Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-06
HUssARs AT THEIR BEST.
Drilling for the Company Medal an
Rrizaa At NJ aanr,Ic r,.....,r. Il nra.-H,A

Drilling for the Company Medal and
Prizes at Masonic Temple Last Night.
The annual prize drill of the Georgia
Hussars took place at Masonic Temple
last night. In spite of the rain there was
large attendance of the friends OF the
corps, among them many ladies, and the
seats reserved for spectators on the sides
Of the hall were completely filed. The
contest was one of the most spirited
that has ever taken place in the
history of the Hussars prize drills.
1t was watched throughout with deepest
interest. There was considerable delay
in forming the troop for drill owing to the
storm, which kept many away. It was
O'Clock before all the Hussars had
reached the ball, but as soon as possible
everything was arranged and the COM
pany fell in with % men in file. Capt.
Gordon and Lieuts. Johnston, Pritchard
and Hull conducted the drill.
TIE first drill was the platoon drill,
in which the company was divided into
two platOOns of IL men each, the prize for
the winning platoon being $50.
The judges-Gen. r. H. Anderson, Col.
II. j. Davant, and I. Z. Bond-Occupied
seats facing the platOOns, which were
| drilled alternately for five minutes until
the contest was decided. The first pla-
tom rested atthe expiration of the first five
minutes with eight men, five having drop
ped out. At the beginning of the second
| five minutes six of the remaining eight
were retired, leaving Sergt. Habersham
| and Corporal Minis on the floor. The
contest was finally decided between the
two 10y the retirementOf Corporal Minis.
The second platoon retired five men
| during the first five minutes, and four
more at the beginning of the next five,
leaving the contest between Sergts. Hun
| ter and Winter and Private GratZ Myers.
Private Myers fell out next, leaving the
two Sergeants on the floor at the eXpira-
tion of the time.
Sergt. Habersham, of the first platoon,
was again called and was retired almost
Immediately upon beginning the drill.
Sergeants Winter and Hunter then
came to the front and were drilled by
Lieut.. Hull. Sergt. Winter was retired,
| leaving Sergt. Hunter the winner for the
platoon.
The company was then called to atten-
ton and the classes were made up for the
class drills. There were two classes-the
| first open TO all members for the company
medal, and the second open only to those
who had never won a prize, for three
prizes of $25, $15 and $40.
The second class, numbering thirteen
men, was drilled first. This number was
quickly narrowed down to four, with pri-
Yates Bond, NicOll and Gratz and Cooper
Myers on the floor. Private Bond was re-
tired first, followed by private NcOll,
leaving the contest between privates
Myers. The drill lasted about halt an
hour, and ended in victory for private
Gratz Myers, who left the floor amid the
hearty applause of his comrades and the
spectators.
The drill of the first class for the COM
pany medal was awaited with a good
| - 49, 4 .,EEt
est contested drills that the company has
ever held. The class numbered 10 men.
Seven were retired at the beginning, and
others quickly dropped out, leaving the
| contest. at the end of IL minutes, between
Sergt. Hunter, COrpl. Minis, and privates
Gratz and Cooper Myers, who also drilled
in this class. Both of the latter were re-
tired in order, and the contest lay be-
tween COrpl. Minis and Sergt. Hunter.
1t was no easy matter to retire either,
and the drill lasted over an hour, con-
Quoted alternately by Capt. Gordon and
his Lieutenants. The interest of the
spectators became deeper as the minutes
slipped by, and half an hour, and then an
hour, with both men still on the floor. 1t
began to look like a test of en-
durance rather than knowledge
| of the sabre manual, for both
men seemed equally proficient and
executed the orders, given rapidly and
many times in confused manner, with
remarkable precision. 1t was long con-
test, but it finally ended in the retirement
of Corporal Minis, leaving the victory in
the hands of Sergeant Hunter. The VIC
tor was greeted with hearty applause and
received the congratulations of his COM
rades. The prizes were then presented
by Capt. Gordon.
The company medal is Of solid gold
with the monogram &C. H." over sabre,
and is suspended from a gold bar, upon
which the words "Sabre exercise" are
handsomely engraved.
After the drill the visitors became the
guests Of the Hussars, and the remainder
of the evening was spent socially and in
dancing.