New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-29
Louisiana Estate National Guurd-Rep0
Of tho Adjutant General.

Louisiana Estate National Guard-Report
Of tho Adjutant General.
With the compliments of Brigadier Gen.
eral Henry Street, Adjutant General of the
State of Louisiana, we have received copy
OF his annual report.
The Adjutant General states that the en-
couragement he had previously received, of
organizing good and efficient division of
the National Guard during the past year,
had been entirely overthrown. This fact
the officer attributes mainly to the political
excitement of the year. as we'll as to the act
OF the Legislature authoring the muster of
the Metropolitan police force as part of
the militia of the State. We are informed.
however, that
The National Guard consists at present
OF one division, five brigades, three regi
ments and two battaliOns of infantry, one
battery OF artillery and two troops of cav.
airy. The grand aggregate of the force is
29IO ofhcers, n0n-cOmmissiOned officers, mu-
sicians and privates.
This aggregate is made up, in fact, Of
thirteen general officers and forty nine staff
officers, many of them holding rank not
known to the militia law of the State.
The first division is commanded by Major
General James Longstreet, the first brigade
by Brigadier General A. E. Barber, the Me-
tropolitan brigade by Brigadier General A.
S. Badger, the third brigade by Brigadier
General Louis j. Souer, the fourth brigade
by Brigadier General T. Morris Chester,
and the fifth brigade by Brigadier General
Frank Morey. The First Regiment of Field
Artillery, 1913 strong, is commanded by Colo
mel William j. Behan; the Second Regiment
of Infantry, 6ls strong, by Colonel Rudolph
| b. BaQuie; the Third Regiment of Infantry,
42l strong, by Lieutenant Colonel Emile
Detiege; the Fourth Regiment of Infantry,
| 6li strong, by Colonel Orlando H. Brew
ster; the Fifth Regiment Of Infantry. AL
strong, by Colonel Thomas Flanagan; the
Sixth Regiment Of Infantry, 339 strong, by
Major r. Il. Ray; the Metropolitan Cavalry,
tifty-fve strong, by Captain Philip Taylor:
the Metropolitan Battery, twenty-eight
strong, by Captain Jacob Gray, and Troop
B OF Cavalry, forty y-three strong, by Cap.
tain James Forsyth.
The Adjutant General says: "The consti.
tuition OF the United States, and even the
articles of confederation which preceded it,
declares that every State shall always
keep UP we'll regulated and disciplined
militia, sufficiently armed and accoutred
and ready for service" and strongly
urges such legislation as will promote
higher order of discipline than at present
obtains, and recommends "that the militia |
laws Of our State may be so amended as to |
compel every officer of our National Guard |
to take a deeper interest in their com.
mands. and to enable them to secure a |
more thorough and complete regard for |
discipline than heretofore on the. part of |
their men,"
In.this connection he recommends the re.
organization of the first brigade, by abol-
ishing it altogether; and the consolidation
of the Second and Third Regiments of In
fantry into one good and efficient regiment,
whose commander shall report direct to di-
vision headquarters; all officers in the bri
gade whose terms of Office have expired
should receive an honorable discharge, and
those whose terms of Office have not ex-
pired and who do not resign, should be
placed on the supernumerary list.
Notwithstanding the notorious fact that
the First Artillery Regiment was an active
participant in the White League coup d'etat
of last September, as portion of what was
called the "Penn militia" we fail to observe
any recommendation in the case, or that
any Of its officers have been subjected to
discipline. This is doutless an oversight on
the part of the accomplished Adjutant
General.
The uniforms of the militia, except such
as we're stolen by the rioters in September
last, are in good condition. State arms,
however, to the value of $167 ,13l, stolen at |
that time, have not been returned. The
condition of the State armory is praised,
md Amorer James Wallace complimented.
The disbandment of the first company of
City Guards, is annouced as having occurred
N the first day of last October, Gin conse-
.uence of the little encouragement 1
,iven by the State, and the i'm. !
possibility Of obtaining recruits" THE q
Adjutant General as an incentive to q
'oung men to enrol themselves in the | g
militia, recommends "that our State | 4
legislature will, at its next session, pass n
uch laws as will exempt all active members
f the National Guard from jury duty, and i,
rom taxation in the sum of $1,000 of their s
cal or personal estate. Such exemptions Il
re made in nearly every State where they q,
ave National Guard, and are considered M
ut just reward for faithful services rem
ered'' ~
The moral advantages Of being Louisi- s.
na militiaman are thus set forth: q,
The burden of military service is as oner- re
US as 1t is necessary; to many it is in itself
and to others it is Objectionable,
8 interfering with business pursuits or IN
'cial pleasures. To those who voluntarily in
ssume the duty, the remainder owe an ~
litigation which is too often ignored. 1t
lould always be remembered that the
atiOnal guardsman has entered into a &C. "
GUS contract, requiring on his part large
Kpenditure OF time end money, and 10 81
Diving possible jeopardy of life and limb
hese are real sacrifices which should be
1preclated by those who escape them, and h,
)t, as is too often the case, derided as a q
Ain monOmania for wearing a uniform. III
hen the public witnesses the march of the M
oops and their proficiency in every mar fo
al exercise, then should be recalled the :.
,urs of patient endeavor and toll that 10
I'VE produced such laudab,e results an
Id captiOus opposition to the few civil E.
,emptions claimed by the citizen soldier co
ould be silenced. Moreover, the habits ",
discipline and subordinatiOn learned in :"
e most perfect and rigid of schools, have to
inestimable business value, and the ST.
nplOyer may rest secure in the presence of
8 clerks at the evening drill as the bestkt.-a