Le Squadron A trouve son origine dans un club militaire
appelé 'The City Troop, New York Hussars', fondé le 6
Décembre 1884.
Ce club avait pour objet social l'entraînement militaire ("military
drill"), entraînement qu'il pratiquera à la Dickel's
Riding School, West Fifty-sixth Street, le vendredi soir.
Début 1885, le Captain Spencer, U.S.Army, sera engagé
comme instructor in tactics.
Le 22 février 1885 déjà, le New York Times laisse
entendre que les New York Hussars seraient sur le point de
demander leur admission au sein de la Garde Nationale - avec
l'assentiment du General Alexander Shaler, First Division
Commander.
C'est que le besoin d'unités de Cavalerie se faisait sentir au
sein de la Garde Nationale de l'Etat de New York - qui n'en disposait plus
depuis 1877.
Le New York Times rapporte le 4 Septembre 1886 que nos
cavaliers, connus maintenant sous le nom de First Hussars,
se comptent entre 30 et 40 et demanderont leur admission dans la
Garde Nationale de l'Etat dès que leur Registre Matricule
comptera 51 membres.
C'est finalement le 2 Avril 1889 que les Hussars forment la
Troop A, intégrée à la Garde Nationale de l'Etat de New
York.
Elle est commandée par le Captain Charles F. Roe,
retraité de la Cavalerie de l'U.S.Army, ancien de West Point et
vétéran des Guerres Indiennes - qui insufflera une bonne dose
d'expérience et de discipline aux gentlemen qui la
rejoignent.
Le 29 Avril suivant, la Troop A fera sa première
apparition dans les rues de New York, équipée, en armes et en
uniforme (alors très fonctionnel, la tenue à la hussarde ayant
été remisée).
William David Judson est né le 22 Septembre 1870 à New-York.
1894.
Il rejoint la Troop A comme private le 10 Avril
1894.
C'est exactement trois mois plus tard, le 10 Juillet, que fut
posée la première pierre de l'Armory, son futur quartier
général, à l'angle de Madison Avenue et de la 94th Street.
1895.
En Janvier 1895, la Troop A interviendra à l'occasion des
émeutes qui accompagnèrent la grève des traminots de Brooklyn -
patrouillant les rues pendant dix jours dans le blizzard.
La capacité des troupes de cavalerie à maîtriser les émeutes y
fut particulièrement remarquée, et les effectifs augmentés - le
4 Mars 1895, la Troop A devenait le Squadron A,
formée de deux Troops, 1 et 2 - le tout sous le
commandement du maintenant Major Roe.
Judson sera affecté à la Troop 2 (Captain
badgley) le 5 Mars.
C'est donc le Squadron A qui investira le 7 Juin 1895
son emblématique quartier général de l'Armory, au
frontispice de laquelle est gravée sa devise "Boutez en
avant" (en Français dans le texte).
1896.
L'année 1896 vera l'adoption de la grande tenue à la hussarde
par le Squadron A ; le New York Times annonce dans son
édition du Mercredi 20 Septembre :
"Drills in Squadron A will commence on
Monday evening, Oct. 5, with Troop 1, Capt. Oliver B. Bridgman,
drilling on Monday and Tuesday evenings, and Troop 2, Capt. Howard
G. Badgley, drilling on Thursday and Friday evenings. One-half of
each troop will drill on its respective night. The annual meeting
of the squadron will be held on Thursday evening, Oct. 1.
The application of Major Roe for permission for the squadron to
adopt a distinctive full-dress uniform has been approved y Adjt.
Gen. McAlpin, and the squadron will be equipped with the new
uniform at once, which will be worn in future parades and affairs
of ceremony. The new uniform, which is of hussar pattern, will be
very attractive."
Cette année encore, le Squadron A est augmenté d'une Troop
3 (Captain Latham G. Reed) le 5 Décembre - le nouvel uniforme
aura-t-il procédé d'un recrutement fructueux ?
Judson est nommé artificer peu après, le 22
décembre.
1897.
