The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-01-31
volunteer Forces and National Guard.

.
Volunteer Forces and National Guard.
Ihe report Of Adjutant and Inspector
Gsnera, M!oise recently presented to the
General Assembly, while 1t presents q
| most melancholy picture of the wretchefl
state of ineflicicncy to which the State
military organization was reduced under
the Republican Administrations, shows
wonderful amount Of work done by tho
new Administration, and o most en- -ur-
eging reconstruction and reorganization
OF the entire system. Gen. Noise, Judged
by what has actually been done, is. the
right man Ia the right place, and Il Ia
sincerely to be hoped that his recommen.
dations will meet with such attention in
the Legislature as will enable him to
complete the work so auspiciously be-
gun. rt g Isl. .aF
The report shows that. when General
Noise took possession of his Office, all
the buildings belonging to the State and
In use for military purposes, were in D
most dilapidated and filthy condition,
having been constantly diverted from
their legitimate use for service as dance
halls anu places Of public entertainment
for the lower classes. Two hundred State
arms were all that could be found, and
the records Of the office failed to show
who had possession Of che vast military
property of the State. That the term
vast is not incorrectly used ia proved by
table, which shows that the cost OF an
utterly worthless militio' to tho State was
$4S7 ,099.26. !ii4alfy ~ s4fE fs
Since the new State Government went
into operation the military buildings
have been thoroughly cleansed and re-
paired, and turned over to the care of
tho proper officers. The State has been
divided into three military districts, COM
manded. by Major Generals B. H, Rut-
ledge, John d. Kennedy and Thos. J.
Lipscornb. The old Fourth Brigade has
been thoroughly reorganized, and is now
in splendid condition, and the same may
be said Of Rutledge's cavalry brigade,
now commanded by Brig. Gen. William
Stokes, which comprises some forty COM
panles, aggregating 1000 men. There
have been partly organized; though not
yet completed, twelve other brigades,
eight Of which are commanded respec.
lively by Gems. Bamberg OF Barnwell,
Izlar OF Orangeburg, Stackhouse of Ma.
rion, Richardson of Sumter, Fope Of
Newberry, Nicholson of Edgefeld, Hemp
bill of Abbeville, and Humphreys of
Anderson. The remaining four were
heug formed, two in the middle and two
in the upper counties.
La order to obtain arms for the cavalry
o quantity of old and useless. cartridges
have been exchanged for $50 new Pes
body carbines, and 800 new eabreH and
belts. There have been colleete,l, re-
paired and reissued 1000 stand of arms
and equipping some fifty companies of
infantry. Many of the companies own
their arms. It. IA recommended That
these be purchased by the State at low
price,. Efforts nave been made to obtain
arms due TO the State from tho United
States, but owing to an over-issue of
arms to Governor Scott, for political par-
poses, the General Government has de.
clined to give the usual quota. AS Gov.
ernor Scott had no right to draw those
arms for the State for such uses, and as
they were mostly very inferior, the Ad,
jutant General thinks that, by proper
action on the part of the Legislature, mid
! can be had from the General Govern
ment sufficient with an appropriation of
So, ,537.04, which che report asks for, TO
pay ali deficiencies and sustain the
-" . PAoPoA ioOSASo Va S1nSiSuoy
for the year. .,!...
OF the National Guard (the colored
militia the Adiutant General says that
he found it to be an Organization exist.
ing only on paper. !. Ont Of fopr divis.
ions he could find only enough troops to
| make one good brigade. He recon-
mends thorough Reorganization OF. the
colored troops, and tho revocation Of all
| commissions over year old. He thinks
that, with careful and judicious manage
| t..ent, Q reapectabls colored militia. or
National Guard, can be Established, and
that such body --7ill be an element OF
strength to the government and of value
10 the colored population. r
| The appendix to the report contains d
complete roster Of the officers Of the mi.
litia and much other valuable inforina.
tion. The whole report should be in tht
hands of every citizen wEo takes an In.
terest in the military. system of the State
| Gen. Noise has done his work both cour.
! tsoilaly and well. - Ns,os I'D. Courier.