The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-01-05
MILITARY CORRESPONDENCE.
The Conpctisive Driu fsr tho Guidon Or ths
Sssfe Military Association.

dressed the following letter to the committee OF tho
State Military Association appointed TO award the
o,adon the best dried regiment Of the First divi-
SION nrYwF H4l#
HEADQUARTERS SEVENTH REGIMENT, y. o., = N.Y.
To Generals PosrLRy BuRdER and WARD:-
GENTLEMES--I have the honor 70 acknowledge the
receipt this day OF your circular OF the I'D nst IN
which you request, At the earnest possible moment,
an answer TO the question whether thus regiment
by the State Military Association to sshe best drilled
regiment In the First division This regiment most
respectfully declines to engage In contest or this
| character, for the following reasons
| fsStIt distinctly repudates any desire for any
o. superiority ri o. compared WIN the other
members are entirely content to perform their duties
citizen soldiers TO the best OF their abity and
selves 70 aid when called upon BY te canstsnied
authorities, IN the preservation Of municipal order
or in defence OF the state and the nation And In
the future as IN the past this regiment should bs
successful In securing the appreciation OF the public
Of its discipline, Or its readiness 70 perform any and
every duty. It's officers and members will DO amply
rewarded.
| Secoad-All competition OF the character proposed
Is sure 10 result In general dissatisfaction TO esyab
sh this fact II Is only necessary TO refer to the his
dty years and carefully notice the circumstances at
| tending them and the results. The most recens
| past summer between q New York company and
! company from neghboring State, is fair Illus
military - orwan,ystons' The ysn"1shed harry ~.
tired from our borders In disgust and hurled back
charges OF unfairness; considerable portion OF the
people anu oil the press would have stripped nom
the victors their laurels and the accomplished and
impartial referee was so loaded with obloqy that he
was obliged 10 incur the dangers $50 serious to the
\ profess onal soldier and the unproessonal writerl
OF personal defence in the public press, And such.
| 10 greater or less extent, have always been the
results OF military competition for prizes Tor the
| championship.
| Taiy,-Bui the fatal objection to competition Of
thls character Is tho permanent injury indicted upon
| military organization which engages In such con-
test whether yanqulshcd or victorious. Young men
enlist In the National Guard 10 perform specified
| amount OF military service. All contests for the
Championship, Whatever form they may assume, re-
Quire an additional expenditure OF time and OF labor
and Sometimes Of money and while majority per-
haps OF officers and men may be willing to devote
themselves to the requirements OF such contest,
| there will always be some whose circumstances
| In life or whose business relations forbid them
IRON performing any military service not re-
| CURED by the bylaws OF their company or the
laws OF the State. To such tlese military contests
are onerous, oppressive and UNJUST and often fatal
| to tier military membership or 70 their prosperity
In business. While The officers Of tins regiment
quire OF its members strict performance OF the du-
ties which have been voluntarily assumed, they can
net In honor ask or enforce any additional service
FOR a doubtful purpose.
Fourth-Any regiment in tho city OF New YORK
| winch accepts and retains badge OF emblem OF
| championship ~ 1.-THE best drilled regiment IN IN
honor bound TO defend 1t against any regiment that
may challenge the business OF It's claim. Under no
| circumstances would this regiment place itself In
position winch fable to involve II in frequent
| conflicts with other regiments, and which would
divert the attention OF lis officers and members from
their legitimate military duties or from their usual
In respect TO the third paragraph In your circular
| which states that ''regmcnts avoiding or declining
the contest win under the circumstances BIO con-
sdered ~ di5avowing any claim to being the best
drilled allow me say that 1t s not certain because
man declines to be principal IN duel that he In
| coward. or because he avoids q street or prize
fight that nc Is deficient In nerve or muscle, and thnt
this regiment IN declining TO take part in this con-
test neither avOws nor dislv0ws It's claim To be con-
adhered "the best drilled regiment in the First
1 DIVISION
you that were this regiment to engage in contest
Tor the championship three Officers could not be se-
lectcd as referees more acceptable than yourselves
or IN whose military capacity, integrity anu honor
there could be amore implicit reliance for just aud
! impartial decision.
| General Shaler's Recent Orders-Trouble In
the First Division-To0 Much Gcneralship
the Matter.
NEW YORK, Jan. 4, 1869.
| To THE EDITOR or THE HERALD:-
Noticing your determination to advocate the truo
principles Of success for the National Guard please
allow to place before you certain facts that in my
| opinion, have tendency TO prove very disastrous
to the wen being Of several OF military organi-
| xations:--
On or about the Goth Of December last the late
Adjuant General s. T. Marvin, ut the earnest solicit
aton OF Major General Shacr, Issued several special
ORDERS which General shaler did not make use of
until the 10th day OF December when he issued parts
Of said orders by extracts In his special order No.
Q, by which the First regiment artillery were de-
tached from the Second brigade or infantry and or
dered TO report TO Brigad,er General Postlcy,
man1inR cavalry brigade. This act might be judi
cous were not FOR the expressed determination on
the part of the Major General TO make infantry OF
them as well as nearly All the rest Of the cavalry
| brigade.
You arc well aware that the FIRST Is the only regi.
ment OF artillery IN the First division, who are now
| thoroughly drilled, and are the ony body or men
| handle gun properly. The Indignation among the
officers Ghc facts not being yet known to the inen)
70 beyond spression. What have they done 70 In.
cur the disgrace Of being reduced In the arm OF
ing little or nothing Of infantry tactics are the labor
and study OF years to be- ~ tho wllm OF their COM
manding oiiicer cast 70 one side because no may
| have no knowledge OF either artillery or cav
Fs. a sSa rnS h esmes s o. cs ssaSs Is
| In like manner dlsmouned and ordered TO drlil ~
infantry WHEREIN have they sssc Incurred &c IRE tne dis
Guardf Why, By its becoming known that they, AZ
wen ~ the First artillery are almost entirely demo.
] with religion, politics mixed with tue National
I Guard, politics mixed with cverything and there
| either compel them TO become useless disbanded.
Again for tho same reasons the battalion Of Wash
cray = X. cavalry % Ssen n a ss
state, AMI who for the past lev months have been
rapidly improving In drll and discipline, have By the
aud ordered TO report TO division headquarters al
rect. For whatY Why, to become the otto troop for
the MAJOR General, TO be parceed out among tno
brigaders for orderly duty--An fact 70 become ser
| van.s for the various generals aud their stans. I
l thought the days OF cod women sodlering' were
| past and that the late war had taught rs some
1 Steiner less0ns bat n seems not OF what purpose
can the trays DO at dvlson headquarters u not for
4 what have mentioned
III the cavalry brigade they were subject 20 the or
ders Of cavalry general, who understood MS duties
perfectly and under whose teachings the entire CO.
| vairy brigade were beginning TO show those points
OF ability that only due and rct discipline Gun
produce. Would II not have been az well 10 have
lpkcn tle remnants Of the .Soldiegs' Aes.cnaer and
| Busif6M toFBs 6rRAhIzsd them Into body gnard,
ana lett the Grsys IN Their proper position, where
| they were both an honor and ON ornament to tno
| National Guagus What thnk your VERifAs.
MEETING Or OPERATIVE MIllEas.
| preliminary meeting Of Operative Miiicrs was