Le nouvel uniforme du Squadron A sera remarqué l'année
suivante, lors du service d'escorte fourni lors de la réception
du Président McKinley fin Avril 1897. Le New York Times du 27
Avril rapporte : "They were in their new uniforms, which
are of a Hussar pattern, of navy blue, with orange trimmings".
Mais l'activité classique d'une unité de la Garde Nationale
reste les séances d'entraînement, comme le rapporte le New York
Times le Mercredi 9 mai 1897 :
"SHOOTING AT CREEDMOOR
A Stiff Breeze Played Havoc with Some of
the Men Who Had Entered.
SHOWING OF SQUADRON A
Over Two Hundred of
the Troopers Turn Out for Practice - Twenty-third Regiment Men
Also Test Their Skill.
A stiff little breeze yesterday morning and in the latter part of
the afternoon played havoc with the efforts of some of the
aspirants for marksmanship honors at Creedmoor, but otherwise it
was an ideal day for shooting. Not a cloud dimmed the bright azure
of the May sky, nor were the rays of the sun too piercing to make
it at all uncomfortable for the boys in blue. Two hundred and
thirty men of Squadron A, comprising Troops 1, 2, and 3 of New
York's pet cavalry, and 222 men of the Twenty-third Regiment,
Brooklyn's "ours", turned out for practice, and
acquitted themselves to the entire satisfaction of their officers.
Troop 3 of the squadron is composed virtually of recruits, as its
members only enlisted last Fall, but they did quite well,
considering their lack of practice. The individual score and
summary follows :
|
SQUADRON A.(...)
RIFLE SHOOTING. (...)
TROOP TWO.(...) |
200 Yards |
300 Yards |
Total |
|
Artificer W.D.Judson |
4 4 3 3 4-18 |
3 5 3 4 3-18 |
-36 |
C'est cette année là que l'artificer
William David Judson se fera faire ce beau portrait par la maison
Anderson.
1898.
En début d'année un article paraît le 23 Janvier dans le New
York Times, qui nous décrit la vie du Squadron A ; en
voici des extraits:
"SQUADRON "A"
"BOUTEZ EN AVANT."
(...) The armory has its main front on the east side of Madison
Avenue, occupying a frontage on that avenue of about 201 feet and
extending back 104 feet on Ninety-fourth and Ninety-Fifth Streets to
where it joins the Eighth Regiment Armory. The two armories, which
together occupy an entire block, have the appearance of one
building, constructed externally in the architectural style known as
the Scottish Baronial.
The construction is of brick laid in red mortar, with trimmings of
Lake Superior sandstone and terra-cotta. The concrete basement
containns the stable, saddle room and a pistol range 200 feet long.
The stable is commodious, light, and airy, with wide aisles and so
much unoccupied space outside its hundred stalls that its eighty-od
horses might be doubled without crowding the capacity of the great
room.
Directly above the stable is the riding hall, 197x87 feet,
surrounded by galleries for spectators and rising through the centre
of the building to the roof of glass and iron, through which it
receives air and light.
The main entrance to the armory is on Madison Avenue, and the exit
for the squadron is on Ninety-fourth Street, which is on a level
with the south end of the riding hall. The space between the riding
hall and the Madison Avenue front is taken up by the stairways, the
Quartermaster's, the doctor's, and the armorer's quarters.
On the north and south sides of the armory are pavilions about 50
feet wide, extending the depth of the building from east to west,
and forming second and third stories. The second story of the south
pavilion contains the rooms of the officers and non-commissioned
officers ; also locker, bath, and toilet rooms. The third story of
the same pavilion is the gymnasium, complete with all the modern
appliances for physical development.
A meeting room, with cloak and ladies dressing rooms, occupies the
main space on the second story of the north pavilion, while above it
are the troop kitchen and living apartments for janitor and armorer.
Monday, Wadenesday and Thursday nights are devoted to troop drill.
The cadet corps, composed of young men from seveteen to eighteen
years old, occupies the riding hall on Friday evenings, and the
recruits on Tuesday evenings.
