The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-17
TEE GEORGIA ENoAMPMENr.
An Army ofhcer Praises Highly Geor
gia's Volunteer Soldiers

Qia'S VOlupCS SOIolerS-
r-orrsspondsncs of the Army aud NdrV
.JotsT5aGL
The camp of the Georgia militia for this
their first year was located about two and
tbree-auarter miles from Augusta, in a
nine grove across the railroad from tho ex-
position building.
The camp opsned Monday. June 16. The
brigade was commanded BY Col George 4.
Mercer of Savannah, with the following
staff: Capt. Ed ward Field. 4th Art, A. a.
A. e.; Col Wilberforce Daniel OF Augusta,
Ga Camp Q. N. DR.. Owens of Savannah.
surgeon, ana Lieut. Gardner, Richmond
Hussars. A. D. Z. Lieut. Terrett was the
Inspector detailed by orders from the war
department..
the first ceremony which witnessed was
guard mounting, and 1t gave an idea how
Uue1ual the material was in point of dis
cipline and knowledge of military duty,
and yet how pr missing it all was as to zeal,
sobriety and desire to learn.
The First Georgia battalion was in very
fair condition generally, aud the OglethorDe
Infantry, Capt Jackson, especially fine
The two other battalions were composed of
companies no two of which were from the
same place, and had, consequently, rarely
seen one another on a battalion drill or
dress parade. Raw as they were they wer9
of capital stuff and had the right spirit.
In some cases sentinels were not released
b with due punctuality, but as rule officers
did their part of guard duty not only eff
GENTLY but in many cases with an amount
of ZEAL which, if it could not supply the
want Of knowledge of the men, at least
showed thai nothing in the future should be
impossible. The first officer of the day,
Capt Brooks of the Savannah Cadets
never closed his eyes during the night, and
l verify believe scarcely sat down during
81. i
ton of the guard, due to the blowing down
of their tent and the destruction of the lists
of details in the veritabe flood of Thurs
day, June 49, the officers of the guard did
the work of ten men in Strengthening out
the guard. From ali these criticisms the
First Georgia Volunteers must be exempted,
rs they were in every respect a thoroughly
organic I'd and admirably disciplined body
of men. I saw Capt. Brooks company
drilling the second morning under the first
lieutenant. Their appearance was abso-
lutely satisfying to the military eye. They
wore dark blue flannel shirts, prairie belts,
untanped leather leggings and forage caps.
Somebody said: How do they look?'
/ said: Substitute a soft drab felt broad
brim for the natty chasseur caps and
would thiuk | was looking at a crack COM
pany of the regular infantry starting out
for a summer with the Apaches."
The manual was, in point of time, pre-
csion and snap, excellent, and while it was
evident to practiced eye that two men
were a trifle behind the rest owing to their
being recruits, the entire drill showed as
much smartness as is possible with due
attention to the higher and more important
parts of a soldiers duty. nave rarely
seen their mere drill exceeded | have
never seen better soldiers in the American
National Guard. and Capt BROOKS is the
type of a man thai | never see without feel
hot et1ph al
give his whole lite to TIA profession. Col.
Mercer was justly proud Of his regiment,
and much of its efficiency is due to the
thorough soldier and excellent aduinistra-
tor who has for soma time commanded il,
Lieut. Col Reilly. II guard duty was The
weak point, cleanliness, sobriety, and good
humor were their strong points The police
was in every way admirable. have never
seen anywhere cleaner camps. The sinks
were kept absolutely inoffensive. There was
no drunkenness, and what noiss there was
was merely the escape of irrepressable spirit.
Good humor and cheerfulness prevailed at
al times
Brigade dress parade was the first cere-
mony which displayed the whole command.
1t took place in the oval enclosed by the
mile track Of the exposition grounds. Line
was formed soon after 6 ocl OK. Col
Rellly's battalion formed the right of tae
line. Then came Col. Legy's battalion.
commandedby Lieut. Terrett, as Col Lewis
arm had received an injury which pre-
vented MIN from drawing his sword. Col
Nights battalion was next and Col Jones'
formed the left of the infantry line. All
the battalions marched and formed very
well for first experience. AS the left bat
talon came up, the long column of cavalry
MED through the gate OF the track and
formed columns Of companies. 1t was the
hrst time In all my visits to state encamp-
ments that mad seen more than two COM
panles, and much as l had heard of the
excellence OF this command, was not pre-
pared for such an appearance The mate
rial is the very pick and flower of the young
men OF the southern porlon of the state.
large number owned their own horses
and those who did not had the use of horses
from friends. Every horse was q genuine
saddle horse bitten and broken. The men
were such horsernen as could only be found
IN community where every fairly we'll to-
DO boy rides almost as soon as he walks.
The Georgia HuSsars, Col Gordons old
troop, rode with a very handsome seat,
much like the English military, but which
looked better because there was not the
studied effort to drop the heel, which gives
the straddling or tongs across-a-wall effect.
The Liberty County Troop had true cav
airy seat, which was not as handsome to a
soldiers eye, but they are holy terrors in
keeping the saddle. There were in their
ranks lot of Texas ponies and some of
them knew how to buck in good frontier
style, but they could just as easily have
tossed Pawnee Bill or Mexican Pete AS these
iong-legged Georgia bows. had little faith
IN militia cavalry. | had been accustomed
TO the big raw-boned animals hired for the
occasion from street car and omnibus lines,
ana the appearance of cavalry orderly
pounding across the field riding all over his
morse was an occasion for eadless mirth ia
the infantry. Here l saw companies moving
IN admirable dress, ranks closed. boot to
boot, officers splendidly mounted and splen-
gld horsemen, and the whole command in
FUSED G, with the finest soldierly spirit.
inns is due to the admirable material. to
Ioe fact that the officers were the pick of a
picked organization and that Col. Gordon
Is not only the best disciplinarian in the
STATE, but that he has that rare union of
uhfuf1ed courtesy, with the most unbending
aeHse OF duty, which has enabled him to
uFlAg out the very best results from this
agh-splrited and intelligent material. l
10 not mean that they drilled in all the
movements as well as our regular cavalry.
put DO say that they kept their horses
4 petUer closed than many regulars [ have
81 seen, and that, while their mounts and their
horsemanship would compare well with the
81 bcSU we've GOT their SVVOrdSrp ..