Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-01-30
Michigan State Troops.


the State military authorities;
As already announced in The Free
Press, the military authorities some
weeks since leased for the ensuing
three years the camp grounds occu-
pied by the annual encampment OF
the State troops at Island Lake for
the past two seasons. Within few
days past the plan of encampment for
1884 has been practically decided
upon. 1t will be in brigade forma-
ton. The rear Of the company tents
will stand just west Of the apple
orchard, where the hospital tent of
the Second Regiment stood last sea-
son. The First Regiment, forming
the right, will lie next south of the
railroad track and nearest to the lake.
The Second, forming the left, will lie
in what last year was a corn field.
This year the field is to be sodded
down. Next west, of course, will
come the line of tents for the compa-
ny officers; and between the latter
and the regimental field and staff
tents will be a 900.foot street. The
brigade headquarters will probably
be located to the west Of the First
Regiment.
Two proposed changes are under
consideration. One is to admit two
more companies and form four regi-
ments of eight companies each. The
other is to follow the formations late
" proposed for the regular army, viz,
to Increase the number Of companies
in q regiment to twelve, forming three
battalions with three majors in each
regiment-three regiments in all, or
thirty-six companies. Either of these
proposed changes would absorb the
Detroit battalions in regimental
formation.
1t seems that the correspondent was
little too soon in making known what
had occurred, for "Inspector-General
F. S. Hutchinson, of Ionia, is out in
a card saying that the detailed state
ment Of the formation of troops, the
acceptance of two or more companies
of State troops, the breaking up of
the present battalion formations, etc,
published in the FIRES Press, was first
learned by him on reading the article"
He says: "Whatever the State mil.
itary authorities see fit to do, by way
of radical changes, will undoubtedly
be done in regular way-by due
publication of orders"
PROPOSED GENERAL ENCAMPMENT.
The offers of the Second Regiment,
NJ. S. T., have been considering the
advisabilty of a national encampment
of the militia of several States, and
the following, from the Detroit Free
Press, will show their idea of the pro-
posed general encampment
At meeting of the officers of the
Second Regiment, held at Grand
Rapids, committee was appointed to
put in form the views of the officers
present upon the subject Of a national
encampment of the militia Of the
several States, and also to receive all
possible aid in the furtherance of the
matter. The committee reported the
following:
WHEREAS, With the present, past
and probable future strength of the
regular army the country must depend
upon volunteers, both in offensive and
defensive movements and
WHEREAS, The early and prompt
efficiency Of the volunteer forces when
called into the field must, in the nature
of things, tend to shorten military
campaigns and thereby result in a
saving Of life and treasure; and
WHEREAS, The discipline and eff
cheney of such volunteer forces must
in a large degree depend upon the
practical military knowledge of their
officers, and non commissioned officers,
and as such officers always have been,
and in the future must be, largely
drawn from the State militia organiza.
tons, which organizations at present
permit the best and perhaps the only
means for practical demonstration and
education in the active field duties Of
a soldier; and
WHEREAS, Any opportunity for OBJ
serving the efficiency of similar troops
must give the officers and men COM
posing the militia of the several States
greater confidence in their fellow sol
diers when hurriedly called to the sup
port of each other, and az such ex-
perience can only come from personal
observation therefore, be it
Resolved, BY the officers of the
Second Regiment Michigan State
troops here assembled, that the mill
tary interests Of the general govern
ment, and that of each State would be
greatly advanced by general en-
campment of the militia of all the
States at some central point at as early
a date as possible, to continue in camp
not less than one week, with no COM
petitive or prize drills, but to conform
as nearly as possible in its camp work
to that usually devolving upon an
army in the field. A portion at least
of the expenses to be borne by the
general government.
ResolUed, That the State military
authorities are asked to consider the
advisability of assisting such gener-
al encampment in lieu of or in addi-
ton to the annual brigade encamp-
ment.
Resolved, That in this cooperation
of all members of either House of
Congress, the national and State mill
tary authorities, and officers and men
Of the State militia organizations is
respectfully asked.