Each troop numbers seventy-five men, and large as the riding-hall is,
only half that number can be exercised to advantage at one time in
mounted evolutions. For this reason one-half of the troop is drilled
on foot, or in the manual of the sabre, while the other half is
engaged in the mounted drill, and then an exchange is made. The
cadet corps of recruits each numbers something under forty members,
so that the thirty-five horses owned in common by the squadron are
ample to mount as large a body of troopers as is desirable to drill
in the riding hall at one time. Besides these animals are forty-five
private horses in the stable, and such arrangements are maintained
with the riding schools that in a case of emergency the entire
squadron could be mounted in two hous from the time a summons
reached the armory. The recruits are a body corresponding in some
respect to the waiting list in a club, but differing from such
candidates in the fact that they are already in the vestibule and
only waiting for full membership. If a number of one of the troops
should die or be permanently injured in the riding hall, so as to
necessitate resignation, a recruit would be sworn in immediately to
fill the vacancy.
The organization resembles a club in other social customs. "Smokers"
and entertaiments for various purposes are held from time to time in
its assembly room and outside of their homes. The readng hall is
always free to members of the organization. For business the
Squadron confines itselfto the State uniform, but on special
occasions of parade it appears in amore showy dress consisting of a
sky-blue tunic with black frogging and shoulder knots and yellow
collar and cuffs ; the hat, a fur busby with black pompon and
pendant yellow top, the trousers of sky-blue with broad yellow
stripes terminating in troop boots. The men are armed with sabres,
Springfield repeating carbines, and Colt's revolvers.
The creation and maintenance of Squadron "A" is alike
honorable to the officers who are in command and to the enthusiastic
young men who constitute its rank and file. The squadron is a credit
to the city and to the State, and belongs emphatically to the new
order of the National Guard, whoich exists no longer for ornament,
but for use. The officers of the squadron are :
Field and Staff-Major, Charles F.Roe, commanding ; First Lieutenant
and Adjutant, John L. Holly ; First Lieutenant and Quartermaster,
Louis V.O. Donohue ; First Lieutenant and Commissary, Guilford Hurry
; First Lieutenant and Inspector of Rifle Practice, Reginald H.
Sayre, M.D. ; Captain and Surgeon, Thomas H. Allen ; First
Lieutenant and Assistant Surgeon, Medwin Leale ; Captain and
Chaplain, the Rev. D.Parker Morgan, D.D.
Line Officers-
Troop One-Captain, Oliver B.Bridgman ; First
Lieutenant, Henry W.Williams ; Second Lieutenant, Arthur W. Corning.
Troop Two-Captain, Howard G. Badgley ; First Lieutenant, Frederic
R.Coudert ; Second Lieutenant, Louis M. Greer.
Troop Three-Captain, Lathamm G. Reed ; First Lieutenant, Herbert
Barry ; Second Lieutenant, Philip C. Sus."
Cette année là, Judson participe de l'organisation de la cavalcade
annuelle du Squadron A dans leur fief de l'Armory :
"The annual mounted tournament of Squadron A
will be held at the armory on Tuesday evening, March 1, when Major
Roe's efficient cavalrymen will show their skill and daring in the
following events : 1. riding double ; 2, low reach at a gallop ; 3,
tug of war mounted ; 4, pointe race ; 5, team wrestling ; 6, novelty
race ; 7, rough riding class ; 8, head cutting, with hurdles ; 9,
mêlée. Th eentries will close on Feb. 15, and the committee in
charge is Sergt. Maclay and Private Dominick of Troop 1, Corp.
H.C.Smith and Artificer Judson of Troop 2, and Sergt.
Frelinghuysen and Corp. Ward of Troop 3."
Il s'y distinguera d'ailleurs :
"RODE LIKE DON COSSACKS.
Squadron A's Troopers Gave an Exhibition of Rough Riding at Their
Armory.
FEATS OF SKILL AND DARING
The Cavalrymen Stood at Full Tilt in Their Stirrups-Contests at
Which Many were Unhorsed but Unhurt.
