The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-07-06
YOUNG SOLDIER GIRLS.
Fair Misses of New Orleans Who
Drill According to the Manual OF
Tactics

Fair Misses of New Orleans Who
Drill According to the Manual OF
Tactics.
From the New Orleans Cicayune.
One of the newest society sensations
that has invaded the country is the
"Broom Drill" These broom brigades
are now the rage from Maine to Texas,
and in the Lone Star State there is
scarcely considerable town that does
not boast of it's broom Rangers. Thurs
day evening, at o'clock, reporter re-
paired to Lafayette Presbyterian church,
where he found assembled in the lecture
room in the basement quite an audience
of ladies and gentlemen. The platform
was crowded with spectators, while the
reading desk and organ were moved out
Of the way.
It was not long before a tall young
lady, wearing on her head white linen
cap and cinctured at the waist with a
broad white ribbon. while she bore a
long-handled broom at a carry arms"
called out: Company, fall I'M" She was
the orderly sergeant, and ather call the
young ladies, attired in all sorts of robes
of white, gray and other tints and colors,
but wearing the white cap and belt,
armed with brooms, "fell i'm to line,
"dressed by the right" fronted, "order-
ed arms, answered "roll-call, /" carried
arms" "presented arms and were turn
ed over to the captain in due military
form. There we're twenty-five in line,
rank and file embracing due compile
ment of sergeants aud corporals, all in
place. The rank and file ofthe company
are composed of daughters of the best
families.
The company having been turned over
to the captain this fair chieftainess took
command and put the corps through the
vised tactics and as far as broom could
be manipulated like musket. The car
ry, order, present, support, right shout
der, secure, reverse, trail, left reverse
and all the movements of the firing and
bayonet exercises were gone through
with with great accuracy. Let it be I'M
derstood that the brooms, which were OF
the ordinary, long-handled sort, had the
handles furnished with a cross-peg insert
ed to represent the lock of a gun and
to furnish a support for the hand in
manipulating the piece. The wisp of the
broom was always caraiod upward.
Next the com pany was put through all
the "facings," and then the marching
commenced. The line was successfully
formed, broken by tours and by platoons
reform ed to the right and to the left
from column of tours and from platoons,
wheeled by company, by platoons and
by tours, about-faced while in motion,
thrown successfully, while marching
single and double-rank formation, and
put through all the principal and most
difficult movements Of Upton's School fo1
the Company. The marching was il
good time, the movements were made
with great promptness and altertness
There was no tagging and there were
very few mistakes. The girls moved
with springy step, like young deer, anc
when they made an 'about face" the two
little heels of each soldier came down to
gether with q lively and ringing rattle
The best-drilled companies Of the mas
culine commands would not find them
selves greatly superior in company
movements, and many of the companie
are far behind the young girls in accura
cy, regularity and precision of drill.