Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1873-08-28
THE BLrNDroLDED SOLDIERS.

WONDERFUL DRILL OF THE GUESTS OF
THE SEvENTH--CALIFoRNI WINNING
THE APPLAUSE OF NEW YORK s MILITARY
MEN.
The San Francisco Cadets recently
gave their first exhibition in New York
IN the Seventh regiment armory. They
are the guests OF the Seventh, and that
fact was sufficient of itself to assemble
hall full of spectators. The Cadets
number ninety-three men, commanded
by Capt. Mcdonald and Lieut.. kBigley.
The drilling squad last evening con-
sisted of twenty files. They entered
the large drill room in column of twos,
and after exhibiting their proficiency in
changing from twos to tours while on
the march and even in the act of facing
about, their peculiar skill of drilling
blindfold was exhibited. Capt. Nc
Donald says that the theory of executing
man@uvres by rule and not by sight,
enables men to operate as efficiently by
night as by day. His success in drill
ing chosen few under this theory was
pronounced marvellous by the military
men who witnessed it.
The first peculiar evolution was exc
cutting the manual of arms blindfold to
the tap of the drum. The men were
drawn up in column fours, with wide
spaces, and after executing every order
of handing arms-order, carry, support,
right shoulder shift, present, arms
port, loading, aiming, and back to or
der again-no variation in the align
ment was noticeable. Blindfold march,
ing to word of command was next cx-
hibited. Starting in close column of
two, the alignment was charged to tours,
skies, and Fights, their front into line,
and back to close column of twos, with
as little variation as though the men
were puppets responding to the wire.
The more difficult wheelings were next
executed. Right wheel on centre pivot
and about facing, left wheel, in two
ranks and four ranks, were repeated
several times, and when the command
halted finally in two perfectly dressed
ranks applause was showered on them.
After more marching evolutions,
which were executed with precision,
bayonets were fixed and the skirmish
drill was performed. Bearing in mind
the necessity for keeping the spacing
hCCurate III tnlS urllly bueir remarKaDle
proficiency will be seen in the fact that
in the loading and firing ON face and
back, in single and in four ranks, raj
lies in twos, tours, and Fights, there was
no bad alignment, no mistake. When
the command took off their blindfolds
in two ranks, their dress was as near
perfect as if they had measured every
step Of the various eyolutions by eye.
Their rifles were next exchanged for
Springfield muskets, with the old-fash-
Toned bayonet, and the bayonet exer-
else was performed, also blindfold.
This drill, in its rapid changes, with the
greater variety of positions in which the
musket is held, demands more move
, ment than the skirmish tactics. They
were so successful in the thrusts and
parties. guard and lunge, that stormy
encore demanded repetition. The
closing performance was the skirmish
drill, with the blindfold removed. The
movement of rallying around the flag
in hollow square and in Fights, with
thanking tours, was introduced for eff
feet, and was executed with wonderful
precision.