Part 5 (1/2)

Each day the horses had to be herded, and the tidings that an animal had broken away and must be pursued was always hailed with delight, as the chase was a welcome break in the slow camp life.

As there was a splendid beach about three miles from the camp at Guayama, and about the same distance from Arroyo, Captain Groome issued orders to the City Troopers for one platoon to bathe in the morning, each day, and a second platoon in the afternoon. At the beach the trees and foliage extended clear to the water's edge. In some places the water was deep right from the tree line, but there were three or four sand bars that extended way out, so that a bather could walk as far out in the water at some points as at Atlantic City. There was always a heavy surf at the beach, that made bathing a good sport.

It was also great fun to take the horses into the surf. At first the greys did not take kindly to surf bathing, but under the wise guidance of their riders they soon were taught that waves would not hurt them, and in some of the deep water places they quickly learned to take long swims with the Troopers.

In all their manoeuvres in Puerto Rico, the City Troopers were divided into four platoons. No drills were held, but, as a matter of record, the Roster of the Troop at this period of the campaign is here given, pa.s.sing from right to left in the line:

Captain, John C. Groome.

First Lieutenant, Edward Browning.

Second Lieutenant, J. Frank McFadden.

FIRST PLATOON.

_Right Squad._--Sergeant, Frederic Thibault; Privates, Frank Bower, Alfred Pardee, Alfred Bright, Thomas Cadwalader, H. Percy Glendinning, Thomas Robb, Jr., Henry J. Wetherill, T. Wallis Huidekoper, Edward Gregg; Corporal, J. Houston Merrill.

_Left Squad._--Privates, Edward E. Stetson, Charles Wheeler, Edward Rawle, William I. Forbes, William West, Williams Biddle Cadwalader, Charles C. Brinton, Frank A. Janney, James De Kay, Edward Cann; Corporal, Adolph G. Rosengarten.

SECOND PLATOON.

_Right Squad._--Sergeant, William H. Hart; Privates, Robert Fell, William Farr, Samuel K. Reeves, Thomas J. Orbison, Samuel Goodman, Jr., Henry S. G.o.dfrey, Clifford Pemberton, Jr., Maitland Armstrong, George Wilson; Corporal, Gustav A. Heckscher.

_Left Squad._--Privates, N. B. Warden, Stuart Wheeler, M. G.

Rosengarten, J. Warren Coulston, Jr., Charles Coates, James M.

Rhodes, Jr., Francis C. Green, John Conygham Stevens, John Zimmerman, Norman Risley; Corporal, Samuel Chew.

THIRD PLATOON.

_Right Squad._--Sergeant, William E. Bates; Privates, Edward Lord, Henry G. Woodman, C. King Lennig, Trenchard Newbold, Thomas Ridgway, Benjamin B. Reath, Carroll Smyth, James Starr, Edward Brooke; Corporal, George C. Thayer.

_Left Squad._--Privates, John Strawbridge, William E. Goodman, Jr., William G. Warden, Jr., George L. Farnum, J. Clifford Rosengarten; Hospital Steward, William H. Cornell; Privates, S. Frederick Mills, Francis Rawle, Edward B. Cornell; Corporal, Henry C. Butcher, Jr.

FOURTH PLATOON.

_Right Squad._--Sergeant, Charles H. Smith; Privates, George H.

McFadden, Jr., Harry C. Barclay, Reginald H. Shober, Francis L.

Cramp, Carroll Hodge, H. Austin Smith, Ward Brinton, Edward Rogers, Charles B. Lewis; Corporal, Francis A. Thibault.

_Left Squad._--Privates, Herman A. Denckla, Henry Drinker Riley, Edward C. Taylor, W. B. Duncan Smith, Bromley Wharton, Lightner Witmer, Frederick B. Neilson, Douglas H. Jacobs; Commissary Corporal, A. Mercer Biddle; Corporal, Alexander W. Wister, Jr.

Private Ranson, Farrier.

Private Newlin, Cook.

Private Kirk, Cook.

Private Gibbons, Saddler.

Private Halbustadt, Wagoner.

Private Nilon, Blacksmith.

Trumpeter, Brossman.