Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-10-28
NATIONAL DRILL.
Arrangement for a Grand Military
Fete at the National Capital,

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25-Stray notes from time
to time have been published about the nation
al drill to be held at Washington; commencing
on the 23d Of next May and continuing eight
days, closing with general parade of national
guards and special features on Decoration
day. The success of the grand military fete is
now assured. Nothing remains to be done
by the promoters and organ zers of the drill
bnt to arrange the details and prepare for
monster gathering of militiamen, and brief
resume Of the or gin, purposes and progress
of the proposed military carnival VIII be in
order. The origin of the drill was chance
conversation last July between District Com
missioner Wheatly and few other citizens
with Mr.. I. G. De Leon, who was managing
| secretary of the big international drill at Mo-
bile, Alabama, in May 1855. Casual dis
cusson of "a historical pageant and of
other magnets to draw curious crowds to the
national capital, resulted in the selection
of a national drill, with larger prizes than
ever before, and other attractive novelties,
open to al regular volunteer corps 10 good
stand ng Later on a committee Of citizens
was lined with Commissioner Wheatly as
chairman. Business views of the matter were
exchanged, and weeks since Mr. DeLeon was
summoned to Washington by his election as
managing secretary of the drill. Recent con-
ferences have developed the plan of this drill
thus:
1t will open under proper restriction to con-
testing infantry, artillery, cavalry and zouave
corps, regiments, batalicns and companies,
also to cadet corps from military institutes and
universities, and with prizes for Individual drill
MIA - bo
army. More than 25i 90 will be distributed In
prizes ranging from $500 to S. 90 each, besides
stands OF colors, gold, silver and bronze medals
and individual prizes ranging from $50 to $3.50,
the prizes to be presented by President Cleve-
land. All soldiers tax ng part in the contests
will be mTed about tn, Washington monu-
ment, under command of some noted national
guardsman, and the drill will takesplace in
what is known as the "white lot" 1t south
OF the Presidents mansion Officers of the
regular army, specially detailed for that duty,
will judge the drill and make the programmes
for the several events, and strict discipline
will be preserved in Camp George Washing
ton, the name that has been chosen for the
camp, to emphasize the national character
of the drill, and because this occasion will be
the first since the war, where soldiers
from the north and south unite in honoring
the name of the first president. Special days
will be assigned such as presidents day, reg
iment day, battalion day. the former for final
adjudgment of prizes. Music will be an i'm
portant attraction. 1t is expected that the
most famous bands and drum corps of the
country will assemble here, and in addition to
daily drills, nightly promenade band concerts
are proposed with such music as Cappa's,
Gilmore's and like bands.
Letters concerning entries OF battalions
and companies are coming in fast so far
These represent forty-one companies from
fifteen states, south and west. Among the
old "crack companies" expected are the
Chickasaw Guards, Houstons, Porter Rifles,
Montgomery True Blues, Mobile Rifles Mil.
waukee Light Horse, Danville, Qn.) Battery,
Louisville Legion, indianapolis Light Artillery,
Governors Grays, of Dubuque, Louisiana
Rifles and Others of equal note. The great
attraction Of noted soldiers here and the en-
thusiasm already eyinced by militiamen every
where, justify the expectation of a grand
carnival and the gathering of civilians as well
as military visitors. There is unanimous sup
port of the drill here by both press and public
and Washington has not been SO eager about
anything since the Inauguration of President
Cleveland.