The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-03-09
Military and Personal.


Com. Sergt. John Lutz, at Fort Colville,
has been granted four months leave.
A son was born to the wife of 1t. E. s.
Farrow, 2lst Infantry, at Laurel. Delaware,
Feb 18th.
Gen. N. A. Miles, Dept. Commander, and
Lit. Long, aide-de-camp, returned from Fort
Townsend on Saturday last.
Capt. VIM. G. Spencer, Surgeon U. s. A.,
arrived down from Fort Ceur d'Alene and
departed for New York ON the 9th inst.
The Rev. r. d. Nevius of Spokane Falls
continues his pastoral visits to Fort Ceur
d'Alene, holding services in the post chapel.
Capt. G. B. Throckmorton, 4th Artillery,
is one of the officers of the court-martial Of
Sergt. Mason, the guard who shot at
Guiteau.
1t. Fred G. Schwatka, aide-de-camp, is
now en- route to Washington, on one months
leave, and dame rumor says he will bring a
wife back with him.
Proposals for leasing the U. S. fishing
stations in the Columbia river are now com.
ing in, and awards to the highest bidders
will be made March 3lst.
Private Stahl of the 2ud Infantry caught
deer in foot race near Fort C9ur d Alene
recently, but it was ON the ice, where the
deer could not get his toes in for fair
hold.
From Sept. to Dec 81, 1881, there wero
only two assertions from the 2lst Infantry
and only four from the End Infantry. No
other regiments in the west can show an
equally good record.
Discharged army men near Walla Walla
when turning themselves into grangers, in
sist on carrying their service branch with
them, for all the former cavalrymen refuse
to run any other than sulky pillow.
The A,my and Navy Register says that
when the next appropriation for transpor-
tation becomes available the following regi-
ments will have new stations: The 4th In
fantry, the 18th Infantry, the l4th In
fantry, and the 2lst Infantry.
During the last year there have been 43
enlistments and "a -enlistme mt at the four
recruiting stations in this department. The
recruiting service, which has heretofore been
conducted under direction of the division
commander, is now placed under control of
the department commander.
Under instructions of the paymaster gen.
eIal officers granting discharges are required
to notify the chief paymaster of the depart
ment ten days in advance of the date of such
discharge. This will save much delay to
men arriving from interior posts, who have
been frequently delayed for means of iden-
| LITIGATION.
A Walla Walla comedy had a tragedy in
| it, that was not down on the bills. The
man who sustained the principal part was a
soldier, and left guard duty without per-
mission to take his part in the play. At an
interesting point in the proceedings the aud
fence was electrified by seeing a squad OF
armed soldiers march upon the stage and ar
rest the funny man, who was Immediately
retired to the guard-house.
ABsENTEEs FROM A REGIMENT.
We understand Col. Morrow has made
application for the return of officers to his
regiment, 2lst Infantry, who have been de-
tailed away from it on duty at West Point,
Washington and elsewhere. Nine line Off.
GERS out of thirty-almost one-third-are
absent from the regiment. Several of these
officers have been absent for years. Lieut..
Bradley, on duty in the War Dept, for ex-
ample, has never joined his regiment, though
he has been attached to it for nearly IL
years. The result of this is large amount
Of extra labor for officers who remain with
their command and perform their legitimate
duties. The officers of his own regiment
are in the fullest sympathy with the Colonel
in his effort to bring back to the regimental
fold these stray lambs, and we should think
his efforts would be seconded by the officers
higher in command. If other regiments are
depleted in the same proportion as the 2lst,
there are 800 officers on special duty not
Immediately connected with the military
service. As the ordinary strength Of an In
fantry regiment is about $50, it appears that
there is within fraction Of regiment OF
officers away from their proper duties To
put the matter in yet another light, there
are about two thousand officers in the army,
and Of this number nearly one-fifth Of them
are where they cannot do the most good for
the service.