New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-26
THE DLSBANDED MILITIA.

TALK WITH GENERAL RoDENBoCGH WHO CARRIED
OUT G0vtRYoR COR Ellis WISHES.
General Rodeubough assistant Inspcctor-Gen-
eral of National Guards of this state, was found at
the office of the Military Service institution on Gov
eInm's Island recently. In reply to inquiries con-
ccrningtho dsbandmcnt of certain organizations eff
the National Guard. he said:
"Tbe Governor did not move in the matter until
after thorough investigation, and consuta-
ton with his military advisers. To the best of my
laiowlcdge and belief politics did not enter into
the question: at al. 1t was purcly n military
measure. There is a common Impression among the
regiments disbauded tuat the question of efficiency
was not taken into consideration, but that the
companies and regiments we're dismissed according
10 tia lruEtb of time the commanding officer
had been in commission, those under the
ilnior officers being mustered out. Such is not
tie fact Efficiency alone was considered.
In NV official capacity | have inspected nearly
All Che military Or9an cations in the state and have
reported ihe result to the l"spccor-Genei al Those
Organizations MT seen nv nc have leen looked
after by te In,pac General, and the result of orr
Ia lor has repor ed TO the Adjuiant-Gen raj
Upon these reports and the informal on III the Adlu-
tant-Gruera's Office he changes have been made
What were the principal causes OF the meiciency
of the disbandrd OrganlZauonsW
"In many cases the companies had fallen far
below tie minimum number allowed by law.
In OF ter eases the men poorly drilled and dis
ciplinad aud there no prospect OF Improvement.
Sill. O. hers were commanded by incompetent men,
and under the present system of the election of OIL
crs by the rank and ile there was no Likelihood of
her being replaced by per-ons qualified for tie po-
sfione he disbandnent of these Inefficient rcgi-
mpnts and companies has not weakened but
the militia Of the state, for IL Is "a
wc-known fact that good soldiers mixed VITA poor
ones will be less efficient than the good ones alone
What will be the saving 70 tho state by the dis
"Rerwe~n $4,000 and S15O,OOO. The reduc-
tion in tue number Of bigades alone Will effect n
large saving. People imagine th t BTigadieT Cen
rrals OF militia are an mex ensivc luxury but they
| hr1IQlIa
an allowance OF $500 and each division headguar-
| ters 81 900 for Office expenses"
"What Is the present force, and how many men
| have been mustered out =
| "a. Ihrr,. are II 500 men IN the National Guard
| now 5000 were mustered out. here are four di-
visions on. III New 1Ork city ana one Ii brooklyn.
Tba other two arc scattered through the state with
| their headqulrtcrs al Albany and AT Buffalo,
| Twas there much dissatisfaction expressed 10 Y0u
| nv the officers ami Of the dIsbandea OrgIni-
zationsP
better than they bad at the previous inspections.
There wa, naturally enough considerable disSatlS-
faction. but IN only few eases was It
shown by the men at Their hnal drlll;
The way some ro od Go o,c COMPANIES mIpa ,sbo, nI
| went 10 dlsband 4 company found only the coin
| handing officer. lie had his uniform on, and said
| he knew he was III command of u company, for
there ere his papers, but that was ali there was OF
Had The dlsbandment of these troops ever been
| contemplated by the Governor ~
| Yes; this thing was all ready year ago
Among the officers Of the disbanded organizations
| we're personal friends Ut Governor Cor
! nal Souls OF them tried to get
The order rescindcd, but the Governor
refused 10 comply with their request so you sec he
was not Influenced by personal motives
| ~ hat Ia, been the effect OF the diSbandments
| ON the remaining organizations ~
y" liz HIS made them much more careful in heir
dril and discipline, and has been good In every
way" ., =
s,mo of the Army tailoIs and other civilian at aches
| of The National Guard in regard TO the course pur
sued ~ the Governor Ho" DO yon account io'
| cnat /"
u bat is very simple. Every regiment or com
| many ia allowed so much money a man fol
| clothes These allowances arc made on the basis OF
| the report of the commanding officer OF the organ
! ization drawing the money, 90 much beng allowed
| for every man no has perfprmed seven days Ser
vice in the year 1t has been very hard to properly
audit these CLAIMS, and in years past they have been
| allowed without investigation But wGen Governor
| Cornell came i'll every one was ngldly scTutlnZed
The result has been that the accounts OF some rcg
| mcnIs have been locked much as a thousaud
dollars"