Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1837-02-24

individuals, purporting 70 be an answer 70
piece inserted by me in your paper week
previous; - the first by one styling himself a
"Sodier Of The Light Infantry" backed by
the clerk Of the company the second by
one who signs himself - Friend Of his
Country" whom, il appears, has no definite
object 10 view but TO crafty his spenetic
disposition. | am aware, sir, that this sub
ject may not be interesting to many Of your
readers, but believe any citizen has right
10 inquire into the cause Of the bad success
Of any OF our militia companies. Those in
command should be ampnable 10 the citizens
OF their respective towns as well as their SUI
perior officers. Ii is TO our Militia that we
must look for protection, in case Of an inva-
sion; il is TO them the citizen must look for
the protection OF bis person aud property from
the maniac grasp Of The mob, or ia any event
where the civil authorities are unable 10 rem
der him efTeciua assistance 1t is for an
inquiry into the cause Of the prostitution Of
one oil our companies that so much repre-
sentution and personal abuse appeared IN
your last paper The Soldier, with his aid
de camp, (ibe clerk.) sfter accommodating the
enemy. concludes that he has paid little re-
gardlo "truth orpropriety''; ofihis the public
must be the judgel He complains ofihe
unf, season TO inspect them do not wish
to con6ne the Soldier TO any particular sea-
son; If he would prefer the past summer for
an inspection he may have his wish. Any
person acquainted with the company. knows
that the rank aud fie was not so numer-
GUS as in 1885. and also knows they invari-
ably had volunteers for each day appear
cd in uniform. They never appeared with
81 soldiers on parade; Al men was the
greatest number that appeared since the com
pany rose. like the Phoenix. from the moul-
dering ashes OF its progenitor. (under the
command Of Capt Woody until their last
appearance in June The Soldier, with the
assistance of bis clerk. furnishes sufficient
proof of the deficiency of military spirit in
the company. According 10 his statement.
on one occasion, the expense of one
drill was paid by the officers at an
paid This, sir, is brought as proof Of the
spirit OF the company, and yet not spirit
enough to pay the ordinary expenses Of their
drills 1.-The Soldier thinks that military
spirit consists in the officers being lavish OF
their money. be is mistaken. although il is
an essential Ingredient it must be. in part,
a gilt Of nature and study humankind. An
oficersof an independent company should be
conciliatory and agreeable TO his men. when
off duty When commanding his company,
he should enforce obedience-not by bonn
baslic strides, or menacing fiourishes OF the
sword--but with the calm demeanor and
confidence OF gentleman. This believe
20 be the military spirit Of an officer II
the men readily obey the orders OF their Off
cers, and are willing TO contribute their mite
for the support Of the company. l believe
they have military spirit
The report ofihe Clerk, according to his
own statement. is partly from the records
ofthe company. and partly from his own per-
sonal knowledge" BY his statement, there
were 90 members inthe company, at the cleo.
ton Of Captain Wood. This, SIR. TO use the
mildest language possible. is a mistakel---
The commanding officer a, that time could
not lind that number to warn, and many oil
those that were warned did not belong 10 the
company. was present at the election OF
that officer, and know that there were not
dozen men present, belonging to the compa.
N.Y. There were many names on the roll a,
the time who never signed it; this was in
consequence OF putting the names Of yolun.
teers on the company's roll who had done
military duty for one day, which was some.
times done before the election Of Capt Wood
Where then does the clerk ge, his 20 men 7
Not from his personal Knowledge Tor
he did not then belong to the company--nol
/ from the roll, as there were many on il who
did not belong TO the company, The mum
Der OF men at the resignation Of Capt Wood
is stated at ~, being two less than al his cleo
ton. II we allow the clerk his system Of
computation, (whatever il may be) here as
in the foregoing, he has only 10 reverse the
order, and may diminish them 10 even less
than 81. He does not know how many vol
unteers there were at the annual June train
ing Of 1885. because the Captain did moi
make his return to him instead of the Town
i Clerk; but. by some unaccouniable means
be can tell how many belonged to the com
pany at the election Of Capt Wood, withou
the aid Of correct roll or being acquainted
with many of the names on il.
| am sorry to see so manifcs, disposition
throughout this report TO iraduce the charac
ter of Capt, Wood. particularly in the alb
sence ofthat gentleman. 1t is said that Their,
was an assessment made. OF one dollar OF
each member; on the fourth of July, be
lieve, the money was collected Tor as mucl
as could bel, and on the annual June train
ing previous the vote WINS taken. II I'll,
! clerk had kept his minutes correct. be woul,
find that Capt Wood mentioned that Their,
was something like twenty dollnIs' due OF