MERRY CHRISTMAS

[Rick Throckmorton]

Merry Christmas everyone. I was executing my daily perusal of the Military Horse site and it struck me that these were very festive days in the life of the old "horse" posts, whatever era. From what I can gleen, the day was a rather light one, spent mainly cleaning, getting ready for those "hops" scheduled for the evening. There was lots of social interaction on the old posts, and everyone wanted to have the best area, so there was lots of competitive spirit in cleaning and decorating. The mess halls were decorated with lots of natural evergreen garlands etc. and the eating china was exceptionally clean. The cooks were already preparing for the huge Christmas spread put on at most troop messes. Invitations had been sent out for guests from the nearby towns to join the various companies for the celebratory dinner. If they were lucky, they were invited to the post for the Christmas eve hops and then to spend the night on post. There might be an evening concert if one was lucky enough to be posted at a site with the regimental band. And there was always the visitation between the units of both the enlisted and the officers' families, of course dressed to the nines. There were church services to attend as well.

Of course, Christmas Day was a free day to those that were lucky enough not to be on duty for guard mount, staff, etc. The families stayed in and enjoyed the presents they were fortunate enough to obtain at sometimes distant posts and then sometime in midmorning the real "visiting" would commence. The quarters areas would come alive with families going from quarters to quarters wishing good cheer and glad tidings. Wives had prepared sweets and finger foods for guests and the social etiquette of the various times was very much observed. The observances weren't just for the officer class either. The enlisted men took pride in preparing Christmas offerings and troop funds were freely used for the season. The men were proud to be able to offer the officer class a high social atmosphere in their areas.

The company Christmas dinners were something to talk of for some time. The men had taken their troop funds and purchased the delicate rarities of the day to offer up for the dinner. Hams, turkeys, huge roast beefs sat alongside venison, elk, and wild hog roasts. The Christmas dinners were such an event that soon the practice of having prepared invitations listing the day's fare and the names of the all the company personnel came about and continued for decades. And of course the dinner itself could be a little formal, beginning with the recognition of guests and then the toasting of the regiment, the President, the troop, and so on.

The day's festivities usually ended in competitive sports games between the companies of the post or visiting teams, or again musical concerts and other planned events.

Quite a tradition was developed on the various posts that was observed for many a year. Were those better times than we observe today? Maybe. I guess it is up to each of us to decide whether we need to redevelop some of those traditions, but most of all, remember why there is a Christmas to start with.
With best wishes,
Rick Throckmorton

[Joseph Sullivan]

WOnderful post, Rick. Later today or tomorrow I will post some of the menus. How fortunate those early soldiers were that the ACLU did not exist to ptotect them from celebrations with a religious basis.

Joe

[Ron Smith]

Good job Rick.

It serves to remind all that soldiers did their best to live normal lives and enjoy life as often as possible. After all, they were just people.

Merry Christmas everyone,
Ron Smith

[Pat Holscher]

Great post Rick. I'll provide some info as well if I"m able to get to it later today, or later in the week.

Merry Christmas to all!

Pat

[G.KUSH.UE]

It was Christmas Day in the cookhouse, the happiest day of the year,
Men's heart were full of gladness, there bellys full of beer.
When in marched Corporal Shorthouse, and said as bold as brass,
You can take your Christmas pudddin', and you can shove it ....

Tidyings of Comfort and joy, comfort and joy. Oh tidyings of comfort and joy.

I won't bother with more verses,

A Merry Christmas to all.

George

Note that I didn't say Seasons Greetings or Happy Holiday. I mean Merry Christmas, and my Canadian comrades will know exactly what I mean.

[Philip S]

In the spirit of the occasion, I am posting a postcard of the Troop E, First Cavalry,1920 Xmas banquet. Note the trophies won by the Troop.
Merry Christmas to all...
Philip

[Sam Cox]

Top shelf,Rick
Have a merry and safe Christmas veryone
Sam

Sam Cox

[Pat Holscher]

And, to all who stop in here, a Holiday Wish I'll repeat from last year. . ., Pax vobiscum

Pat

[Pat Holscher]

Christmas at:

http://www.nps.gov/foda/Fort_Davis_WEB_ ... _Davis.htm

Ft. Davis in the 1880s.

