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MODEL 1904 ENLISTED MAN’S SERVICE SADDLE CLOTH –
ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL MARKED – BEARING INSIGNIA OF THE 13TH
CAVALRY REGIMENT - HISTORICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE 13TH’S
PRESENCE AT COLUMBUS, NEW MEXICO DURING VILLA’S RAID IN
1916 – EXCELLENT 1916 MEXICAN PUNITIVE EXPEDITION ERA
ARTIFACT:
As described in the
Ordnance Department Manual No. 1719, Horse Equipments
and Equipments for Officers and Enlisted Men, dated
1905 (Revised in 1908), this Model 1904 Enlisted Man’s
Service Saddle Cloth bears the yellow enameled
regimental numerals, indicating it was used by an
enlisted man serving in Company E of the 13Th
US Cavalry Regiment.
The prolonged revolution in Mexico which had been
festering through the first years of the 20TH
Century caused the US Army to station troops along the
border from Texas through Arizona (…go figure…).
In 1916, the 13Th US Cavalry Regiment was
garrisoned in southern Texas and New Mexico, with Troops
A,B,C, and D stationed in Alpine, Marfa and Valentine,
Texas, and the balance of the regiment was stationed in
and around Columbus, New Mexico. As with all the other
units so deployed, the duties of the 13TH
included patrolling the border and establishing a
presence in order to protect United States citizens and
discourage incursions across the border by the various
groups of Mexican revolutionaries.
On March 9TH, Poncho Villa ordered some 500
revolutionaries to cross the border and raid Columbus,
resulting in part of the town being burned and in the
deaths of some eight soldiers and ten civilians. In
response, President Woodrow Wilson ordered General John
“Black Jack” Pershing to mount the famous Punitive
Mexican Expedition of 1916 – regarded by some as the
initiating event which led to our eventual entry into
World War One.
While garrisoned with the rest of the regiment in
Columbus, on the day the raid occurred Troop E had been
detailed out to the Gibson Ranch, some 15 miles west of
Columbus. So, although Troop E was not present in the
town during the raid, the troop, like the rest of the
regiment, was immediately involved in the pursuit of the
raiders across the border into Mexico. This saddle
cloth certainly would have been in the inventory of
Troop E at that time and would have been issued to one
of their young cavalry troopers.
Model 1904 Enlisted Saddle Cloths are anything but
common, and this specimen is particularly notable as it
features the rare applied enameled leather unit
insignia. The yellow enameled leather numerals and
letters “13 E” on both rear corners still retain the
majority of the vibrant color, and survive in full form
with no loss of surface nor any wear or damage to the
edges of the leather. In addition to the regimental
numerals on the saddle cloth, there is also a legible
ink stamped “ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL 1907” on the underside
of the right side panel, just off of the spine.
The olive drab duck material, still retaining the rigid,
sized nature of the fabric when it was new, is not
misshapen nor is the fabric weakened or torn as seen on
many heavily used examples. The fabric does show
evidence of use with some light stains from the imprint
of the saddle. From the shape of the saddle
imprint, several experienced saddle collectors have
opined that this cloth was used under a Model 1912
Enlisted Man’s Service Saddle – and this opinion is
further supported by the documented use of the Model
1912 Saddles by the 13TH Cavalry Regiment.
The canvas spine and edging is fully intact with no
significant wear and no tearing, and all the seams are
intact and strong.
As the army’s designation implies, these khaki canvas
“service” saddle cloths were intended to be used in the
field and due to the heavy use in extreme conditions to
which they were exposed, few survive today in decent
condition. This was confirmed when having handled
dozens of these saddle cloths held in museum and private
collections in the course of the research for The
American Military Saddle 1776-1945, it became quite
apparent that the majority of these cloths were
subjected to heavy use and exhibited severe wear.
Understandably, the thorough soaking of horse sweat and
the accumulated and concentrated deposits of body salts
from the horse rendered these cloths especially prone to
deterioration and eventual disposal.
Hence, surviving examples of these cloths in any
condition are not common today, making those worthy of
displaying relatively scarce and further still,
specimens identified to historically significant units
even more so.
The added value of this
Model 1904 Enlisted Man’s Saddle Cloth being identified
to a cavalry regiment and troop who were present at such
a significant event in history as the Columbus Raid, and
then participated in the Punitive Mexican Expedition,
will clearly make this piece a key addition to any
saddle collection.
SOLD
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