THE STORY OF HOBSON AND THE _MERRIMAC_ Only half the regiment was to go, and no horses could be taken, except a few belonging to officers.

The capacity of the transports was limited, and though troops were packed into them like sardines into a can, there was only room for 15,000 men, together with a few horses, a pack-train of mules, four light batteries, and two of siege-guns.

So, thousands of soldiers, heartbroken by disappointment, and very many things important to the success of a campaign, were to be left behind.
Two dismounted squadrons of the Rough Riders were chosen to accompany the expedition, which, with the exception of themselves and two regiments of volunteer infantry, was composed of regulars; and, to the great joy of Ridge and his immediate friends, their troop was among those thus selected.

But their joy was dimmed by being dismounted, and Ridge almost wept when obliged to part with his beloved mare.
However, as Rollo philosophically remarked, "Everything goes in time of war, or rather most everything does, and what can't go must be left behind." So five hundred of the horseless riders were piled into a train of empty coal-cars, each man carrying on his person in blanket roll and haversack whatever baggage he was allowed to take, and they were rattled noisily away to Port Tampa, where, after much vexatious delay, they finally boarded the transport _Yucatan_, and felt that they were fairly off for Cuba.
But not yet.

Again came a rumor of strange war-ships hovering off the coast, and with it a frightened but imperative order from Washington to wait.