Pat

[Pat Holscher]

Christmas in the British Army in the 19th Century.

http://www.militaryheritage.com/cmas3.htm


Pat

[Pat Holscher]

A quote from: http://www.ku.edu/~kansite/ww_one/comme ... HI2-17.htm Huachuca Illustrated

Pvt. Tom Prowl of B Troop sat down in 1922 to a Christmas dinner of oyster soup, shrimp salad with Giovanni dressing, candied sweet potatoes, creamed peas, pickled beets, baked corn, roast turkey with giblet gravy and a boiled Southfield ham. For dessert there were mince pies, pumpkin custard, layer cake, raisin pies, ice cream, apples, oranges, bananas, nuts, and candies. The final course consisted of beer and cigars. The Army did not consider anything with less than 1.4 percent alcohol content as an alcoholic beverage, and therefore allowed "near beer" during prohibition years.

Pat

[Pat Holscher]

Looking through books for sale the other day, I see where there is currently a small book offered on the topic of Christmas in the Frontier Army. I didn't pick it up, but looked like an interesting seasonal offering.

Pat

[Trooper]

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!

Dušan

[Couvi]

To All,

I am making my annual pilgrimage to visit friends and relatives and will be out of the loop until the second week in January. Please accept my wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year. Thank you all for the stimulating topics throughout the year.

Couvi

<i>"Cavalier san Cheval"</i>

[Pat Holscher]

Photo Montage courtesy of Jim Ottevaere. Thanks Jim!



1st Cavalry Regiment machinegun Troop Christmas.[/url]

Pat

[luigi]

Merry Christmas to all you gentlemen, hoping that the future will be more peaceful for everybody, whatever religion.

Merry Christmas to all.

Luigi

[Pat Holscher]

For a different look at Christmas at a Frontier post, it is well to recall that today, December 24, is the anniversary of the completion of Portugee Phillips 1866 ride to Ft. Laramie. (See the "Today We Remember" thread).

The ride commenced when Phillips volunteered to cary the news of the December 20 defeat of troops under the command of Cpt. Fetterman at Ft. Phil Kearney in the Big Horn Mountains. Col. Carrington, the post commander, gave Phillips one of his own horses to use, and Phillips started off on a three day, mostly nocturnal, ride across winter Wyoming.

Contrary to widespread belief, Phillips did not complete the ride as one long ride, or all on the same horse, nor completely alone. Another civilian rider (Phillips was a civilian, he was not a soldier) went the first long leg of the journey with him. He stopped at at least one intermediate post for food, a change of mounts, and to telegraph Ft. Laramie the news, before pressing on to Ft. Laramie. Nonetheless the difficulty of his 235 mile long ride can hardly be appreciated by us now, taking place, as it did, in horribly bitter weather, and mostly at night.

When Phillips arrived at Ft. Laramie a Christmas party was going on at Old Bedlam, the bachelor officers quarters. Phillips, coming into the post in the middle of the night, proceded over to Old Bedlam, came into the party, delivered the news and collapsed. The horse he was riding died.

Pat

[wkambic]

At the risk of committing a monstrous act of political incorrectness I'll say:

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!

And, just to "cover my six," I'll also say:

Happy Chrismahanukwanzakah, too! [8D]

Bill Kambic

Mangalarga Marchador: Uma raça, uma paixão

[dallas Φ]

I would also like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. My wife and I are in State College, PA spending Christmas with our son, who is on the faculty at Penn State. I hope to visit with Philip Sauerlender while we are in the area.
Dallas Freeborn

[Tom Smith Φ]

May I wish everyone A very merry Christmas and the hapiest of New Years I finale got a new PC so now maybe I can look at some of the great pics posted over the past 6 months [;)]

Tom Smith