Cavalry at Deep River, 1909 (Random Old Photos)

A not-so-recent purchase, but I only just recently got around to tracking down this event in the 1909 microfilm. Turns out it was nothing, really; the cavalry just happened to stop by on its way from somewhere else to somewhere else. But I'm sure its presence woke up the sleepy villages of Deep River and Ainsworth for a couple of days.

From the "Local Drifts" column of the Hobart Gazette, July 30, 1909:

The little town of Deepriver was exceptionally honored Monday [July 26, 1909] by a military force of about three hundred cavalrymen from Ft. Sheridan, Ill., passing through from Toledo, Ohio; the troopers pitched tent just east of the river bridge and remained until Tuesday when they moved toward Cedar Lake. They created quite an excitement in the village.

(Click on images to enlarge)



Neither postcard was used. Their backs look like this:



A couple of online reference sites contend that that style of Artura stamp box first came into use in 1910 or 1911, so either A.F. Haase took his time about getting these photos printed up into postcards, or I've just inadvertently uncovered evidence that could shake up the world of postcard dating, in which case those shadowy organizations that have long suppressed the truth about Artura stamp box styles will soon be after me.

The Mexican Front, That Is

Yes, it was for the troubles spilling over from the Mexican Revolution that George Severance, Jr. volunteered in March 1916.

By late April he was stationed at El Paso, Texas, in a camp about 200 yards from the Mexican border. He and his fellow soldiers were idle but in a constant state of alertness, never allowed to leave camp, wearing their arms day and night. Each man had a rifle, a revolver, 200 rounds of ammunition, and three days' rations, and was "ready to march at a minute's notice." Troops continued to pour into El Paso, which was under military rule. For the most part, the soldiers were on post duty.

On the other side of the Rio Grande, they could see about 1,200 Mexican troops, drilling for hours every day. Now and then bullets flew over the camp, but thus far no one had been hurt.

That soon changed. On the night of May 9, George was on post duty when the Mexicans attempted a raid. George was shot in the leg; several other pickets were wounded as well, but the raid was unsuccessful and the Americans took about 40 Mexican prisoners.

The raiders shot carpet tacks instead of bullets, George said, which caused blood poisoning.

George's wound was painful and slow to heal. On June 16 when his regiment was ordered to cross into Mexico, George could not march with them, being unable to walk much. But (he told his parents) he'd been promised a place on the next auto supply train, so he hoped that he wouldn't entirely miss out on the action.


Sources:
♦ Hobart Gazette 23 June 1916 [untitled item].
♦ "Hobart's Soldier Boy Wounded." Hobart Gazette 19 May 1916.
♦ "Writes From El Paso." Hobart Gazette 5 May 1916.

"To the Front"

In March 1916 the Gazette proudly reported that George Severance, Jr., had volunteered to be sent "to the front." How I wish they'd mentioned which front.


From the Hobart Gazette of March 24, 1916.

I haven't been able to find any source indicating that the U.S. sent troops to the European front before its official declaration of war in 1917. This article may have been referring to the "front" on the Mexican border, where the U.S. army was now responding to several earlier incidents involving the Villistas. That may be why George was heading "west" from Chicago. Or maybe he was just going to a training camp in the west.

Oh, well, maybe I'll find out more as I keep reading.

George Jr. was, of course, the eldest son of George and Agnes Severance of Ross Township, whose daughter Pearl had recently married George Yager.