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Image provided by: New York State Military History Museum
PAGE 8 THE RIO GRANDE RATTLER RIVER PATROL DUTY BY SIXTH DIVISION Thirty-three Per Cent of Regiments Now Doing BATTALIONS RELIEVED EVERY WEEK As a p a r t of the program of actual patrol duty and the guarding of the Rio G rande to prevent crossings, the D ivision Com mander has issued a new order concerning detached posts along j th e ' riv e r and in contiguous sectors.. Two sectors have been added to the territo r y under th e control of the 6th D ivision and the detached posts are in creased from tw o com p anies to a b a t talion, each relief doing d u ty fo r one w e ek before being replaced by a sep a r ate b a ttalio n from the same regim e n t. Th significant paragraphs of the Gen eral order as issued from D ivision H e a d q u a rters, follows. Headquarters Sixth Division, M cAllen, Texas, Nov. 1, 1916. G e n eral O rders No. 46. On N o v e m b er 3rd, the line of de tached posts established along the M ilitary Road from M ADERO to SA N JU A N HA C U iN D A by G. O. 37 these H e a d q u a rters, O ctober 14, 1916, w ill be extended on th e w e st one m ile east of PE N IT A S , and on the east to LA DO NNA CANAL. T o tal length of road covered as line of resistance about 28 miles, and of riv e r fro n t, as line of observation, about 52 miles. The river fro n t is divided into eight sectors, a squadron of cavalry and a b a ttalio n from each in f a n tr y regim e n t in the 1st and 3rd B rigades is detailed for the duty. Each B rigade Commander w ill a r range so th a t the M a c h ine Gun Com pany of one of his regim e n ts is con stan tly on or near the line of resist ance. In case one regim e n t is tem p o r arily detached for com b a t exercises or other duty, he w ill cover his three sec tors w ith the tw o rem a ining battalions. Each comm and w ill m a rch to and from its post as though in th e pres ence of an enemy. M a rch, cam p and outpost orders w ill be issued. Each Com manding O fficer, upon a r riving a t his statio n w ill get in touch w ith the com m anders of adjoining s t a tions. B rigade Com manders w ill decide all questions of ju r is d iction in th e ir own comm ands and w ill refer other such questions to these H e a d q u a rters. The Com m anding O fficer in each sector w ill su itably locate his com m and in one or more detached posts along the line of resistance. Each sector com m ander w ill e s tab lish an outpost form a tion th a t w ill e f fectively and appropriately cover his en tire sector by suitable outguards and patrols by day and night. A d v a n tage will be taken by every opportu to give his comm and as much instruction and train in g as possible. He w ill im press upon them the fa c t th a t th e ir w o rk, w h ile on these duties, is essen tially p r a c tical and th a t the situation is real and not assumed. Each sector com m ander w ill require the officers and enlisted men of his command to learn a few w o rds of Spanish. A sm all E n g lish-Spanish vo cabulary v/ill be found in the “ M a n ual of Non-com missioned O fficers and P r iv a tes of In f a n t r y of the O rganized M ilitia and V o lunteers of the U n ited S t a te s ,” pages 252-261. There are nu m erous other sm all books available fo r [ acquiring an elem e n tary know ledge of Spanish. The follow ing are given as ne.^essary for sentinels; E N G L ISH : H a lt! W ho goes there? SP A N IS H : Alto! Quien vive? PR O N U N C IA T IO N : A H L -to. Kee- A IN -V E E -veh. All crossings of the RIO GRA NDE R IV E R along our line of observation are now illegal, except a t th e H ID A L GO IM M IG R A T IO N CROSSING. Each detashed post com m ander w ill prevent illegal crossings or tra f f i c w ithin his sector. A n y person arrested w ill be sent a t once to the im m igration au th o r ities a t HID A L G O by suitable tran s p o r tatio n or by being tu r n e d over to successive com m anding officers en route. Prisoners w ill be treated cour teously and kindly. Each m o rning the riv e r bank w ill be carefully exam ined for evidence of crossing. Fords and crossings w ill be under constant observation. All roads and trails leading to the river wall be cov ered. Each sector com m ander w ill provide him self w ith a good m ap of his own sector and contiguous country. Im m e d iately upon tak in g station he w ill have a sketch (scale 6in to 1 mi) made of th a t portion of his sector one-half mile north or east of the M IL IT A R Y ROAD to the RIO