The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-02-28
,ruF DAILY DISPATCH
--~~o~-r~~ s..~~~,~~, February -. 1885.


Thursday W a""e,--~-
p-s,,c f,usrd-C Capt. DinmecA.. a..
-. n, onward embIems and insisnA ...r,
-.,u,,,v and Independence of Vfen =. too
an rernaips one the value Of when IT Aboli
h,shlx appreciased,-her Public - '..,. standing
,,on,sta may derisvely laugh at inst IS for.
army and ridicule Its small nun RATED States.
eieuers do the standing army o. 4. a nucleus
But the one as well - tns NJ. arid be rallied,
around which nun'e,o effective military torce.
ana ins"e Importance o. '
Inc ha . of domeSuc o'ue, "1
Guard to the pa,s,Iv at time when incenu'~i'
tranquility, esPeo a. ~ SOW the seeds Of diseon'
efforts are ..rvile population Is evident 10 al
tent amohs 49,, fac, that garrison is maintained
But oeyo ,,,,,s is known of its condition, or It's
IN TINS ,ar.l and military character Ana re"
phys ~ its vast progress in all that Makes
NI,,,.rv efficient within the last twelve years
~ ,resume that no one will deny that the fuo'
=, a,.ra composed of such men as no" peons
40 n and In its present high state OF d'Seipn"'"
.oual to FIVE times the number OF any ''e'"~''
force The armies of England, TOT eA"mp'e "'e
at the present moment made up o' 'ne 'e1Ai Vi
manufacturing towns and cities hsr ioreiSh gu
,Istment bill il confession that she mas not tne
material to supply her forces from her own terrific
ries Her Crimean army. according ~ the COMES
s,op If the correspondent of the London Times, Is
made up Of half grown boys and reprobate men, all
of them terribly addicted so intemperance What
would England give for an army composed of such
material rs the Virginia Public Guards With such
a force she would have taken Sebastopol long ago.
But the Public Guard was not always what it
now is. Its members were once, we are informed,
anything but models of soldiershp or moral deport
ment. But now 1t is made up entirely of athletic,
sober, intelligent men, men who sustain tempe
rance societies, and give their active cooperation
to every measure intended for their intellectual
and moral Improvement. Such are the men of the
Public Guard, privately and individually, whilst
collectively and rs company of soldiers, they
are In q state of the most splendid discipline and
efficiency. To whom is this change duef We an
swer, to Capt. CHARLES DIMMocK, the command.
er. who, for twelve years, has devoted all his ener
GIGS, talents and accomplishments to produce this
noble result.
For fifteen years before his appointment to his
present post, Capt. Dimmock had been an officer OF
the Army of the United States, of the most unble
mished services and exalted reputation Zachary
Taylsr, who was pretty good judge of soldier
considered him of the best drill officers in the
u. s. service. He has brought to the service OF
the state talents and zeal winch WOulO nave us
tinguished him on q national arena. He has not
only made his company, as soldiers, equal to any
company in the regular service, but he has admit
ted no man whose moral character would tarnish
the honorable position of a Virginia soldier. He
has interested himself deeply in every thing cal.
culated to promote the moral welfare and happi-
ness of the men under his command. He has esfab-
lished temperance societies, and induced his men,
by his own example and precept, to become active
members The fine musical band of the Armory
is one of the many minor improvements and sources
of pleasure which he has originated, for their and
the public benefit
As citizen, Capt Dmmock is perhaps one OF
the most intelligent and public spirited, as well as
popular, of our public men. His abilities and ex-
perience would fit him to shine in any department
of the State. Moderate and conciliatory in his
character and his views upon all subjects, he is =
man who, we should think, could have no enemies;
at least he ought not to.
We should consider any event which would de-
prive the State of the services of Capt. Dimmock
in his present position, as public calamity. We
do not believe it would be possible to supply bis
place at the head of the Public Guard. We trust
that the spirit of change, rampant in all other
departments will spare the military service of Vir
ginia in whose continued stability and efficiency
the honor of the State and the security of our
hearthstones are interested.