Few of the spectators who witnessed the annual games of Squadron A
at the squadron's armory, Ninety-fourth Street and Madison Avenue,
last night ever had the good fortune to see the wild rivers of
Russia, the Don Cosacks, who, having been accustomed to the saddle
from early childhood, seem when they are matured and in the service
of the Czar to be perfect Centaurs. Most of the spectators, though,
had read of the fierce Cossacks, of their wild charges while
standing erect in their short stirrups, and of the numerous feats of
horsemanship ascribed to them.
The evolutions last night of the rough-riding class of the squadron
recalled those tales of the Russian riders, for Capt. Bridgman's men
have been trained in all the arts of the wild horsemen, and they
stood erect in the stirrups, and were apparently as much at ease as
if they sat a Mexican saddle. (...)
The novelty race, which was won by Artificer Judson, was the
most laughable affair of the entertainment. Four of the troopers
each deposited a dress-suit case, a high hat, and an umbrella at one
end of the ring, and then returned to the other end and mounted
their horses at the word of command. their object was to reach the
dress-suit case and carry it to the other end of the ring, where
they were to open it, don the nightshirt it contained, and then
returned to the other end of the ring and carry the hat and the open
umbrella back to the starting point. All four succeeded in donning
the shirt, but only two succeeded in carrying the open umbrella back
safely. The latter would catch the wind, and almost draw the rider
form his horse. (...)"
Judson sera promu Corporal le 25 Avril.
Quelques jours plus tard c'est l'annonce de la Guerre entre les
Etats-Unis et l'Espagne - le gouvernement fera appel à des
volontaires de la Garde Nationale pour l'intervention de Porto Rico.
Le New-York Times nous relate dans son édition du 29 Mai cet
épisode majeur dans la vie du Squadron A :
"(...) When the request was made for a poll
as to how many men in the would volunteer for service in the army
for two years, between 90 and 95 volunteered, every man's name being
listed and forwarded to general headquarters, who later decided to
accept one troop out of the three in Squadron A and Troop C of
Brooklyn. In order to make the selections in Squadron A each of the
three troop commanders put the names of his men in a hat. There were
eighty-four men to be chosen all told. This left twenty-eight to a
troop, and the names drawn out from the hat were the men selected.
Capt. Howard G. Badgley being senior officer had the choice, and
took command of the volunteer troop, and Capt. Bridgman being second
senior was left in command of the squadron. All the non-commissioned
officers in the troop now in the field will be given their old
places in the squadron on their return."
La Troop A, New York Volunteer Cavalry
voguera pour Ponce à bord du transport Massachussets le 3
Août, et servira notamment d'escorte au General Miles. Elle
quittera Porto Rio à bord du transport Mississipi le 3
Septembre suivant, rejoignant New York le 10. Ses membres se verront
accorder un congé de 60 jours avant d'être libéré du Service le
28 Novembre 1898.
Il ne semble pas que Judson ait fait partie de
l'expédition ; si le Deke Quarterly (revue du Delta Kappa
Epsilon, une fraternité à laquelle il appartenait) de 1899
indique qu'il servit à Porto Rico au sein de la Troop A,
ceci n'est pas mentionné dans ses états de Service annexés au
très officiel "Annual Report of the Adjutant General"
de 1909.
1899.
Le Squadron A organisera des jeux à l'été 1899, comme relaté
le 9 Juin par le New York Times :
"SQUADRON A IN CAMP.
Field Games Held - Major Bridgeman Receives the Troop.
PEEKSKILL, N.Y., June 8. -The field games of Squadron A were held
this afternoon. This morning the troopers went through the usual
drills, and, as the weather was much more comfortable than the
previous days, there was considerable improvement in the work of the
soldiers. All the morning trains from New york brought visitors to
camp, and when the games began this afternoon at 3 o'clock there was
a large crowd on hand. Corporal Judson won the head-cutting
competition, the tent-pegging contest, and the novelty race. The
potato race was won by Trumpeter H.E. Holt, who also captured the
low reach at gallop. Sergt. Wright won the hurdle race.
During the afternoon Major Bridgeman held an afternoon tea at his
tent and received the members of the squadron and the visitors.