G-RANDE R IV E R and clearly in d icatin g thereon all out guards, regular patrols and other dis positions. D e tached post and sector com m and ers will keep a diary show ing in detail the dispositions made, the num b er and kind of patrols, inform a tion received and in general containing a record of all m a tters of m ilitary value. In case of an a tt a c k by a sm all hos tile force, each regim e n t w ill support its own line and adjoining posts w ill support each other. In case of any large m o v em ent these H e a d q u a rters will have su f f icien t advance notice to give the necessary orders. Each detached post com m ander and each sector com m ander, upon being re lieved, w ill explain his sketch and diary to his successor, and w ill tra n s m it to him all orders and inform a tion p e r tain in g to the station. Upon jo in ing his regim e n t, he w ill forw a rd his sketch and a detailed w r itten report compiled from his diary, to these H e a d q u a rters, through channels. The troop:^ in each sector w ill be re lieved w e ekly in such rotatio n as w ill insure an equal distribution of th is class of duties am o n g the organiza tions of each regim e n t, or arm . All questions involving equipm ent to be used, ren tal of cam p sites, fuel, w a ter, tran s p o r tatio n , supply and m ed ical attendance w ill be handled by the regim e n tal commanders. R e g im e n tal com m anders w ill see th a t suitable defenses are prepared along th e ir respective lines, th a t the w o rks are of appropriate character and as progressive in construction as p r a c ticable, so th a t each relief w ill have its proportionate share of work, and in th is connection, the troops w ill be instru c ted in the m a k ing of gabions, fascines, hurdles, and other rev e ttin g m a teria], as described in the E n g ineer Field M a n u a l, pages 371 to 376. The outguards will also be given j)ractieal fiehl instruction in entrenching th e ir positions. See In f a n t r y D rill R e g u la tions, paragraphs 584 to 595. Each regim e n tal and organization com m ander w ill send to these H e a d quarters, a t least 24 hours in advance of a change, the designation of his new outpost detail, w ith the nam e of its commander. To m ake com p liance w ith the fore going more practicable, par. 3,G. O. 37 is am ended to read as follow s: The two com p anies a t each detached post on N o v e m b er 2nd m ay rem a in u n til re lieved by operation of this order. B rigade and R e g im e n tal com m and ers w ill m ake a t least one careful in spection of each b a ttalio n or detach m ent during its tour of outpost duty. The entire com m and is rem inded th a t m any in h a b itan ts of the B o rder are unacquainted w ith the English language and no one should be fired upon unless clearly iden tified as an eneiny. Com manding officers are strictly enjoined to tak e every p r e caution to prevent accidents which m ay result from excess zeal, over w rought im a g ination, or p a r tial id e n tification. In th is connection troops are cautioned th a t a t night ordi nary objects are frequently distorted ini a p p e a rance, floating logs and stum p s of trees resem b ling boats, men, etc. An aniinate object failin g to h a lt or an sw er when challenged, m ay prove to be an anim a l. The Com manding O fficer of the Sig nal B a ttalion w ill arrange for the com m u n ication of the detached posts w ith each other and w ith regim e n tal, b r ig ade and division heodquartcrs. The Com manding O fficer, 22nd New Y o rk E n g ineers is charged w ith keep ing all connecting roads in condition for quick m o v em e n ts; he w ill fre quently inspect the defences and make recom m e n d a tions to the detached post com m anders in case he considers any changes in construction of plans ad visable. H e w ill add to the progressive m ilitary m ap the data subm itted by the various detachm e n ts . The D ivision Surgeon w ill see th a t all proper san itary precautions are tak e n a t the various detached posts, and w ill have one am b u lance for em e r gency service stationed a t each of the headquarters of the OJO DE A 6 U A , HID ALGO and SA N JU A N H A C IE N DA SECTORS. The am b u lance person nel w ill be subsisted w ith the organiza tions a t the stations to which a tt a c h ed. The Com manding G e n eral, A r tillery B rigade, will prepare d a ta for prom p t ly covering the various crossings along the line of observation and for sup porting the defense of any sector th a t m ay be threatened w ith