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8th Cavalry Bandsman/Cavalryman Uniform Group


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With the centennial upon us, a friend asked me to dig this out and take some photos. Hope you all enjoy:

 

 

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Grouping overall. The red bandanna was in the back pocket of the breeches. The photo album all was taken in Texas in 1916

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Like most Border groups, this one is pretty plain. The only distinguishing insignia are the collar brass and the hat badge

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The album is full of these sorts of photos.

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8th Cavalry Band, taken "Kandalia" TX--Kendailia TX is about 50 miles due north of San Antonio

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The 8th Cavalry Band's mascot

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I couldn't get a good photo, but both the piccolo and the bugle are Army marked

 

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The 8th Cavalry was stationed at Ft Bliss in El Paso, and travelled all over TX chasing Pancho Villa. The trooper seemed to be both a member of the band and part of B-Troop. Here he is with his bandmates:

 

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Chris

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Chris

 

Thanks for posting such a wonderful uniform grouping. My Grandfather served with Troop H of the 8th Cavalry during that time. I wish I had his uniform, all I have is his collar disks, and Victory Medal. He would tell me stories of the skirmishes he had with Mexicans that came across the border to harass the Texans. He did tell me that the 7th Cavalry did go into Mexico. As he told it the 7th was ordered go go into Mexico to get battle honors again after they lost theirs at Little Big Horn. This is what I was told but is probably not true, but perhaps what the guys in the 8th were told. He told me that the 8th formed two rows on horseback facing inward and the 7th road through like a bat out of hell into Mexico. I did see a documentary which showed this event and that was pretty cool. I don't know if there is an order of battle of the units that went into Mexico, it would be nice if there were. I do know that all the National Guard units were sent down there to watch the border.

 

Sorry for rambling on.

 

Thanks again for sharing

Bob

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Glad you did. Great display Chris.

 

Mark,

 

Thank you for the kind words! Like you, I have been collecting WW1 actively for a long time. I guess Popper Earl (Great Grandfather) gave me his uniform in 1976, and that started the whole insanity.

 

In all these years, this is the single "border war only" group I have ever come across. I've had a lot of groups from National Guardsmen who went on to serve in WW1, but this is the only exclusive to the border group I've come across.

 

Border stuff is tough to find, and doesn't get a lot of love--but I think its neat

 

Chris

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Chris

 

Thanks for posting such a wonderful uniform grouping. My Grandfather served with Troop H of the 8th Cavalry during that time. I wish I had his uniform, all I have is his collar disks, and Victory Medal. He would tell me stories of the skirmishes he had with Mexicans that came across the border to harass the Texans. He did tell me that the 7th Cavalry did go into Mexico. As he told it the 7th was ordered go go into Mexico to get battle honors again after they lost theirs at Little Big Horn. This is what I was told but is probably not true, but perhaps what the guys in the 8th were told. He told me that the 8th formed two rows on horseback facing inward and the 7th road through like a bat out of hell into Mexico. I did see a documentary which showed this event and that was pretty cool. I don't know if there is an order of battle of the units that went into Mexico, it would be nice if there were. I do know that all the National Guard units were sent down there to watch the border.

 

Sorry for rambling on.

 

Thanks again for sharing

Bob

 

Bob,

 

That is very interesting direct from the veteran history! As your grandfather noted, the 8th Cavalry was largely constrained to traveling around Texas.

 

In one of the photos above, the 8th Cavalry band is playing for a crowd of civilians in Kendalia Texas. Kendalia is fully 50 miles north of San Antonio--hardly on the border!

 

I can't speak to the issue of the 7th getting its battle honors back; that does sound a bit like "soldier's talk"--but it is true that the "brass" decided to keep the 8th on what today might be called public relations duty. The 8th seems to have spent most of its time patrolling around Texas. I suppose that in part it was to show the civilians that the Army was in control of the situation.

 

Based on the photo album, it seems that, at least for the 8th Cavalry Band, the time "on the border" seems to have been something of a "lark."

 

I'd love to see more Border-war groups. There must be more out there!

 

Chris

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DesertRatTom

Thanks everyone for the posts and comments, as they are all start points for researching the Border War & Punitive Expedition. The 'soldier talk' probably has more truth to it than most would care to admit. Personally, soldier talk and its naval counter part scuttlebutt have more truth and hav insights into history and traditions that have been lost to time.

 

Thanks all for posting. ...and the reminder that the centenial is truely around the corner. As PC as thing are, and becoming, it will be interesting to see if there is any mention of this bit of history, or any observations of it.

 

Tom

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