During the tea he wore a handsome gold-mounted sword, which was
presented to him at nooon by members of his old troop, Troop 1. The
presentation speech was made by Capt. Camon.
Cl. Holly is erecting a crematory in the valley south of the
pumphouse for the disposal of all vegetable matter and refuse of the
camp. The officer of the day to-morrow will be Capt. Reed. Lieut.
Barry will be officer of the guard."
William D. Judson est promu Sergeant le
lendemain, 9 Juin 1899.
1900.
En Avril 1900, le Squadron A reprendra du service pour museler la
grève des carriers du barrage de Croton sur la rivière Hudson.
Ces opérations de maintien de l'ordre furent dirigées par le
Major-General Roe, ancien commandant du Squadron A, et commandant la
Garde Nationale de l'Etat de New York depuis Fécrier 1898.
On retrouvera William D. Judson aux manœuvres de
Mai 1900 à Creedmoor, ainsi que le relate le New-York Times le 6
Mai : "SQUADRON A AT PRACTICE;
Cavalry Organization's Scores on the Range
at Creedmoor.
MAJOR GENERAL ROE ATTENDS Skirmish Firing Engaged In
for the First Time According to a New Regulation.
Squadron A engaged in target practice at Creedmoor Range yesterday.
Major Gen. Roe was on the range during the afternoon and watched
the practice. Skirmish practice is the name of a new requirement
that has been placed in the regulations governing target practice
and which was tried for the first time yesterday. (...)"
W.D.Judson y est un des cinq Sergeants de la Troop 2 :
200 Yards 300 Yards
Total
4 3 2 4 3-16 3 2 4 4 3-16- 32
1901.
William D. Judson est présent aux habituelles manœuvres de
Creedmoor :
May 5, 1901, Wednesday :
"SHOOTING AT CREEDMOOR; Squadron A Marksmen Occupy the Range in
Class Practice. Skirmish Run Was Again the Feature of the Day -
All Shooters Qualified as Marksmen.
CREEDMOOR, May 4. -- Squadron A.N. G.N.Y., occupied the range
to-day, under the command of Major O.B. Bridgman. There were about
225 officers and men present of whom all qualified as marksmen.
The weather was quite favorable in the forenoon, but a stiff wind
came up in the afternoon, rendering it rather difficult at the
long ranges (...)"
Ses résultats (au fusil) :
200 Yards 300 Yards
Total
4 3 4 4 4-19 4 3 3 3 3-16- 35
1902.
William D. Judson est promu first Sergeant le 27 Mai.
En décembre, il offre un trophée pour un
challenge de tir au sein de sa Troop (New York Times,
8 Décembre 1902) :
"William D. Judson of Squadron A has
presented a silver loving cup to the members of Troop 2 for
competition In pistol and carbine practice for the purpose of
encouraging and stimulating Interest In shooting. The cup will be
competed for annually, and when won three times by the same man,
not necessarily in succession, it will become his permanent
property. The conditions under which the shoot will be conducted
are : The trooper making the making the best aggregate of three
scores at 30 yards with the pistol during the months of November,
December, and January, and the Best aggregate score of three
strings of 15 shots each with the carbine at 100, 200 and 300
yards during the months of February, March, and April, will be
judged the winner and have his name inscribed on the cup together
with his score. The scores with the carbine must be made
consecutively, beginning at 100 yards, and on the same evening.
Competitors must practice at least once each month, and the
highest score in each month will be counted."
1903.
Le 23 Mai, William D. Judson fait partie des spectateurs qui
utilisent le Coach (attelage) régimentaire pour assister
au match de polo qui oppose deux équipes du Squadron A sur
le terrain du Van Cortlandt Park.
1904.
William D. Judson accède à l'épaulette. Dix ans après avoir
intégré le régiment, il est promu first Lieutenant le 31
Mars.
1905.
Cette année là le Squadron A participe à l'Inauguration
du Président Roosevelt, fournissant le service d'escorte
personnel du Président lors de sa parade d'investiture :
"Report of Major Oliver B. Bridgman, Squadron
"A," N. G., N. Y.,
on the Service of His Command at the Inauguration of President
Roosevelt, March 4, 1905.
