The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-09-03
MILITARY CHIT.CHAT.

The drill season will soon begin, and every pre.
paratlon Is being made by the various regiments 10
make 1t an active one. II is to be hoped that there
will be more real work and less show than there wa
last season. and that the Division General Will see 10
1t that the men drilled as soldiers and not smply
called out to air their uniforms for the benefit OF
''arge and Intelligent number OF spectators largely
confined 10 the fair sex'
The Seventy. first regiment one OF the very best
commands in the National Guard, has not been as
prosperous o late as 1t should 0e In many respects
There was want OF life In the organization last year
ana strong efforts being made TO inruse into It
that esprit dc corps which Is so necessary for the
welfare of good regiment. Company has elected
Charles n. Swift as its commandment and Charles f.
de Borst as first Lieutenant. Captain Swift served
In the late war; and had reached the rank of colonel
by brevet before Its close. Lieutenant de Borst
graduated from the Naval Academy during the war
ana served In the army captain. Company IL
the largest company in the Seventy first. The new
c0mmandant, 1t Is SAID, will drill the company this
winter In bayonet exercise, skirmish drill, &c. No
company in the National Gnard drill as skirmisbers
or are Initiated IN The guard duty and the move
meDt lnaugur3ted by Captain swift VIII have good
effect All the Seventy trst wants TO make IL second
TO no regiment In the First division is good officers.
1t mas an excellent colonel, but some Of the com.
pany officers are not what they should be.
There is some talk OF the Seventh regiment being
furnished at It's own expense with the same kind Of
musket now used in the regular army, which Is the
Springfield rife changed to a breechoader. The
musket now used by the regiment Is heavy, clumsy
and altogether worthless irearm. The State
government has been in vain pettIoned to give the
militia an arm that could be used to good purpose in
case of need, but has always turned deaf to
every appeal. The Seventh hope, by undergoing the
expense of getting the improved musket, TO induce
the State government to refund IN time TO the
moneys paid out for the change. The Seventh Is 10
have good deal OF rifle practice tins winter.
battalion OF the Forty -seventh regiment went to
Connecticut the other day and were shanelnlly treat
mistaken for New York regiment which, IL Is said,
snubbed Connecticut regiment badly when 1t PAID
this city visit some time ago VIII the Connect
cutters just tell what New YORK regiment that was ?
IL Is given out on pretty good authority, that dur
ing the coming fall there will be grand review and
muster OF the entire First division, In lieu OF the
individual regimental musters. This Is as 1t should
be- but the musters should not be after the fashion
Duties Ssoudy ase sPesns who oce ars
and who are not members OF regiments
and make his report accordingly; Last year thele
regiments Honorary members" should be ruled
out In the muster. The active force OF O regiment
consists OF those men who arc obliged to obey an
order calling upon the command to do duty In cases
OF emergency. Honorary members cannot be COM
PEELED TO serve, and they should not therefore be put
down as part OF the strength OF regiment.
Colonel FISK promises TO give the Ninth regiment
a OF sprouts in the drilling line during
the winter. IL IA expected that the command viii
number over 200 men By January. and that it will
be In SIX months equal not only IN numbers but IN
point OF discipline to any regiment IN the militia
Nous Uey7'Oas.
The boys OF the Twenty-second Colonel Porter
commanding, are to continue their rifle practice
during the coming season. The regiment now num-
bers over SIX hundred active men and the recruit
ing Is active. There Is some talk OF a competition
drill between one OF the companies and crack or
ganzatiOn OF Boston.
The great success OF the best drilled regiment In
the Guard Is owing to It's system OF awkward squads
in which recruits are drilled until they become ut To
join their respective companies. new member
mas often to remain In squad for whole season.
Why do the other regiments not follow This prac-
tice? The placing OF raw recruits in the ranks with
the old members always works to The disadvantage
of regiment.