Savage Territory

Начало книги

It was hot and dry at Fort Bowie, where elements of the Eighth Cavalry were conducting their daily exercises. New recruits, under the watchful eye of sergeants, were at drill, both mounted and dismounted. Older hands were conducting work details, from mucking out stables to rubbing down horses, to making needed repairs on the various buildings of the post.

One hapless soldier, wearing a sign that said I WAS INSUBORDINATE, was walking around the perimeter of the post in uniform, carrying a fully loaded pack and rifle. He would be performing this punishment detail from sunup to sundown, the entire day, taking only a short, five-minute break every two hours.

The U.S. Cavalry, operating under a set of tactics known as Upton’s Tactics, was organized as ten regiments of three battalions each, with four companies to a battalion. Each company had one captain, one first lieutenant, one second lieutenant, and seventy-seven enlisted men.

Читать дальше →