Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-05-17
THE NATIONAL GUARD.
Undergoing the Ordeal Of
Spring Inspection.

/
| Spring Inspection.
| THE oPEN-AIR RIFLE PRACTIoR--A STATEMENT
| FROM INSPECTOR GENERAL PoLLARp-THE rwo
OFFICERS TO BE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
FROM HEADQUARTERS
This is the most trying time of the year for
the District National Guard The sixth and
eighth battalons and the cavalry have been in
spected during this week, and they are now
without any apparent care. Other battalions
| are waiting for their medicine, and most Of
| them will get it during the coming week. There
were q good many visiting guardsmen at the
Arcade drill hall last night when the sixth bat
TALON was being officially gazed at by Inspector
General Gale, assisted by Capts C. H. Ourand
| and Richard A. OBrien. As q whole the occa-
sion was very satisfactory, but no one will know
just what the inspecting officers think of it un-
| til their report has been received at headquar-
| ters Guardsmen generally are waiting for the
coming of Thursday night next, when the sec
| ond battalion will be out for inspection. Every
| body wants to see how Company A (the Cor
| cOran Cadets will turn out while their little
| family quarrel is in progress.
| Up to the present time the cavalry boys are
| away ahead OF any of the commands, and the
| critical soldiers who watched them on Wednes-
| day evening say that the battalion which reaches
| the yellow-strped persimmon OF perfection will
| have to be possessed of very long POLE The
light battery folks believe they will prove them
| selves at least a match for Capt. Barbour's
| troopers.
| TALKING ABOUT RIFLE PRACTICE AND 'sIcH."
An extraordinary amount of interest con-
| tinues to be manifested in the rifle practice
| which is going on during this month at the
Washington Barracks range. Those who quail
| fed in the gallery but failed in the open air
| kave not allowed themselves to become dis
| couraged; they are hard at work in the gallery
again, determined to get there at the earliest
| possible date. The men who have succeeded
| at the range have, in the main. done more than
well; certainly better than they were expected
| to do. Much Of this is undoubtedly due to the
| faithful instructions given by the inspectors.
! Capt. Cash, the inspector of rifle practice for
the first regiment, has been untiring in his eff
| forts to bring men up to the highest
| attainablc standard of efficiency and he
| has never stopped to inquire whether the seeker
after information belonged to his regiment or
not; he has been ubiquitousy invaluable
equally satisfactory as an instructor or a score
maker. Capt. Bell, the second regiment in
spector. has also done great deal of good
work-work that must tell later in the season.
| Some of the battalion inspectors have toied
with marked fidelity through what was really
most trying period. They will all be re-
| warded when the local team comes home
| loaded with trophies. Even now Mai. Pollard,
l
on them in his quiet way and says, "Well done,
good and faithful servant" He would say
more if he was not over head and ears in bust
| ness. His load of responsibility. Ightened as
| it is by Capts. Cash and Bell, is still quite
weighty.
| STRICT ATTENTION TO BUSINESS.
| The following official statement as to target
practice-past and present-hasb been furnished
by Maj. Pollard:
| Tharn haN hann fxvp liD,,v Boo 80
the shooting ability of eligibes in the National
| Guard-One on the 9TH instant, the other on
| Wednesday last-and at these 100 men have
faced the targets. Under the rules all persons
unable to make so per cent have been retired.
the high wind of the 14th materially assisting
| the reduction.
1.-The following participants have made the
| requisite scores and will practice again on
Wednesday next: Col Clay Maj: Pollard, Capts.
Rawles and Yates; Lieuts Graham, Vale, Eiker,
Arnold, Alexander, jacobson, Hill. Ebert,
| Wheeler and Farrabee; Sergts. Mitchell John
son, Rennie, Harries and Friedmann: Prlvates
Walter Walter Cash a11; Hutterly' Henry, Ja9ezeek,
Hemingway, Weber, Gaubin, Fitzhugh, Jones
| and Clark; forty in all.
This number Is still somewhat unmanage-
able but it will doubtless be reduced by failures
to keep up the required percentage and by alb
senteeism, the latter being extremely undesire-
bic. 1t is necessary that all shall attend the
regular Wednesday practice. Sd that COMPARE
tive progress may be of record and that there
may be no doubt as to the relative merit OF the
men. Possibly the scores made on the Dist in
slant will be published; those made on the 2sth
and subsequent practice days will certainly be.
lowing TO the difficulty of at once communi-
eating with the men through the mails or by
messenger the inspector general of rifle prac-
tice will publish in The EVENING STAR of each
Saturday orders for practice during the ensuing
week Extra practice days will be announced,
when those deficient at any range or in any
position will be Instructed to remedy the
trouble. Scores made on such occasions will
| not be published.
1T Is very gratifying that SO many of the ex-
perts are company officers. The experience
gained by them will be invaluable to the entire
command. Future selections of inspectors of
rifle practice will most probably be made from
| the more efficient Of the enlisted men or those
who thoroughly master the details of practice"
THE TERRoRs OF THE LAW.
Next Thursday evening a general court
| martial will be held at the second regiment
headquarters, but Surgeon Sumby will not be
the only one on trial. Second Lieut. Morrow
| of Company A, second battalion (Corcoran Ca
dets) will be called upon to defend himself
| against the charges made by Capt. Edwards.
The captain says the lieutenant has been
| guilty of conduct prejudicial to good order
| and military discipline" 1t is hardly probable
that the lieutenant will appear, for he has sent
| III DIS resignation. UQuer the circumstances
this will hardly be accepted. Military ideas
| refuse to allow an officer to resign while he is
under charges. Capt. Edwards bases his COM
plant on the ground that Lieut.. Morrow signed
| and circulated petition asking him (Edwards)
to resign his command.
| somewhat ludicrous feature in Surgeon
| Sumbys case was the doctors refusal to re-
ceive the charges when the adjutant general
| forwarded them to him by messenger. The
papers were then sent him by mail, in a
| registered package, but he would have none of
them. Sumby will be represented in tn. court
martial by W. Calvin Chase.
SPLASH LEAD.
| The brigade board Of examination will meet
| on June 2, instead of on May %, as was pre-.
viously announced
| II. w. Sessford has been ordered before the
| medical board for examination as to his fitness
for the hospital stewardship Of the second bat
| TALON.
| Many changes among the officers of the
| guard may be looked for during and shortly
| after this week.
Adiutant Smith of the sixth battalion has re-
| signed. There is hot competition for the va
| cancy.
| The fish commission has closed its session at
Fort Washington. Preparatory camp work
will now proceed without interfering with the
| scientists or the fish.
| Gen. Ordway, who has been fishing for bass
at the Woodmont Club House for the past few
days, returned to Washington and the National
| Guard last night. His Communion in niscato rial