The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-08

militia, and pledged his word that he would call
tie attention of the next Legislature to the SUBJ
ject and urge the necessity for such a measure.
One of the most graceful and pleasing tributes
to the victorious military was a magnificent
basket of flowers presented to the Richardson
Zouaves by Mrs. Ferd Chrisman.
Robert Barnett of the Richardson Zouaves,
and II. d. Condo, of the Light Infantry, both OF
whom have been seriously i'll since their return
from Lafayette, are convalescent
The victory of Company A, Second Regiment.
Richardson Zouaves). at the State encampment,
gives the right to claim the position of the best
drilled company in the State militia.
The Tri-State Veterans and Militia Association
have invited all the local companies to attend
their third annual reunion and encampment at
Fort Wayne. Action will be taken by the differ
ent companies this week.
| The State prizes won by the Richardson
| Zouaves and Light Artillery have not as yet
been paid. but there is every assurance that the
receipts of the encampment are sufficient to pay
| them after meeting all the expenses
In spite of their recent ill-luck, the Light In
| fantry is again on top, and the intention is to
| settle down to hard work There seven ap
| plcations for membership to be acted upon al
| the regular business meeting, next Tuesday
| night.
The Indianapolis Light Artillery has been
organized four years, during which time it has
| drills in the future will probably be under the
| auspices of the National Military League, OF
| which it is member. The National Military
| League was organized in July, and is composed
of eight companies of infantry five batteries and
| two Zouave companies. With the exception OF
| an Iowa company, the Light Artillery is the
| only company north of the Ohio river. The Ma
tional League will hold its annual encampmeni
| for championship drills, etc, the next Fourth
| of July. The place of meeting has not been de-
cided upon.
| A move which all competing companies heart
ily indorse is the doing away with the inspection
| Immediately preceding prize drill. To compel
men to stand in the heat of monday for nearly
half an hour is not only outrageous, but the de-
bilitating effect of the heat makes model drill
| nearly an impossibilitv. 1t is something that
does not interest spectators and could be easily
| dispensed with. Inspection could be gone
| through with in battalion of companies or the
| separate companies several hours prior to the
| drills. The "boys' would be in good shape then.
and if they failed to squit themselves credita
| bly,, it would be their own fault, and not the
| fault of the officers who make up the pro
gramme.
| The State militia is divided into three regi
| ments. The First is the veteran regiment, com
manded by Col j. M. Watts. The Second regi.
ment was first composed of companies adjacent
| to indianapolis, which was the rendezvous.
| Colonel Rncke commands this regiment The
Third regiment, commanded by Col. l. n. Kirk,
was originally composed or companies from the
| northern part of the State The disbanding of
many of the old companies on account of the
failure of the militia bill, last year, and the or
| ganizaton of many new companies, somewhat
disturbed the original arrangements of the com
/ panes as to location The companies now com
| posing the three regiments are indiscriminately
| scattered over the State.
| A project is on foot to organize an Indiana
military league, to be composed of selected com
| panies from the militia and independent organ
| izations. The suggestion is that these companies
| be organized into battalion, to elect their own
| officers, and hold at least one encampment each
| year for the purpose of military instruction, with
special reference to battalion drills and guard du
| ties. These encampments would be held al
| towns where financial encouragement could
be secured, but there would be at
tempt at prize-drills, sham battles or anything
| in the way of military clap-trap; and in conse
| quence the promoters of the scheme recommend
that no admission be charged to the camp and
that the whole encampment beconducted quietly
| and upon common-sense basis, with view tc
| the improvement and instruction Of the mpan
| les comprising the league. rather than the enter
tainment amusement of people who might
visit the camp. The Light Infantry, Richard
| son Zouaves, Fort Wayne Rifles and the Logan
| Greys. of Logansport, have been mentioned as
1 probable members of the league