Wes Slimmer's Page

HALFWAY DOWN THE TRAIL TO HELL
IN A SHADY MEADOW GREEN
ARE THE SOULS OF ALL DEAD TROOPERS CAMPED
NEAR A GOOD OLE-TIME CANTEEN,
AND THIS ETERNAL RESTING PLACE IS
KNOWN AS FIDDLERS' GREEN
MARCHING PAST STRAIGHT THROUGH TO HELL
THE INFANTRY ARE SEEN
ACCOMPANIED BY THE ENGINEERS,
ARTILLERY AND MARINES,
FOR NONE BUT THE SHADES OF CAVALRYMEN
DISMOUNT AT FIDDLERS' GREEN
THOUGH SOME GO CURVING DOWN THE TRAIL
TO SEEK A WARMER SCENE,
NO TROOPER EVER GETS TO HELL
ERE HE'S EMPTIED HIS CANTEEN.
AND SO RIDES BACK TO DRINK AGAIN
WITH FRIENDS AT FIDDLERS' GREEN
AND SO WHEN MAN AND HORSE GO DOWN
BENEATH A SABRE KEEN,
OR ON ROARING CHARGE OF FIERCE MELEE
YOU STOP A BULLET CLEAN.
AND THE HOSTILES COME TO GET YOUR SCALP
JUST EMPTY YOUR CANTEEN,
AND PUT YOUR PISTOL TO YOUR HEAD
AND GO TO FIDDLERS' GREEN.


After attaining victory in the Spanish-American War of 1898, the United States found itself with the new task of Territorial Administration. In large part the job fell to the regular Army. Found to be undermanned for the mission, Congress increased the standing army by five infantry and five cavalry regiments. Thus, on 2 February 1901, the 11th Cavalry Regiment was the first of five newly formed cavalry regiments. The 12th, 13th, 14th and the 15th Cavalry Regiments followed.
On 11 March 1901, the first recruits of the new Regiment reported for training at Fort Myer, Virginia. A combat tested veteran of the Civil War, who also gave distinguished service in the Spanish-American War, was tasked with raising the Regiment and serving as its first commanding officer. The 11th Cavalry was exceptionally fortunate in having the standard set by such an experienced and resourceful officer as Colonel Francis Moore, the first Colonel of the regiment.

BLACKHORSE
One history of the 11th Cavalry
News Article: Peninsula Daily Herald
Monday, September 15, 1924
Praise without stint is due the soldiers of the Presidio for the aid rendered in fighting the tank fire by the entire command of the post, including 900 troops of the 11th Cavalry and the Second Battalion, 76th Field Artillery, without which the fire would undoubtedly have created havoc in the residential districts of the city.
Under the personal leadership of Colonel H.J. Brees, post commandant, these men battled the flames, with the members of the local fire departments. Without the assistance of the soldiers the civilian fighters could not have stood the grueling work as they did.
Fire Marshal F.D. Daly, assisted by Deputies H.W. Wooster and Lieutenant Rax Van D. Corbett, was directly in charge of the regular fighters sent into the fight from the post.
Creditable work was done by the Presidio men in maintaining guard lines about the fire. Many of these pickets worked twenty-hour house shifts, going on duty at 4:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon, remaining at their positions until late this afternoon.
Citizens of the entire Peninsula are especially grateful to the authorities at the Presidio for the courtesy displayed in opening the parade grounds to the public, allowing people to use the Presidio grounds freely to view the mighty spectacle….

The great fire at the Presidio 1924


In all, 26 of the 11th Cavalry soldiers from The Presidio died fighting the fire. End.



Chapter 1
Disaster on his watch

As Jim watched the fire raging and smoke billowing from the open tank on the hill, he suddenly felt a presence beside him. Jim turned toward the presence to look into the eyes of a very agitated Fire Chief.

“Colonel”, the Chief said, “This disaster is beginning to take a bad turn. If we can’t get this fire out we could be looking at devastation even worse than the quake of 06, it’s possible that the whole town of Monterey could go up”.

Jim turned to take a position directly facing the Chief, “What is it that my men and I can do to assist you Chief”?

“Thanks for asking, you’re unit already has the crowd under control, but I’m afraid that I don’t have enough men to get this blaze under control, I could use more men on those fire hoses”.

Jim twisted his face a bit, he knew what the man was asking, and that this meant that his men would be up close and in danger if he volunteered them.

Jim blankly stared at his feet, then looked up and around to where his men were watching the firefighters scrambling to perform their duties.

“How many men do you think you’ll need, Chief”?

“We need to drain the tank and keep the sides cool so that they won’t collapse. I’m thinking that if we can do that, we’ll get through this without more damage, so I’m hoping you can give me five men on the water hoses and two more to help with the drain valves on the tank.”

Jim turned to a group of his men who were standing close by, and waived them over, “We’ve got a problem here boys… the fire department needs more men to get a handle on this fire. The Chief is looking for 7…”, but before he could finish his statement 10 of his men stepped forward.

Jim put up his hand to stop them, “We only need 7 volunteers, you old timers can step back, but thank you all”.

The chief pulled the men aside and pointed to the tank on fire and began to explain how he wanted the maneuver to be handled. Jim was not at all pleased, he knew all of those men, and they were volunteering for a gravely dangerous assignment.

Jim turned toward the men as they broke from their short briefing from the fire Chief, “You men need to be very careful… take no chances… get out of there if you even sense that there is anything wrong”.

He stepped back and gave them a salute, then stepped forward and patted each on the shoulder, then again stepped back and re-exclaimed, “in the lord’s name be careful”.

The soldiers that volunteered didn’t take a second breath before they headed up the hill toward the tanks, each soldier shouting directions to the others as to what was needed from their perspective, they each understood their assignment by the time they reached the base of the tank.

The men assigned to begin the draining of the oil were successful, the valves were fully opened and the liquid was flowing at the fastest rate possible. Some soldiers were on other tanks climbing ladders and spraying water around the inside perimeter. From all appearances the plan was going to be successful, the fire was disappearing below the rim of the tank.

Suddenly the tank couldn’t take any more, the wall of the tank collapsed and the remaining oil exploded in a huge ball of flame. But the soldiers had done enough, compared to what would have happened, the damage to the other tanks in the area and the surrounding buildings was minimal.

The fire was as hot as he had seen it yet, the smoke rising into the air was black and so dense it gave Jim, as experienced a soldier as he was, chills. Firemen and soldiers were running toward the burning smoking mass with litters for the unfortunate who might have need of them.

Jim knew what had happened to his men, there, on top and beside that exploding tank, and he couldn’t help but feel pride in their heroism.

These were his soldiers, he trained them, he fought with them and tended some of their wounds in battle, and they in turn his, when he closed his eyes he could see their faces. It was more than he could bear, and for the first time in his life, he broke into tears, then he had to sit down when his tears turned into uncontrollable bawling.

Jim Dorchester (Do Ster) was a Colonel in the Headquarters Troop of the 11th U. S. Cavalry; he had fought with some of these men in the Philippines and Cuba after the Spanish American War, when the insurgents in those countries didn’t want to give up power and positions they were sure they would lose. It was the job of the 11th to keep order until the government got organized and had time to sort out the issues of the country’s new administration.

These men had all fought together against Pancho Villa’s bandits throughout Mexico, and participated together in other border skirmishes.

The great fire at the Presidio 1924

In all, 26 of the 11th Cavalry soldiers from The Presidio died fighting the fire. End.