Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-28

II
| SQUARES TO BE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES AND
| eArLISG GUNS - HOW THE TROOPS WILL BE
ASSEMBLED.
The rust of idleness will never have an OPP
| portunity to fasten itself on the District ma
tional guard SO long Gen. Ordway COM
| mands il. Everything that an active mind
| could conceive of that would be interesting to
the citizen soldiers has been suggested or put
| into practice. The latest idea is not novel
one, but it will be new to the people of this
city. Street riot drills are to be the great
| features of local militia maneuvering this
| spring, and preparations are now being made
at headquarters for some effective work in that
interesting line of tactics If militia organiza-
| ton has any one central duty it is the
protection OF the city in which it
lives, and that would be the
task given the District guard in case of neces-
sity. Gen. Ordway is going to see that his
brigade will be ready for the emergency, al
though the emergency may never come. The
| tactics for such drills are proposed are being
carefully revised and fitted for this city, and in
little while copies of them will be given the
officers. While they are studying them the
non-commissioned officers will be doing another
important branch of the work, heretofore pro-
vldeu Tor but never as yet insisted upon.
NEIGHBoRHooD SQUADS.
The various companies will be divided up
into subdivisions to be known as ''neighbor-
hood squads" and for each of these squads
non-commissioned officer is responsible. His
duty in connection with his squad is only APP
parent when 1t Is desired to have the command
turn out on short notice. If the general de-
cldes at O'Clock on some afternoon that q
surprise drill ought to take place that evening
at he notifies the colonel or colonies to that
effect. They send az once to the captains and
the captains communicate with their sergeants
and corporals. These in their turn visit or
send to the officers homes of the men in
their respective squads and the hoped-for re-
suit would be the assembling of the regiment or
regiments ordered out. 1t is not expected that
more than two-thrds of the command could be
reached In this manner, but it is desirable that
the general should have the results of few
such tests before him.
CALLED OUT BY FIRE BELLS.
AS these maneuvers proceed there will be i'm
portant changes made in the methods of sum
moning the men. The fre-alarm bells will be
called into requisition and militia alarm will
be rung out at some unexpected time. When
this Is done each company will assemble at its
armory and there await the orders which will
be sent out by General Ordway. Then will fol-
low brigade maneuvers on the streets.
HOLLOW SQUARE.
The formation on such an occasion would be
hollow square and tho entire width of the
street from building line to building line will be
occupied, so the crowd would have to make for
the houses and side streets as rapidly as posi-
BILE. The front of the square would give its at
tention to everything ahead of it. The right
side would look after the houses on the OPP
poslte side of the street and the left side would
be watchful of supposltitious rioters who might
occupy windows and roof tops on the right side
OF the highway. When, however, it might be-
fire Sil AZ
street then this arrangement would be re-
versed. The rear line would be ready at any
time to support either of the sides or both and
would also be called upon to supply possible
vacancies in the front rank.
THE SHARP SHOOTERS
In the center OF the square would be the
sharp shooters and these would be permitted to
fire at will at individuals whose pernicious ac-
tivity was supposedly an evidence Of disloyalty.
The troops composing the square would not
flre except at the word of command but the
sharp shooters are to be allowed to exercise
their own judgment in the majority of instances.
THE GATLING GUNS.
At the forward angles of the square and in
side the formation will be gatling guns-the
small riot gum" which can be easily pulled
by couple of men When necessary the
angles can be opened and the guns brought
rapidly to the front. The artillery and cavalry
These maneuvers will be kept up through the
spring and until the guard goes into its annual
encampment at Fort Washington.
SIGNAL MEN ON BICYCLES.
The signal company of the District militia,
which went out of existence last year, is being
revived very rapidly and upon an entirely new
basis. One of the novel features of the reha-
bliltated command will be found in the fact
that II ID to be mounted on bicycles. From the
beginning of the guard here Gen. Ordway has
held that company SO mounted would be a
success. Efforts on that line in England and
on the Continent have been eminently success
ful, but they could not be SO to such an extent
IN this country because of the difference in the
roads. Across the Atlantic the roads are almost
as smooth as the concrete streets of this city,
and large bodies of infantry can be and are
rapidly moved from place to place on bicycles
The work of militia" said Gen. Ordway to
STAR reporter last night lis largely in cities
and the work of the District militia would nat
urally be on our streets. These are perfectly
adapted to the bicycle and by means of
these swift and silent steeds a number of men
could be sent to any given point in a very brief
period of time"
There is a good deal Of enthusiasm being
displayed in the recruiting of the new COM
pany and its ranks are now more than half
full.
CALL on GEN. oRDwAY.
Inc OihScib VI DdtlallOn calleQ upon
Gen. Ordway at national guard headquarters
last night and spent a couple of hours very
pleasantly discussing military matters Col
Clay OF the second regiment also present.
Arrangements for Rifle Practice.
Rifle practice at the national guard gallery is
at present the most popular feature of this
iourishing organization. The men need no
encouragement to attend, for the majority of
them are enthusiastic over target work. A
good deal depends upon fidelity in this particu-
lar, for only by careful work can a man place
himself IN one OF the upper grades.
The following schedule has been prepared
for the monthiof February and was issued yes
terday from headquarters: First battalion
Company A, Monday. February IL; company b,
Friday. February Z; company C.. Tuesday, Feb
ruary %; company ID, Thursday. February 20
Second battalion-Company A. Friday, Febru-
AIRY IA; company b, Monday, February 10: COM
pany c, Tuesday, February 4; company ID.
Monday, February 10. Third battalion-Com-
pany A, Tuesday, February IL; company b,
"Wednesday, February 10; company C. Thursday,
February Is; company ID, Friday, February 81.
Fourth battalion-Company A, Thursday Feb
uary 6; company b. Tuesday, February ls;
ompany c, Thursday, February q; company
D., Tuesday, February 49, Fifth Battalion
Company A. Monday, February 8. comDanv r.