WE WERE GETTING READY FOR A WEEK END MARCH INTO THE BOON DOCKS AND TRY TO CAPTURE THE BLUE ARMY.
WE HAD ARRIVED AT OUR FIRST NIGHTS CAMP. THE USUAL THINGS HAD TAKEN PLACE. GETTING THE HORSES TO THE PICKET LINE, FEEDING THEM, THEN FEEDING OURSELVES.
AT THIS POINT I MUST EXPLAIN A FEW THINGS ABOUT OUR OUTFIT, WHICH WE ALL THOUGHT WAS THE BEST.
THERE WAS TWO TROOPS FROM DETROIT, ONE FROM ALMA MICH AND ONE FROM SOUTH HAVEN, MICHIGAN. THEN THERE WAS A LARGE UNIT FROM CHICAGO WHICH WAS CALLED THE BLACK HORSE TROOP.
THE BLACK HORSE TROOP NEEDS AN EXPLANATION IN ITSELF. IT ORIGINALLY WAS FORMED OF MOSTLY WEALTHY MEN FROM THAT AREA AND WAS USED TO WELCOME PRESIDENTS AND KINGS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. EACH MAN HAD TO PURCHASE ALL HIS EQUIPMENT.
IT WAS ALSO THE ONLY MOUNTED BAND IN THE COUNTRY AT THAT TIME. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL THING TO WATCH.
WELL AS TIME WENT ON AND I DON'T KNOW THE REASON BUT THE BLACK HORSE BECAME A PART ON THE NATIONAL GUARD.
THE WAY THE BAND WAS FORMED WAS SOMETHING LIKE THIS. EACH MEMBER OF THE BLACK HORSE TROOP HAD TO PURCHASE HIS OWN MOUNT AND EQUIPMENT. THEIR UNIFORMS WERE VERY ORNATE. HIGH LEATHER BOOTS ABOVE THE KNEE,SILVER HELMETS,SABERS, LANCES AND MUCH MORE THEY WERE SOMETHING TO VIEW.
NOW FOR THE BLACK HORSE BAND.EACH BAND MEMBER WAS SPONSERD BY A MEMBER OF THE TROOP. A BLACK HORSE AND ALL THE EQUIPMENT WAS PURCHASED BY A MEMBER OF THE BLACK HORSE TROOP AND IN TURN WHEN THE BAND MEMBER WASN'T DOING BAND WORK HE ACTED AS THE ORDERLY FOR THE TROOPER WHO SPONSORED HIM.
NOW WITH ALL THIS IN MIND I'LL START MY STORY. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE CAMP SITE AS I EXPLAINED ABOVE THE FIRST THING IS TO TAKE CARE OF THE NEEDS OF THE HORSE, THEN YOUR OWN NEEDS AND IF TIME PERMITS PITCH YOUR PUP TENT AND FALL INTO THE SACK. THAT'S WHAT WE HAD TO DO..A LOT OF WORK.
YOU MUST PICTURE THIS SCENE. YOUR DOING ALL THESE THINGS AND YOU GAZE OVER TO THE AREA WHERE THE BLACK HORSE TROOP IS CAMPED AND LOW AND BEHOLD THERE ALL SITTING AROUND LAUGHING AND HAVING A BALL WHILE THERE ORDERLY, THE BAND MEMBER WAS TAKING CARE OF THERE HORSE, PUTTING UP THEIR PUP TENT AND TAKING CARE OF MOST OF THEIR NEEDS. THEY EVEN HAD A TRUCK COME TO THE AREA WITH MATTRESS'S FOR THEIR TENTS. NOW THAT'S PRETTY DAMM CRAZY IF YOU ASK ME.
WELL AS YOU CAN GUESS WE WERE PRETTY UPSET ABOUT THESE WEALTHY TROOPERS HAVING A BUTLER OUT IN THE FIELD. WE HAD TO DO OUR WORK OURSELVES..
THE IDEA LIGHT WENT ON!!!
A COUPLE OF US QUIETLY WENT DOWN TO THEIR PICKET LINE, OVERPOWERED THE GUARD AND PROCEEDED TO PAINT STRIPES ON THE REAR QUARTER OF A DOZEN OF THEIR BLACK HORSES. THEY LOOKED LIKE ZEBRA'S FROM THE REAR. AND THE NEXT MORNING EVERYONE GOT A HELL OF A LAUGH WATCHING THEM WASH OFF THE WHITE-WASH.
THAT WAS THE FIRST THING WE DID. AFTER RETURNING TO CAMP McCOY THERE WAS A PARADE FOR THE WHOLE DIVISION AND AS IT HAPPENED THE BLACK HORSE TROOP HAD A LAME HORSE. THE ONE THAT CARRIED THE KETTLE DRUMS.
SO THEIR COMMANDING OFFICER CAME TO EACH OUTFIT LOOKING FOR A HORSE THAT WAS A CALM BLACK HORSE TO CARRY THE DRUMS.
MY HORSE AT THE TIME WAS COAL BLACK EXCEPT FOR A WHITE BLAZE ON HER FOREHEAD, JUST WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR. THEY ASK IF SHE WAS CALM, GENTLE AND EASY TO HANDLE. WELL SHE WAS FOR ME. EXCEPT I FORGOT TO TELL THEM THAT SHE SPOOKED VERY EASY. WELL WHAT THE HELL WAS I GOING TO SAY.
THEY TOOK MY HORSE AND STRAPPED THE DRUMS ON EACH SIDE AND THE RIDER GOT MOUNTED AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE.
THE BAND IS POSITIONED IN FRONT ON THE REVIEWING STAND.
WHEN THE COMMAND IS GIVEN TO PASS IN REVIEW. THE TROOPER ON THE HORSE THAT WAS CARRYING THE DRUMS REALLY CAME DOWN ON THOSE DRUMS.
WHEN HE HIT THE DRUMS THE FIRST TIME THAT HORSE OF MINE WENT STRAIGHT UP IN THE AIR. THE TROOPER WENT ONE WAY AND THE DRUMS WENT THE OTHER. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT TO SEE. THEY SPENT THE BETTER PART OF AN HOUR CATCHING THE HORSE SHE WAS SO UPSET.
GOD I LOVED TO SEE THAT. I NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY THEY WERE SO UPSET THAT I DIDN'T MENTION THAT MY HORSE WAS A LITTLE SPOOKIE..