Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-07-10
some Further Drill Notes.


Some Further Drill Notes.
By way Of addenda to the hurriedly
prepared account of the Greenvill(
drill printed in these columns last
Sunday morning:
The newspaper representatives were
placed under special obligations By
Mr.. r. W. Tilford, who spared nc
effort to help them in their work, al
though his other duties were more
than any one could we'll attend to. He
seemed to have been left with all the
work to do, while others looked on and
enjoyed themselves. Under all the
conditions, he did remarkably well.
and the people of Greenville owe him
vote of thanks.
The crowd at the drill was immense,
and they took deep interest in the
days proceedings. 1t was remarkable
how responsive they were to a per-
fectly executed movement, as was
evidenced by their cheering when the
Volunteer Southrohs made such a
beautiful stack, every gun going to its
place, requiring no aligning, or when
both the Aberdeen Guards and Colum.
bus Rihemen executed in good form
one each of the field movements Of tie
programme; it was also noticeable
that they laughed jeeringly when
several OF the companies several times
made egregious blunders.
The exhibition drill put up by the
Volunteer Southrons after competitive
drill had been completed was, without
doubt the feature Of the day. Their
manual and double-time movements
were done in such style as to elicit the
highest enconiums from even the off
GERS of regular army Of the United
States.
Captain G. J. Searles has Just
cause to be proud of the distinction
he has won as being the best captain
OF Mississippi's citizen-soldiery. And
he wears his honors gracefully and
modestly. And the Volunteer South
rons are justly proud of their captain,
as heis proud of his subordinate Off
GERS and men. They all did nobly.
1t was First-Sergeant Martin, and
not irst-lieutenant, as printed Sunday
morning, who made the error.
Capt. Searles made only two errors,
and not three as printed Sunday morn
ing.
The Volunteer Southrons and the
Columbus Rifemen were the only
companies that were properly formed
for inspection.
The Aberdeen Guards were wildly
jubilant over taking second place.
They evidently did not expect it, after
the drill had been completed.
The programmes of the drill
were the same for all the com.
panies. The Interpretation put upon
the movements and manner Of execu-
ting them by the different companies
were the basis of the supposition that
the programmes were different.
All the companies engaged In the
drill proposed to do better next time,
and doubtless they will. Experience
is good school, if her paths are not
always strewn with roses,
The entries for the individual drill
for privates and non-commissioned
officers were as follows: Aberdeen
Guards, r. o. Reynolds, viii Lenore,
Gus Evans; Columbus Rifiemen, w. 2.
P. Brown, r. O. Brown, W. V. Caine;
Claiborne Light Guards, John E.
EDglessing, w. Bradford, John Barker
son; Volunteer Southrons, A. A..
Martin, A. M. Searles, George II.
Smith. The first order dropped all Of
the Claibornes, one Columbus and one
Aberdeen. The second command
dropped out all the remaining men.
except Lenore, Of the Aberdeen
Guards, and Martin. of the
Volunteer Southrons. Lenore went
out on the third command, leaving
Martin winner OF the gold medal.
Lieutenant Hawthorne, of the Third
Artillery, U. S. A., conducted this
drill. Martin was seized by his enthu-
siastic comrades, and ito be well
shaken before taking" is tame in com
parison to his treatment. He was even
ridden on their shoulders.
The G. H. and New Orleans Plea
yune were the only Southern dailies
that had correspondents at the drill to
make full and authentic reports.
The splendid tilting ice pitcher
which was won BY Capt. G. J.. Searles
was offered by Messrs. Speed s. Phil
lips, Of Memphis, Tenn.
The dne flag presented to the Vol
unteer Southrons is of silk. blue on one
side and red on the other. It bears
the following inscription presented