The DU Lounge
Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsYou're missing the only camel-mounted military band in the world right now
It's marching in the Republic Day parade in Delhi. Seriously. Look for a Youtube clip. It's awesome.
catbyte
(34,174 posts)Recursion
(56,582 posts)Sorry!
malthaussen
(17,066 posts)Camels have been used as cavalry (camelry?) for a long time. The band is pretty awesome, though.
-- Mal
Recursion
(56,582 posts)For use on the high desert out west.
malthaussen
(17,066 posts)Last edited Mon Jan 26, 2015, 11:04 AM - Edit history (1)
Too bad there was no YouTube in 1861.
There are contemporary photographs, though. And even a re-enactment group.
-- Mal
csziggy
(34,120 posts)Josiah Harlan was the first American in Afghanistan in 1829 and might be the person who Kipling based "The Man Who Would Be King" on. He was instated as Governor of Nurpur and Jasrota and later named Prince of Ghor. But he did not agree with how the British were dealing with India and Afghanistan and became a persona non grata.
When he was thrown out of Afghanistan he wrote a book denouncing the British handling of the situation there - the book was extremely unpopular in England and ruined any prospects for further publications based on his travels.
"With his funds dwindling, Harlan began taking on new tasks. He began lobbying the American government to import camels to settle the Western United States. His real hope was that they would order their camels from Afghanistan and send him there as purchasing agent. Harlan convinced the government that camels would be a worthy investment (Secretary of War Jefferson Davis was particularly interested), but it was decided that it would be cheaper to import them from Africa than from Afghanistan. When the US Army discovered the resistance of American horses, mules, and cows to the aggressive camels, the Camel Corps was disbanded in 1863. Camels were set free in Arizona."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josiah_Harlan#Homeward_bound