attack . Com manding O fficers of organiza tions m ay m o d ify the requirem e n ts as to periods of instruction in T r a ining M em o randum of O ctober 27th so th a t the course prescribed therein w ill be in terfered w ith as little as possible. By comm and of M a jor-G eneral O ’R v a n . H. II. BAN DHO L T Z , Colonel, Chief of S taff. Official. F r a n k lin W. W ard, M a jor, A sst. Chf. of S taff, Act. A d ju tan t. PSI UPSILON HOLDS BOEDER REUNION L a s t W e d n e sday evening was a live ly night for P h a r r , Texas. A c custom ed as they are to guardsm e n ’s demon stratio n s and form e rly to bandit raids, perhaps the inhab-itants m ight have becom e more or less sophisticated but the m em b ers of the P s i Upsilon F r a te r n i t y who gathered there on th a t eventful night, tau g h t the natives som thing new in the wmy of glee sing ing and ‘ ‘ to a s tin g the owl. ’ ’ The tim e — h a llow ed songs of this- venerable college fra t e r n it y w ere prob ably never sung w ith more' sp ir it and affection or in such strange surround ings. W ithin a few m iles of Mexico “ Come B rothers, and a Song W e ’ll S in g ” boomed out, upon the stilly night as i t had never resounded in any luxurious cha])ter-house up north and “ The Shrine S o n g ” carried its p o i g n a n t message to the coyotes and the M exicans. A round the long table in the P h a r r H o tel thirty-five bearers of the D ia mond ate and sang and, toasted in “ Psi U B e e r ” (m e rely a euphonious and fig u r a tiv e expression) the owl, the g a r n e t and gold, and the absent b r o th ers. In son^- and story wmre th e ir college and fra t e r n it y days brought back to these men in khaki who pledged qnew th e ir fealty to the brotherhood. They had gathered th e r e from various reg i m e n ts in the New' Y o rk D ivision and also from the M innesotta regim e n t at Llano G rande, which contributed its quota of three p r iv a tes and tw o lieu tenants. B u t arm y ranks w ere forgotten in th e “ f e a s t of reason and flow the soul” and shoulder straps rubbed against chevrons and plain O. D. sleeves in: a tru e frate r n a l gathering. L a ter on in the m o n th on F o u n d e r ’s^ D ay, a larger- banquet is planned which w'ill probably be attendetl by every m em b er of the frate r n it y , now serving; the colors along the* Rio Grande. noted throughout the entire camp. Quick er than it takes to w rite these words the entire:- regim e n t follow ed by the regim e n tal wagon train could be seen slowly w'inding its w'ay over the flat plain surrounding our O. D. con fines. The men wore full equipm e n t and the' entire m o v em ent sm acked of one of extrem e m ilitary im p o rtance. A b o u t ono'hour later other units of the brigade could be seen m o v ing off lik e wise, although it later turned out th a t i these units had received orders to more coincident w ith the Seventh. This regi m ent beat all the other u n its in line, and was the only one th a t moved out of its regim e n tal streets fully equipped to a m an. The record is one to boast of and. be- proud of. Four m o n ths of service- a t the Border, have rendered preparation for a m o v em ent such as last M o n d ay, purely m echanical, all de partm e n ts eo-operate, and efficiency has become, as alw ays, our slogan. R e g im e n ts m ay retu r n to New Y o rk and boast of B o rder service they have doaie, of daring deeds on the banks of the Rio-Gfainde, and other places, such as- th e im a g ination m ay conceive. It rem a ins, however, for the Seventh In fantry., as represented on the Border by Co; A and details from Co. B, to effect the- ffrst real capture of a p a r ty of M e x icans crossing the Rio Grande, a sh o r t'd istan c e above the outpost upon an im p rovised ra f t . The p a r ty was first discovered crossing a t 11:30 p. m. the evening of O ctober 31st by an out- st about 2% m iles above M adero. 