2d Dragoons

David.Gettman September 23rd, 2008

From:
ONE HUNDRED YEARS WITH THE SECOND CAVALRY
By Joseph I. Lambert, Major, Second Cavalry
Copyright 1939 Commanding Officer, Second Cavalry, Fort Riley, Kansas
Capper Printing Company, Inc.

Orders came to the Second Cavalry in the summer of 1884 to change station to the Division of the Pacific. In compliance with G.O. No. 33, War Department, April 17, 1884, Regimental Headquarters, Band, and Troops E, F, G, H, I, and L assembled at Fort Ellis, Montana, and then marched to Fort Missoula, Montana, where they were joined by Troop B, before proceeding to their new stations. Troops A, C, K, and M assembled at Helena, Montana, before being distributed to their new posts. Troop D exchanged station with Troop E, First Cavalry which was at Fort Boise, Idaho. The two troops exchanged wagon transportation at old Fort Hall and shipped their baggage by rail.

Before leaving the Department of the Dakota, General Terry wrote the following letter to the regimental commander, Colonel Hatch:

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF DAKOTA,
Fort Snelling, Minn., June 16, 1884

Sincerely yours,
(Signed) ALFRED H. TERRY
Brigadier-General, Commanding

The service required of the troops at their new stations was of the most peaceful kind. As the railroad and water transportation became more extensive, isolated posts were abandoned. In the Department of the Columbia, the principal posts where Indian hostilities were most likely to occur at this time were Forts Walla Walla, Spokane, and Coeur d’ Alene. In the summer, marches were made to unexplored areas and in the winter training was varied by having gymnastic drills and exercises.

In December 1884, the regiment was distributed to the new stations as follows:

Regimental Headquarters, Band, and Troops B, E, F, G, I, Fort Walla Walla, Wash.
Troops A, K, Presidio of San Francisco, Calif.
Troop C, Fort Bidwell, Calif.
Troop D, Boise Barracks, Idaho
Troop H, Fort Spokane, Wash.
Troop L, Fort Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Troop M, Fort Klamath, Ore.

• Post-Indian Wars 1884-1897
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David.Gettman September 22nd, 2008

From:
ONE HUNDRED YEARS WITH THE SECOND CAVALRY
By Joseph I. Lambert, Major, Second Cavalry
Copyright 1939 Commanding Officer, Second Cavalry, Fort Riley, Kansas
Capper Printing Company, Inc.

During the year of 1885, the Nez Perce Indians were returned from the Indian Territory to their old haunts in Idaho. There were rumors of threats of violence toward them by the white settlers for murders committed during the uprising of 1877. After arriving in the Department of the Columbia, the Indians were divided into two groups. Troop G, Lieutenant Lewis commanding, conducted one group to the Lapwai Reservation in Idaho, where they were soon absorbed among their friends and relatives. The other party, which included Chief Joseph, was escorted by Troop L, under Lieutenant Carleton, from Spokane Falls, Washington, to the Colville Reservation in Idaho. It was this troop which fought these Indians so valiantly at Camas Meadows, and now eight years later was protecting them against threats from the whites.

Lieutenant Henry T. Allen, Second Cavalry, left Vancouver Barracks, Washington, January 27, 1885, on an exploration to the unknown regions of Alaska. He was accompanied by Sergeant Cady Robertson, Troop E, and Private Fickett, Signal Corps. From Sitka they traveled to Nuchek and thence ascended the Copper River by canoes. Lieutenant Allen’s explorations in this region did much to increase the meager knowledge which existed concerning it at that time.

Troops A and K suddenly received orders in December, 1885, to depart for Arizona to assist in the pursuit of the Apache Indians. Although not with the expedition under Captain Lawton and Assistant Surgeon Leonard Wood, which finally brought about the surrender of Geronimo and his elusive band, the two troops of the Second Cavalry did valiant service in chasing the Indians to their lairs. The following are quotations from the Regimental Returns indicating the type of service at this time:

May 1886. Troop A. Remained in camp at Cochise Stronghold, Arizona, scouting the country for hostile Indians until May 18, when the troop left camp en route for Middle Pass, Dragoon Mountains, in search of Indians said to have killed one man near the pass. The troop found the trail of the Indians where the man was killed and followed it as far as High Creek, sixty-six miles, when it was relieved by Troop M, Fourth Cavalry.

Troop K. In the field employed during the month in scouting the Whetstone, Catalina, Arizona, Santa Rita, and Patagonia Mountains. Also, in Sonora, Mexico, in pursuit of hostile Indians. Marched 398 miles during the month.

After Geronimo was captured, the two troops returned to the Presidio of San Francisco, October 16, 1886. During this same year Troop M was moved from Fort Klamath, Oregon, to Fort Bidwell, California, where it arrived October 27. Troop L was transferred from Fort Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, to Fort Sherman, Idaho, in April 1887. During the fall of 1888, Troops G and M exchanged stations, G going to Fort Bidwell, California, and M to Fort Walla Walla, Washington.

• Post-Indian Wars 1884-1897
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David.Gettman September 21st, 2008

From:
ONE HUNDRED YEARS WITH THE SECOND CAVALRY
By Joseph I. Lambert, Major, Second Cavalry
Copyright 1939 Commanding Officer, Second Cavalry, Fort Riley, Kansas
Capper Printing Company, Inc.

The summer of 1889 was spent in making practice marches to unfamiliar regions of the Pacific Division of the army. Much of the country was unexplored at that time, so that the troops combined field duties with gathering information of areas not yet well known. During the year Troops E and L exchanged stations, E going to Fort Sherman, Idaho, and L to Fort Walla Walla, Washington. Troop H was transferred from Fort Spokane, Washington, to regimental headquarters at Fort Walla Walla. In April, Troop F took station at Vancouver Barracks, Washington, the headquarters of the Pacific Division. In October, this troop was transferred to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, at the station of the Infantry and Cavalry School.

G.O. No. 42, War Department, May 7, 1881, organized the school, and a regulation was soon published setting forth the curriculum. It was prescribed that there should be at least four troops of cavalry, four companies of infantry, and one battery of artillery stationed at the school. The instructions included military policy, strategy, tactics, geography, administration, campaigns and battles, military law, field fortification, signaling, mathematics, hygiene, and for the cavalry officers, equitation, hippology, and field service. The student body comprised one lieutenant from each regiment of cavalry and infantry to be selected by regimental commanders.

During the summer of 1890, the regiment exchanged stations with the Fourth Cavalry in Arizona, in compliance with G.O. 22, War Department. The Headquarters, Band, and Troops D, H, L, and M took station at Fort Lowell, Troops A and K at Fort Bowie, Troops B, C, G, and I at Fort Huachuca, and Troop E at San Carlos. After reaching the Department of Arizona, Troops L and M were made inactive in compliance with G.O. 79, War Department, and the officers and men assigned to other troops in the regiment. Troop L was later organized as an Indian troop so that the government would have in regular service sufficient scouts in case of an outbreak. Some of the troops were in the field for several months after reaching Arizona in pursuit of the Apache Kid, who with his followers murdered Sheriff Reynolds near Riverside on the Gila River. Continue Reading »

• Post-Indian Wars 1884-1897
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