Rifles and military bicycles

[45govt]

[split from "Just posting some Interesting items]

[FrankD]

Great pictures and lots of educational information, learning a lot. Best, Frank D

[John S.]

Very interesting, and opens a whole range of related info.
The 1892 manual was not an official Army publication, but a sales gimmick done by Pope Manufacturing Company, makers of Columbia bicycles.

Pope manufacturing was run by Albert Pope, and he and the company were successors to the Weed Sewing Machine Company, which took over the Sharps Rifle Company in Hartford. Famous barrel maker Harry Pope's father (Albert's brother) died when Harry was seven years old, and Harry was adopted by Albert and sent to get his degree at MIT. Afterwards, Harry was placed in charge of the Hartford Cycle Company, set up by Albert as a nominally separate operation to focus on less expensive bikes, to compete with Overman Wheel Company which had been taking market share from the higher priced Columbia brand. Harry, who was involved with the air guns made by Pope Mfg Co, was also obsessed with competition shooting and making rifle barrels all his life, and eventually left the bicycle business to become a full time barrel maker. Harry Pope operated mostly from New Jersey, but moved to San Francisco where he set up a shop, which was destroyed by the April 18, 1906 earthquake the day before it was to open, so he went back to NJ.

Some Army folks independently advocated bicycles for military use, after the 1892 Pope manual, and likely before. (Much like Lt. John H. Parker's Quixotic quest to find acceptance and a mission for Gatling or machine guns in the army).

The most visible and successful bicycle advocacy was in 1897 when 20 men from the 25th Infantry (Black "Buffalo Soldiers) stationed at Missoula, MT rode to St. Louis, MO as a demonstration of their feasibility. Of course, by that time the Army had switched to Krag rifles, not trapdoors. Despite Pope's involvement with military bikes, the 25th used Spalding bikes, donated by the company.

There is an hour long video on the 25th here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNnTSD219GA

Also a good article in Smithsonian Magazine:
https://rediscovering-black-history.blo ... nt-part-i/

[John S.]

During WW1 (and after) the army continued to have bikes with rifles, such as this 1919 example.

1919bike.jpg

Some European armies made extensive use of bikes for infantry. During WW2 allied forces also used some bikes, some for tactical users, others for running errands on air bases or the like.

But it started in the trapdoor era.

[45govt]

Hello John
I didn't get into the Harry Pope connection as this is the TD forum and not sure if any knew about Pope or Schuetzen.

Also, I do believe that Harry went to Los Angeles for a short time after his shop was destroyed in the San Fran earthquake.