2LX\{, William E. Bates ; Privates, Ed- ward 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. Cor- nell; Corporal, Henry C. Butcher, Jr. FOURTH PLATOON. Right 6"^«a^. — 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. QO AFTER THE BA TTLE. 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 clianged 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 be- came evident that for the first time there was a unanimous desire on the part of the City Troopers, AFTER THE BATTLE. 9^ 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 re- ceived 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 92 AFTER THE BA TTLE. 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 planta- tion 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 in- fected. The Captain had quite a consultation with vari- ous 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 oblivi- ous 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 rnanner. The second day began with a cool shower, which AFTER THE BA TTLE. 93 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 notice- able 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 cavalry- men. 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 g.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 innumer- able were sweeping through the field below the camp. Assembly was sounded, and in forty-five minutes tents were struck, bags packed, horses sad- dled, four wagons loaded, and the Troop moved out. When the tents were first pitched, it was the inten- tion of the Troopers to name the camp after Hugh Craig, Jr., but this idea was given up after the mes- 94 . AFTER THE BATTLE. sage 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 o.f 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 AFTER THE BATTLE. 95 sheds, roofed over with galvanized iron, looked ex- tremely 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 Sep- tember ist, 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 olit^icers at Ponce, and to embark the Troopers upon the trans- port "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 hol- sters. The Troopers were complimented upon the condition of their mounts, for they came out of the campaign much the best of any other horses, al- 96 AFTER THE BATTLE. though 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 morn- ing ; they were also rid of all the tugging on and off of lighters, transports and trains of saddles and equip- ments, 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 after- noon, 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 "Mississsippi." There, with blanket rolls AFTER THE BA TTLE. 97 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 demon- stration 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 pre- pared 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 tempera- ture, and the men had gained enough experience to 98 AFTER THE BA TTLE. 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 trop- ical 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. L.ofC. CHAPTER X. HOAIE 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 loth, 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 Philadel- phia cavalrymen were often obliged to smile at the airs which some of the members of the New York and Brook- lyn 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 Philadel- phia cavalrymen. When, through the mist, a tug was made out, with flags flying, approaching the "Mis- sissippi" 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 100 HOME AGAIN. first sound the Philadelphia Troopers became all at- tention, and a moment later the air of the Troop march — strains known to City Troopers for two gen- erations — 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 in- stinct 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 deafen- ing. HOME AGAIN. lOI 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 trans- port, followed by a whirlwind of affectionate greet- ings. Fathers proudly hugged their, brawny, dirt- stained sons ; chums and brothers shook each others hands off. Soon there came along another tug, and Gov- ernor Hastings and Major Richardson clambered over the rail amid loud cheers of the Pennsylvanians. And so the big reception went on until the "Missis- sippi" 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 in- vitation 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 102 HOME AGAIN. 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 para- graph by a reporter of reputation, who had been in Puerto Rico during the campaign : "In commissariat, general intelligence and knowl- edge 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 HOME AGAIN. 103 the sidewalks, and were only kept from the streets by ropes in charge of hundreds of policemen. 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 im- mediately 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 Re- ception 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 104 HOME AGAIN. 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 rela- tions 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, leav- ing 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 be- fore their muster-out, the Troopers participated in a HOME AGAIN. 105 number of interesting events. Several receptions and dinners were given in their lionor by individuals and clubs, and the one hundred and twenty-fourth anni- versary of the Troop's organization was celebrated. The cavalrymen took a leading part in the military parade, on the second day of the Jubilee Celebra- tion, 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 : Cap- tain General E. Burd Grubb, Captain Joseph Lapsley Wilson, Captain Edmund H. McCullough, First Lieu- tenant James Rawle, Second Lieutenant Major J. Ed- ward Carpenter, Second Lieutenant Frank E. Patter- son, 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 I06 HOME AGAIN. 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 fare- well 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 HOME AGAIN. 107 arrived. Six men were unable to be present because of sickness. Lieutenant B. F. Hughes, of tiie 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 dis- charge 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, how- ever, peace had existed since that day in August io8 HOME AGAIN. 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. i48 >',-*• -i-