Need Info on M1916 Officers Training Saddle & Colonel Allen

[Cattle Cate]

Howdy...I have come to this forum and all of you knowledgeable folks of military saddles and US Army history in hopes of unraveling the mysteries and history of this saddle that I have owned for over 35 years. After much research online, consulting with a private saddle appraiser, and in Randy Steffen's book on military saddles, I believe it is the 'Model 1916 Officers Training Saddle'. According to Steffen's book, this saddle was "Used at the Cavalry School at Fort Riley strictly for training purposes, it continued to be available for purchase by officers from the Ordnance Dept. until the Phillips cross-country saddle made it obsolete about 1936. It is shown as a standard item of saddlery in the 1930 edition of The Quartermaster Handbook". The accompanying illustration in his book, 'US Military Saddles - 1812-1943', (page 125, Fig. 58) does look like my saddle in every way, but I do not have any of the original fittings (stirrups, stirrup leathers, or girth).

The most unique identification for it is a rectangular brass plate on the cantle with a hand written script name of 'Col. Allen'. Under the near side stirrup flap is a brass oval plate that reads 'REPAIRED BY JEFF. QM DEPOT - 9 30 37'. On the near side bottom flank flap it is stamped/embossed with a small 'US' and there appears to be a few smaller numbers to the right of the 'US' stacked on top of each other, but are worn illegible. On the underside, in between the two panels, at the back near the cantle, there is a small stamp/embossing in the leather with very small letters 'JLS', I believe. It measures with an 18" seat.

I am most interested in identifying the 'Col. Allen' it belonged to. The closest I can find, chronologically, for an ID is a Lt. Col. Henry Tureman Allen, who retired in 1923 as Major General. He apparently commanded the 2nd and 8th Cavalry Regiment and served during the Spanish-American War, the Mexican Revolution and WWI. He also served during the 'Alaska Expedition', so that might explain how the saddle found its way out west. However, if he died in 1930 in Pennsylvania, I don't know why the saddle would have been repaired in 1937 in Indiana and then ended up in Colorado.

I found the saddle in Glenwood Springs, Colorado in a tack store/repair shop in the late 70's. It had not been claimed and I bought it with a couple other McClellans, but got no history on any. I have exhausted my options for tracing back to any other Col. Allen after him. Does anyone know if there are public archives available for tracing records for either Colonels in the Cavalry in the early 20th century, or on the repairs done at the 'Jeffersonville Quarter Master Depot' in Indiana? Or, could the nameplate be his actual signature and something I could find and compare since it is in a hand script?

I rode this saddle for years in my 20's on foxhunts, horseshows, and the trail, until I came to the realization that it may have more value as a collector's item and I should preserve it...and, when I could finally afford to buy a 'real' English saddle for my purposes! I would greatly appreciate hearing from any of you with your thoughts and ideas to help find my 'Colonel Allen'. Thanks for your time and knowledge in considering the history of this old saddle...and to those of you for your service to our country!!!

NOTE *** I am offering this saddle for sale. It will make a great addition to someone's military saddle collection who appreciates its history and value. You can find it listed under the 'Collector's Questions' on the 'Wanted Lists and Items For Sale' section of this website.

[Brian P.]

Col. Allen could also be Artillery, or any number of support branches associated with mounted troops (medical, veterinary, QM pack units, etc). For that matter, he could be a non-mounted officer who just liked to ride and procured a surplus training saddle from the depot.

[Pat Holscher]

Col. Allen could also be Artillery, or any number of support branches associated with mounted troops (medical, veterinary, QM pack units, etc). For that matter, he could be a non-mounted officer who just liked to ride and procured a surplus training saddle from the depot.

Or even an infantry officer, as infantry officers rode in this era and were expected to know who to do so.

[Todd]

If you could find a library that might have this book, it might be just the ticket...

http://www.abebooks.com/Army-List-Direc ... 7637246/bd

The Army List of October 1937 would likely have any higher ranking 'Allen's contained therein - assuming he was the one that actually sent it to JQMD for repair in late summer/early fall of '37. A lot of presumptions at the moment with this search, but that's sometimes how you have to start. I'd begin by assuming that the Col. was either a LtCol or Col around 1937 when it was repaired, and that may get you down to just a few reasonable candidates. While JQMD repaired saddles of these types for anyone, it's likely that it was sent for repair by military officer, likely 'Col. Allen'.

[Cattle Cate]

Thanks for all the quick responses guys! Although I've had this saddle for over 35 years and have tried to research it in the past, that was in the days before the internet. This has become a really fun and interesting search for facts and has become something of an obsession, as one clue leads to another, and the history lessons are so fascinating. I will try and track down the book of Army Lists and go from there, but any other insights or ideas will be great, keep them coming!!! Cate