7TH INFANTRY On M o n d ay m o rning, O c tober 30th,. there sounded com m a n d ing officers call follow ed by double tim e . The usual cries of “ W e ’re going hom e .” greeted th is call. A conference of a few m in utes- and unusual activ ity could be po The shrill w'histle signals of the sentry brought fo r th the entire outpost com posed of com p anies A and B. The o a r ty was at once apprehended, searched, and conveyed to the au th o r i ties at Ilidalgo. The m edical officer at th is tow n , refused to pass tw o of the liarty, and a f te r a close exam ination of the prisoners three were released and allow'ed to enter. T h is capture demon strated the conscientious m a n n e r in which our outposts undertake theii duties and carry out the tru s t imposed upon them w h en in the exercise of office. Besides capturing prisoners, versa tility w'as also shown in the precise m anner in w'hich the te n t floors, w'ith sides attach e d w e re moved out into the com p any streets on Nov. 1st. All were rem o v ed in exactly one h a lf hour. Some moved th e floors w ith the ten ts attached. Im p o r tan t discoveries were m ade when these floors left the founda tions they had occupied for over five weeks, and th e secret recesses existing betw een th e floors and ground were exposed to the- glaring sunlight. There w ere several peculiar looking b o ttles under the: floor of one ten t. They w e re n ’t W h ite Rock, Bevo, or Peruna. One m u st th in k of G. O. 7 in these tim es. In N e w Y o rk, th e tow n of our n a ti v ity , they are having house p a rties, th is tim e of year. The fu r n itu r e covers are off, th e m o th balls out of th e over coats, and th e card tra y duly polished. H e re in M cAllen, we gave as n e a r a house p a r ty as our fireside perm itted. On Nov. 3rd last, we en tertain e d as our distinguished guests our old friends and near neighbors, the 69th Regim e n t. The Seventh w a s received in th e a f t e r noon b}' Col. H a skell ,his staff officers and sergeants. A f ter the review , the officers of the 69th w ere escorted to the officers mess, and the non-commis sioned officers m arched down the R e g i m e n tal street, follow ing the field music -where the non-commissioned officers, of the Seventh R e g im e n t m et them and proceeded to en tertain in th e ir respec tive com p any streets. In the evening, all repaired to the platform rigged up in the rear of the Chaplains ten t, where an excellent perform a n c e w a s enjoyed as the result of the co-operation of the talen t of both companies. Col. F i s k e ’s address of welcome w h e rein he told of the long existing friendship and com m o n ideals of both m ilitary organiza tions, and his high praise for th e ir common ideals evoked much enthusias- ' tic applause. The ensuing- program m e was one of Celtic hum o r and brillliancy The past week has been one of ex trem e originality as fa r as drills are concerned. The m o rnings have been spent in estim a ting ranges for effective rifle fire. A targ e t is outlined and problem is to estim a te the distance of this object in yards. The w o rk has been interesting,' since estim a ting dis tance in th is fla t terra in has brought fo r th m any new problem s in range find ing. L t. Von Roeder has so fa r recovered from the in ju r y to his leg, t h a t he has undertaken a trip to M adero to cure all m a n n e r pf ills -which m ay arise at this outpost. The T h ird B a ttalio n composed of com p anies J. K . L & M. departed for M adero on Nov. 4th to relieve th e tw o com p anies there on B o rder duty, and to increase fu r t h e r the num b er of outposts all readyestab- lished at this place. L t. C lark of the T h ird Company has departed for N e w Y o rk on a 30 day leave of absence. Capt. Lucas, has likew ise departed on a 30 day leave of absence. The Seventh R e g im e n t Glee Club is now actively rehearsing for its first concert, and from the num b e r of men atten d in g and range of voices, it is expected th a t a very fine organization w ill be developed. All men in terested should atten d the rehearsals -which are announced a t the com p a n y form a tions. The R e g im e n tal baseball team added again to its laurels on N o v . 5th last, when i t defeated a team from Squadron A. P v t, Cunningham of Co. B received a broken finger in the gam e and was compelled to re tire before th e game w a s quite finished. The D a n s a n t recently held a t the arm o ry by th e L a d ies A u x iliary w a s a decided success, and one of the events of th e affair w a s a telegram from Me-; A llen by Col. F iske, expressing his w a rm appreciation fo r th e unselfish de votion of th is organization to a w o rthy cause. The arm o ry w a s literally . jam med to th e doors, and its financial 'suc cess exceeded th e g r e a test expectations. Form e r Capt. W h ite visited th e reg i m e n tal cam p last w eek, and his civi lian,, d ress topped o f f w ith a ,B o r d e r : h a t and 7th R e g im e n t h a t band was th e first seen by us in four m o n ths. N e x t W eek—a special cartoon L ieut. Gordon G rant. bv Mi • V-A-'A-V'V A.\': A i-. ^ .. 'h' ••tW ' a