HEADQUARTERS SQUADRON A, NATIONAL GUARD, N. Y., MADISON AVE. AND 94th
ST.,
NEW YORK, March 10, 1905.
Adjutant-General, State of New York, Albany, N. Y.:
Sir—In accordance with the request to President Roosevelt, which
was approved by General Headquarters, and accepted by the President,
Squadron "A" acted as his personal escort on the occasion
of the inauguration ceremonies at Washington, D. C., Saturday, March
4, 1905.
Breakfast was arranged for at the armory on Friday morning, March
3rd, at 6.30. Boots and saddles was sounded at 7 o'clock; assembly,
7.30; Adjutant's call, 7.45. The Squadron, including the band of 18
pieces, consisted of 194 horses and men. Each man was allowed a suit
case for his full dress uniform and the tin box for his busby. These
were sent down on the wagons under charge of the Quartermaster's
detail and a guard, loaded on the baggage car, just ahead of the
arrival of the Squadron, which left its armory at 8 o'clock, and
preceded by the mounted band, marched down Fifth Avenue to 25th
Street, then west to the 24th Street ferry house of the Pennsylvania
Railroad, where boats were taken to Jersey City, where "trains
were waiting. Upon arrival in Jersey City, two trains wom rnade up.
as follows: Train No. 1 consisted of one baggage car, ns Palace
Horse Cars and .two passenger coaches. All the luggage of the
Squadron and the horse equipments, packed in the kit bags, as soon
as removed from the horses, were put in the luggage car of this
section. The portion of the Squadron assigned to this section was as
follows: The commanding officer and staff, the non-commissioned
staff, Troop I and half of the band. Train I was made up of five
Arms Palace Horse Cars and three passenger coaches; and the balance
of the Squadron, consisting of Troops 2 and 3, the Hospital Corps
and half of the band, were assigned to this section.
The first section left Jersey City at 11.50 and the second section
about 12.45. The delay in leaving the Pennsylvania station was
occasioned by the inadequate facilities for loading horses. The
first section arrived in Washington about 9 o'clock that evening,
but owing to the congestion of the freight yards horses were not
unloaded and saddled ready to leave the station before 11.30 p. m.
The second section arrived before the first section had been
unloaded, and they left the station about one hour later. The
Squadron marched in two sections from the freight yards of the
Pennsylvania Road to the stables engaged for the use of the Squadron
horses during the stay in Washington, corner D and 14th streets,
about three miles from the station. After all the horses were
unsaddled and equipments put away and stable inspected, the men were
marched to the quarters in the Marcus Notes Furniture Building,
corner D and 9th streets, N. W., where three floors had been engaged,
arriving there about 2 a. m., Saturday, March 4th. Horses and men
were all in good condition. Reveille was sounded at 6 a. m., March
4th, after which the men were permitted to leave the quarters for
breakfast; Assembly was sounded at 7.30 at the quarters, when the
Squadron was marched to the stables; boots and saddles was sounded
at 8 o'clock; assembly at 8.30; Adjutant's call, 8.45.
Owing to our late arrival in Washington, no positive orders had been
received from the Grand Marshal's office by the commanding officer
as to what time he was expected to report at the White House, but
the day before leaving New York he telegraphed Captain Ramsey of the
Grand Marshal's staff, asking for any information as to the hour he
would be expected to report with his command. Captain Ramsey replied
promptly, stating that the Squadron would be expected to report on
Pennsylvania Avenue, left resting on 15th street. at 9 o'clock a. m.
