Campaign of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry / April 25-November 11, 1898

nfantry 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 blo

endinning, Corporal Thayer and Privates S. and W. Goodman, Strawbridge, Wheeler, Mills and Ri

oment 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

ies, past the pickets, past the last infantry outpost, under a ridge dotted with Spanish sentries, the detachment, with the now historic napkin, went

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

A." GUAYAMA IN

ette for two hours and then rested four, throughout the day and night. Through field glass

aniards, 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

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

ed 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 w

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 k

EACH NEA

id not droop, and their eyes were without spirit. The change in men and beasts had come quickly, but until aft

imal had broken away and must be pursued was always hailed with

g, 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

f bathing, but under the wise guidance of their riders they soon were taught that waves would not hur

atoons. No drills were held, but, as a matter of record, the Roster of the Troop a

John C.

enant, Edwa

enant, J. Fr

T PL

Alfred Bright, Thomas Cadwalader, H. Percy Glendinning, Thomas Robb, Jr., Henr

iam I. Forbes, William West, Williams Biddle Cadwalader, Charles C. Brinton,

D PLA

el K. Reeves, Thomas J. Orbison, Samuel Goodman, Jr., Henry S. Godfrey, Clifford

rren Coulston, Jr., Charles Coates, James M. Rhodes, Jr., Francis C. Green,

D PL

oodman, C. King Lennig, Trenchard Newbold, Thomas Ridgway, Benjamin B. Rea

George L. Farnum, J. Clifford Rosengarten; Hospital Steward, William H. Cornell; Privat

H PLA

y C. Barclay, Reginald H. Shober, Francis L. Cramp, Carroll Hodge, H. Austin Smi

B. Duncan Smith, Bromley Wharton, Lightner Witmer, Frederick B. Neilson, Douglas

Ranson,

Newlin

e Kirk

Gibbons,

albustadt

Nilon, B

ter, B

er, R.

eant, John

eant, Robert

Sergeant, Dr.

ant, J. Wil

a number of large hospital tents, loaned by General Brooke's headquarters, which were occupied by six or seven men each, instead of the li

at 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,

even miles to Ponce was begun. This distance was to be made in two stages, as marching was slow at the best with skirmish

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 ve

ed 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 Engl

heir horses than they dropped off to sleep. Like dead men they lay in their blankets, totally oblivious of the swarms of mosquitoes which gathered abo

HE ROAD FROM G

g 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 t

nkets 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 ca

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

with galvanized iron, looked extremely inviting to the rain-soaked men. Blankets were spread on the top of lum

rest 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 F

pon halters, bridles, carbines, scabbards, sabers, pistols and holsters. The Troopers were complimented upon the condition of their mou

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

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

op on the deck below. This was pleasant all around, as the New York and Philadelphia Troopers we

ourse, 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

d 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

'clock, stables at 6.30, mess at 7, sick at 8, fatigue at 8.30, guard

throughout the entire trip. Guidons of each t

NDA C