The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-17

aud, as be passed the cavalry, every man
rose IN his stirrups and braudlshed his
sabre When you remembered that he had
been about thu hardest fighter in Lees
army, and mad led that terrible assault in
IN gray fog OF the early morning at Win
chester, which almost swept our van out of
existence, You could enter into the feeling.
After he had passed around TIE battaliOns
broke into column and marched Dy him.
just as Col Mercer and staff mad wheeled
out of the column, fro n the black cloud i'm
nedlately overhead two vivid forks of
lightning ran down, dividing the sombrs
mass with SulphUrous CLEANS of fire, and the
deafening crash followed iIstantaneously.
1t killed one and stunned another of Col
Gor1On's horses in camp near by.
The men tramp,f bravely through a
sheet OF water above their ankles and
showed nv their soldierly and cheerful bear
ing that they were no play soldiers. Com
pany drills were excellent in Col. ReilIy's
regiment and fair To good in the other bat-
talions- The companies which were so raw
in guard duty and battalion drills did much
better than you would have expected them
to do in company maueuYers. Col Levy's
battalion gave a very fair battalion drill
Guides and markers were sometimes faulty
posted, but the company commanders had
a good idea of their work. Left front into
line from column of tours was done for the
uisU Lttuo VIII TblhaThdDlb accuracy,
especially in the matter of Judging distances
On Friday each battalion had dress parade
successfully. Col. Reilev's was faultlesS,
with one small exception, first sergeant,
who failed to come.to an order after report
ing his company and returning to his place.
The manual of the First Georgia battal-
ion, Col. Levy, was very fair, and that of
the Oglethorps Infantry. Capt. jackson, in
snap and cadence extremely fine. TIE other
two were credltable; in fact, rather remark
able, considering that they had probably
never participated in one before. The ad-
JutantS were especially well posted and
their morning reports showed them to
be men Of unusual Intelligence and
zeal Taking it as a whole, the encamp-
ment was an actual success and promise of
high excellence in the future. Nothing is
needed to put the militia of Georgia on the
highest plane except judgment on the part
Of tho advisory board and support from the
legislature. | don't mean to insinuate that
Judgment is or will be wanting, but only to
show what rare opportunity they have in
the splendid material ready TO their hand.
Col. Mercer is a man of the highest intel
lectual ability, descendant of Hugh Mercer
of the revolutionary war, and of a long
line of soldiers; his great professional and
social standing command the respect, as his
gentle courtesy wins the love, of all. Col.
Olmstead, the quartermas'e err general, has
not only the best business capacity, but is a
man of broad views and an admirable
scholar. Organization and dicipliue are the
means to evolve the best results from
material which is actually unsurpassed.
One of the great advantages which the
state possesses is the intense mill ary spirit
which pervaies all ranks and classes. The
companies get the best social and moral ele-
ment of the communities which they repre-
sent, and no man in Georgia Is or holds
himself too high for a commission in the
state troops.
The officers are men who command the
respect of their companies from their stand
ing and personal qualities, and this, where
penalties are nominal and the means of
enforcing discipline inadequate, is the best
guarantee for obedience and order. How
far this was attained can be Judged from
the fact that from Monday till Saturday
did not see one intoxicated member OF the
militia, and | saw almost every member In
the camp at one time or another. / did
not see blow struck or hear an angry
word.
The first thing needed is the formation of
staff service. The duartermaster depart
ment is in good hands and only wants
expansion There should be a commissary
, department organized at once, and medi-
cal department, with proper and roomy
hospital acc Jm notation. No better sur
geon- general than DR.. Owens could be found :;
intensely military, energetic, with an excep-
tional medical education, his youth is one
of his strongest recommendations. A per-
manent assistant acknowledgement aud q
force of competent clerks is another neces-
sity, and it is to be hoped that the advAn-
tage of having such competent inspec-
ton and instruction as Lieut..
Terrett has given this year will
not be forgotten. Discipline and instruc-
ton should be une watchwords of the Geor-
gia volunteers, and with these qualities en-
forced the state will have body of troops
second TO none in America. l hope the in
tense state pride of her people will over
come the natural reluctance of an agricul-
tural community to vote money. When
the legislature sees in its first year and its
imperfect organization their state militia
earning the respect and admiration of pro-
fessional observers who have made the
national guard system a study and seen
the troops of half a dozen states, cannot
believe that they will permit such germs to
perish from lack Of nutrimeut.