Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-08
CADETS TO THE FRONT.
THEHR RECORD AHEAD OF THAT
OF THE MOBILE RIFLES.


The Montgomery Greys also Left in the
Rear-TwO Men of the Cadets and Two
of the Rifles Struck Down by the Sun
10000 People Present-Fino Work by
the Busch ZouaVes.
MOBILE, May THE weather was
beautiful to-day, but the sun was hot,
making it hard ON the companies which
came on at midday. Being the day of the
commencement of the drill for the $4,000
prize, the crowd began to gather early,
and by noon 5000 people were on the
grounds, and later the crowd was
swelled to 5000 or 10000. The Mont
gomery True Blues being the first in this
competition came on at 10:3) o'clock.
Their execution of the manual was only
tolerable, there beng many individual
errors. Their marching was fair. The
wheeling was good, with a few eXcep-
tiOns. The Captain made several errors in
giving commands. The Montgomery
True Blues were one hour and four
minutes at work. The programme is a
hard one on the soldiers, mentally, ard
more severe on their endurance qualities.
THE CADETS.
The Savannah Cadets came on next.
with the tacticians while executing the
programme Tuesday for the maiden stake
has influenced many general admirers,
and when they appeared a deafening ap-
plause went uD. They made their first
movement at 11:54 O'Clock. The heat
heing against them, the inspection was
not perfect, the men with few eXcep-
tiOns holding their guns with their fingers
over the gun strap. The manual was
oil
casional individual error perceptible.
The crowd applauded when the manual
was finished. The left double time into
line movement was excellently executed
and evoked applause.
FINE FIRING.
The firing kneeing was fine, the report
sounding as one gun. The second man in
the first four made several mistakes. The
Captain gave the order ready for firing
before he had loaded, but detected the
error, and made a correction before the
company could execute the same. The
step had the appearance of being a little
long, and, perhaps, slightly slow. The
wheeling in single and double file was
good. Obliqueing in common and double
time was also good, the line being steady
and regular. FOurs right and left about
double time was eXcellentlY well done,
EXCEPT the distance OF the third four.
while making a right wheel, the tree be-
ing beyond the limit of the drill ground.
The drill as a whole, was excellent, the
last mentioned being the only grave error
| perceptible.
THE COMPANY'S CHANCE.
1t will take a good drill by a crack COM
pany to beat them. Their performance
to-day was better than on Tuesday. They
finished the programme in one hour
exactly. Five minutes before finishing
Privates H. W. Cowan and ]. T. West
fell fainting. Reserves promptly took
their places, and the sick men were
carried to their quarters on litters.
The Busch ZOuaves followed the Cadets
to relieve the mOnotony of the infantry
drill. They have gorgeous costumes, and
being fine body of men took with the
spectators, and were loudly applauded.
The company executed a programme
somewhat similar to that of the Chicago
ZOuaVes yesterday, but showed more care
ful training, going through their evolu-
tiOns and marching almost perfectly.
THE MOBILE RIFLES.
The infantry competition was resumed
after the ZOuaves, and the Mobile Rifles
appeared, the Muscatine Rifles, who
held third place, having withdrawn. The
Rifles is one of the favorite companies,
and much interest was taken in their
movements, although they did n0trecelve
the applause gwen the Cadets or the
company winch followed. They presented
a handsome appearance and looked more
sOldierly than any preceding company.
They passed an excellent inspection. The
manual with numbers for the first few
commands was perfect, slight lrreCulari-
ties following the manual while march,
ing. The wheelings were perfect, the
curve being in the right place. The
Oblique movements, both double and CON-
mon time, were fne.
ERRORS IN FIRING.
While firing kneeling several Individual
errors occurred. After rising one gun
went of, and there is a difference of opin-
ion as TO the seriousness of this error.
One stack of guns fell while stacking in
single rank. The firing lying down was
good. Once the distance was bad in FORM
ing a line Of single rank from columns Of
fOurs. Two privates tainted after the
company had been drilling fifty minutes.
They finished in one hour and one minute.
THE MONTGOMERY GRAYs.
The Montgomery Grays came next, and
began at 1880 O'Clock. They marched on
in fine style and passed a good inspection
manual with and without numbers. IL
was perfect, except a few individual
errors. The manual while marching was
good. The wheels IN single .ank
were marred by the curve being the
wrong way. The oblique movements
we're excellent. The firing lying down
WAS we'll executed. Several stacks I'm
double iie were good. The Captain once
got the first four in the second four's
position. Except their inability TO cor
rectly measure distances their drill was
first class. Their time was 30 minutes.
The time for dress parade had arrived
and drilling was suspended until to-mor-
row morning.
GOV. b. r. Sherman, who mad been in
vited TO attend. telegraphed regrets TO
Gen. Bentley to-day at not being able TO
be present.
Meeting of the Melon Growers.