The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-08-02
CITIZEN SOLDIERS.
A Set of COntumaci0us Nom CONS
in the First Infantry.

The Don-comS OF the First Infantry have
emphasized their apparently willful dis
obedience of orders to such degree that
were they court-martialed 1t is question
able whether reasonable doubt could
arise to save them. Their act may perhaps
not be mutiny, but it comes so close that
the difference is very slight. The drill on
Wednesday evening was called specially
because the one on the I'd ult. was so out
rageously poorly attended, and the promise
was held out that if the attendance was
good, no further drill would be called be-
fore the encampment on the 18th inst
Twelve of the fourteen Lieutenants at
tended with Major Sullivan as the in
structor, attended by the Adjutant, but
with the Sergeant-Major conspicuous by
his absence. at o'clock, the hour for
which the drill was called. there were
exactly ten nOG-commissiOned officers
present, and they were drilled by the Ma
1or. These ten were from Two companies
not Quartered in the regimental armory,
yet of whose twenty-eight nOn-coms
twenty-seven were in the city on that
evening By $50 o'clock the army of over
worked laggards dropped in, but 10 and be-
hold, there were thirty-seven all told out of
possible ninety-eight, and 80 per cent OF
these 40 from the Post street and not the
regimental armory. The "old guard" OF
thlrty-seyen was put through the guard
mount and Major Sullivan, who was dis
gusted enough on the occasion to throw up
Ills commission, announced that the facts
would be reported to the Colonel for his
action. And this is the regiment that
boasts Of being the crack regiment in the
n. G.. C., the flower of the Second
Brigade" THE trOphy-bearer," etc., etc.
Tie Second Artillery has now an ambu-
lance corps in embryo-the first, by the
way, in the n. G. g. With few exceptions,
the corps is made up of medical and dental
students, numbering twenty-five. hospi-
tai tent has been provided, affording ac-
commOdation for twelve cots. The men are
armed with the regulation swords and belts;
an ambulance wagon with stretchers and
requisite appliances has been procured, not
forgetting q complete drug department.
What will be the next rattle for the baby to
play with? Let's have something new in
every battalion, even though the companies
dwindle down TO minimum membership
of fifty. Let's have another officer on the
staff, an Inspector of Manly Sports, say,
and let's have attached 10 every battalion
corps Of sprinters, who shall wear regula-
ton swords and belts, and be detailed for
scouting and trailing duty. as Indian scouts
are in the army. A bright Idea, the |. Nj.
5. might also have charge OF corps of BIZ
cycles. True, neither scouts nor wheelmen
would be OF any service, but that is no
argument Inc farce OF feBlmenldl SlSnal
corps was also soon played out.
Some of the intelligent reports of the
muster and inspection of the Second Artil-
lery had il that the Brigade Inspector acted
in his capacity of Brigade Inspector for
General John I. Cutting; again that 1.-THE
companies turned out full ranks" thing
which they could not do having anything
but full ranks; again that the inspection
was "by Major Cutler and staff, who acted
for General Cutting" and that the Adju-
tant was placed on the retired list owing TO
physical ability; and again that the annual
inspection muster OF the Second Brigade,
n. q. G., was held at their armory on Grove
street." all of which quoted matter is the
Undoubtedly Companies A, c, D
and q of the First will at once,
if not sooner, provide themselves for
camp with knapsacks That the general
appearance IF the regiment may not suffer
dttractiOn by this omission in the outfit" -;
and if for no other reason they will be
pleased to do so, because last year Captain
Burdick had his company furnished with a
very neat-appearlng kuapsack." But for
one, or even three companies, TO pretend to
form basis for 1.-THE general appearance OF
the regiment of seven companies reminds
one of the idiOtic little swallow which
imagined itself whole summer.
Like the flowers that bluom in the spring,
the why's and wheretores have nothing to
40 Win tue Cdoe, anu tHO i"S0 lohaiHo thHe
no service medals have been awarded to
members in the Third Regiment. The
statement to that effect. therefore, cannot
have been erroneous" but was and is
true. The why's and wherefores happen TO
be the misfortune of the members
The Veterans Association announces
the death of another member-Charles
Pryor, ex-Leutenant, Company d, First
Cavalry, {. ). NJ, whose remains were in
tered at Benca.
According to 1.-The boy in the office" at
regmental headquarters, a new officer has
been added TO the staff of the First lntan-
try-the Ordinance officer"
III of the First has been indulging in
court-martials again--two men fined S3
each and another dishonorably discharged.
Captain Hugh I. Sine Is sitting as a reg
mental couft-Inartial in the Second.