San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-08-13
CAPTAIN ROBERT GREEN
Gives the Belknap Rifles a Sensible Lee
ture and Lots of Good Advice.

Gives the Belknap Rifles a Sensible Lee
ture and Lots of Good Advice.
The Belknap Rifles were called to-
gether at their armory last night at
o'clock, for a short business meeting. A
large percentage of the members were
present and we're addressed by their
captain, Robert Green, who, after few
orders in regard to the care of their
guns, accoutremeDts, and armOry, said
the discipline Of the company must be
brought up to a higher standard, up to
a military standard. They were soldiers
and must be soldiers in every sense of
the word. Treat your officers with the
respect and obedience due officers. |
mean while you and they are in uniform.
Pattern in all things military after the
Houston Light Guards, not the Busch
Zouaves. The company must uphold
the officers, and if they don't
do right, 1t is your duty to ask
them to resign and compel them
to do so. If they do right, obey them.
Learn the duties of soldier; learn 10
he a soldier in every sense Of the word;
not for fun, not to attend balls and
pleasure parties, ETC., but for real earn
est work. Put your whole heart and
soul into the work and come in willing
and anxious for duty. You must not
think our highest aim is to travel about
the country attending drills and taking
prizes; of course, that will come in time,
but if you don't work you will not be
able to even do this. Don't question
commands of your officers. Obey them.
and il they give wrong commands or
make mistake, obey them and the re-
sponsibility will rest on the man giving
the order and not upon those who exc
cute 1t. We have been to the largest
encampment you ever saw; and
have learned something Of military
dier's duties, although we have ex-
perienced few of the usual hardships.
Model yourself after the best company
you saw there. In regard to the award
of prizes at Galveston, there is an i'm
preston around town that perhaps the
thing was not quite fair to the Belknaps.
You must deny this and when they ask
you about it, maintain that 1t was fair,
and believe as believe that there could
not have been better judges, or more
honest, capable gentlemen chosen than
those who judged us, and say that we
will at all times be ready to go into
contest under such judges gladly, will
ingly. believe every man in the COM
pany thinks about this as / do. III you
are asked If you were treated right say
you certainly were. There are few
loud-mouthed members In this company,
as well as in the San Antonio Rifles,
who have brought about little un-
friendly feeling that exists between the
two companies. Such men are unfit to
belong to any military company and are
not soldiers. Act like men, like SOL
diers, squsrely, honestly and with true
manliness.
Their captain complimented them on
their good drill they put up at Calves
ton, and promised them they would re-
trieve themselves at the next encamp-
ment, and he hoped to God lin all humil-
ity he said it) we would, for the COM
pany's good, your own good, and the
city's good. l am going to be severe to
you while in uniform, and l expect i'm
plicit obedience.
He then gave orders for the members
OF the company to meet at the armory
tonight at $50 O'Clock, in full dress uni
form, when they will march to the CAST
no hall in a body. Next Monday he
would meet them at the armory and
drill nights, two per week, would then
be announced, so they would get right
down to work again.