interested in the idea of using bicycles in the military for rapid courier and reconnaissance work, as well as for moving supplies and ammunition. Bicycles had already been used by European and Japanese armies, and Moss’ enthusiasm for the idea culmi- nated in the creation of the Twenty- Fifth Infantry Bicycle Corps.
First Rides
u During the late nineteenth century, soldiers of the Twenty-Fifth Infantry Regiment were chosen to test the utility of bicycles as an alternative to horses in the US Army. Shown here is Company B of the regiment, photo- graphed in the 1860s at Fort Snelling, Minnesota.
living there. The Twenty-Fifth Infantry Regiment was stationed at Fort Missoula in Missoula, Montana, from 1888 to 1898, and a young, white lieutenant named James A. Moss was among the officers assigned to help lead it. At Fort Missoula, Moss became
When Lieutenant Moss received the official order to form the bicycle corps, he called for volunteers, and from those who sought to become part of the new unit, he selected eight enlisted men to take test rides. The men were musician William W. Brown, Private John Findley, Private Elwood Forman, Sergeant Dalbert P. Green, Lance Corporal William Haynes, Private Frank L. Johnson, Private William Proctor, and Corporal John G. Will- iams. Little did they suspect that riding a bicycle would cause them to be commemorated in newspapers and history books.
On July 11, 1896, the Daily Mis-
soulian praised the corps, saying: “Today is a red letter day for cycling in the United States Army. The Twenty- Fifth Infantry Bicycle Corps has been organized at Fort Missoula . . . and as all of the men are very enthusiastic, there is no doubt that great results will be accomplished.” Meanwhile, the corps’ practice rides around Missoula fired the imaginations of many local residents, which included some bicycling enthusiasts, and the group
PHOTO: ©MEDFORD HISTORICAL SOCIETY COLLECTION/CORBIS
u General Benjamin Butler, who fought for the Union army during the American Civil War, advocated the establishment of Afri- can-American units in the US Army follow- ing the war.
The Twenty-Fifth Infantry Regiment was sta- tioned at Fort Missoula, Montana, from 1888 to 1898. This photo, taken around 1900, shows the fort’s original officer’s row. d
T H E E L K S M A G A Z I N E
PHOTO: ORIGINAL OFFICER’S ROW- FORT MISSOULA, CA. 1900, MRS. K. BROWN COLLECTION- HM@FM (1978.062.001), USED BY PERMISSION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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