Previous to the assembly being sounded on March 4th, I endeavored to
get the official information by telephone, and finally drove to the
War Department, where I received a copy of the order at twenty
minutes before 9; drove immediately back to the stables where the
Squadron was in waiting mounted ; immediately took up the march to
the White House, arriving there at exactly 9 a. m. We remained there
until the President entered his carriage, ready for the drive to the
Capitol, when the Squadron formed "platoon front" and,
preceded by the band, marched at the head of the President's
carriage down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol, where it remained
until after the ceremonies incident to the inauguration had taken
place, when it again formed in the same position and took up the
line of march back to the White House. As per instructions from the
Grand Marshal, upon reaching the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and
15th Street, the Squadron was broken into column of fours and took
up a brisk trot, turned into the White House grounds, where it
remained in rear of the reviewing stand until after the procession
had passed, which was not until 6.30 that afternoon, after which it
was immediately marched back to the stables, horses unsaddled and
the men formed and marched to their quarters, arriving there about
7.20 p. m., when they were excused until the following morning when
reveille was sounded at 6.30 a. m. (March 5). After breakfast and
packing the equipments, etc., wagons were loaded with the baggage of
the Squadron, men then marched to the stables, and the Squadron
formed, mounted and marched down Pennsylvania Avenue to the special
train in waiting. Horses were loaded and trains made .up in the same
manner as on the trip to Washington from New York. The two sections
left within a half hour of each other, the first section leaving at
one o'clock p. m., and the second section at 1.30. The first section
arrived in Jersey City at 9.15 p.m. and the second section at 10.15.
The horses were unloaded, but the inadequate facilities, and the
yard not being lighted, made the work slower than it would have been
under ordinary circumstances. Each section, upon its arrival,
marched direct to the armory, east through 24th Street, and up 5th
Avenue, the first section arriving at about 12.45 Monday morning,
March 6th, and the second .section about one hour later. All the
horses and men were in excellent condition, and considering that
this is about the largest number of horses and men taken out under
one command for any such distance, and the hours the men were
obliged to keep, and the work done in these two days, it was a
severe test on the endurance of both horses and men. Attached hereto,
please find a copy of letter from the Chief of Staff, Inaugural
Parade.
Respectfully, OLIVER B. BRIDGMAN, Major.
Le rapport annuel de l'Adjutant-General nous
renseigne sur l'état et les activités du régiment :
"CAVALRY.
Squadron A: The character of the men is excellent. Their knowledge
of military affairs, and the efficient manner in which they turned
out for inspection reflects great credit on the squadron commander
and his officers, and shows a zealous desire on the part of every
member of the squadron to make the organization a military one in
every sense of the word. I believe the squadron would do excellent
service in case of domestic emergencies."
| Organization |
Station |
Special
Inspection
1905. |
Number
of practice marches, Drills, and Days in Camp of
Instruction |
Rifle
practice figure of merit. |
Armed,
uniformed and equiped. |
Conformity
to United States Army organisation |
| Officers |
Enlisted men |
Total |
Per cent absent |
Practice
marches. |
Camp of
instruction (days) |
Drills. |
Cavalry:
Squadron A-
Headquarters
Hospital Corps
First Troop
Second Troop
Third Troop |
New York
New York
New York
New York
New York |
9
......
3
3
3 |
11
9
72
72
72 |
20
9
75
75
75 |
5.00
0.00
2.66
9.33
6.66 |
10
......
......
......
...... |
b10
10
10
10
10 |
29
28
28
27
29 |
......
......
57.0
59.8
63.8 |
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes. |
No.
No.
No.
No.
No. |
| Total |
|
18 |
236 |
254 |
5.90 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| b
Squadron A furnished 73 officers and enlisted men in
the maneuvers at Manassas, Va. |
At
the inaugural ceremonies of President Roosevelt at Washington, D.C.,
on March 4, under special orders from this office, Brigadier-General
George Moore Smith, commanding officer, First Brigade,was detailed
to command the provisional brigade, which was composed of the
following organizations, who volunteered their attendance, entirely
at their on expense, and without any expectation whatever of
reimbursement from the State."
William D. Judson sera promu Captain le 9
Novembre. Il commande maintenant la Troop 2.
En 1910, Judson
sera toujours Captain - le plus ancien dans le
grade au sein du Squadron A.
Il décèdera en Janvier 1943 à l'âge de 72 ans.
Parallèlement à son activité de au sein de la Garde Nationale,
William Judson sera actif dans le commerce de textile, au sein
notamment de la firme Parker & Wilder qu'il rejoint en 1897.
|
