Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-02-26
ARMY OF THE STATE.
ADJuTANT-oENERAL'S REPORT ON
CONDITION OF VIRGINIA TROOPS.
Facts OF Interest About tho Military
Number Of Soldiers in Various Com
mands-Percentage at Inspections.

Facts OF Interest About tho Military
Number OF Soldiers in Various Com
mands-Percentage at Inspections.
The report of Adjutant- General James
Mcdonald for the year 1890 has been print
ed and will be placed in the hands of the
Governor to-day.
The document, which bears date of Oc-
tober 18th. is full of interesting matter of
especial interest to military men.
In his introduction General Mcdonald
says:
"Eo very material change has occurred In the
| strength or condition Of the Virginia volunteers
| since the date Of the last report. The total
number, as then given, was 2,7So, OF whom 220
were white and b1e coorod. The present total,
| as reported by the Assistant Inspeotor-General,
is 27is. q whom 2,907 are white and bal colorei.
OF these 1879 belong 10 white infantry organlza
| uons, 222 70 artillery, and BOG 70 cavalry. Tho
eoIorsd troops are All infantry and l. are organ
panies and the second OF two, with i've unas-
| signed companies,
Tho principal change in organization hss
| been tho conversion OF the First battalion Of
cavalry into the First regiment Of cavalry,
1890.
"one company of infantry, the JenL Davis
Rifles, at Salem, Roanoke county, has been
mustered In, and assigned 70 the Second regi-
ment as Company "H."
AnKD THE AUTHORITIES.
"serviee In aid OF the civil authorities has
been rendered six times during the year-to
| wit Twice in January and February at Char
| lottesville by the Monticello Guard under Cap
| tain Keller; once In May at Boydton by the Pc
tersburg Grays, under Captain Lassiter once
| In July At Alexandria by tho Alexandria Light
| Infantry. under Captain hushbsch once again
| In July by the Pocahontas Guard. under Cap
| tain w. w. Lewis, and once In August at Boyd
| ton by detachment from tho First infantry
under Captain Bossieux. Tho service by Cap
tsins Keller and Lsssiter consisted In guarding
| from threatened popular violence negro prison
| ers charged with murder; that OF Captain Mush-
bach in being ready 10 prevent or suppress an
npprshended riot and tumult on the part OF 8
negro mob from Washington city, as 20 which
the Information was erroneous; that OF Captain
Lewis in deterrlng despersdoes from an assault
on the jail Of Pocahontas to release some OF
their associates, and that OF Captain Bossleuz In
securing from rescue negro prisoner con-
demned TO execution. In none OF these cases
was there On actual attempt made to carry Into
execution the suspected or rumored purpose
THE LEE UNWILLING.
The report shows thatlthere were present
| at the unveiln9 of the Lee Monument, May
29th last, thirty eight companies of Viz
ginia soldiers.
The visiting infantry was served with
10000 blank cartridges; the First Virginia
three-inch cartridges.
The Adiutant-General states now that
| the soldiers are for the most part well
equipped, it will be his policy to draw the
States allowance from the Government III
undress uniform, with which 1t is his idea
to ultimately provide them all.
The report also states that the board of
officers which has been preparing code
of regulations for the government OF the
Virginia volunteers has nearly completed
its work, and that if the same is approved
and adopted it will greatly facilitate trans
action of military business. 1t is also
stated that the new tactics being prepared
by board of army officers are nearly COM
pleted.
THE INFANTRY.
The First brigade of infantry Is COM
posed of the First. Second, Third, and
| Fourth regiments, in all 80 companies, con-
tanning l2S officers and 1,479 men, as
against 12i officers and ! 1893 men the year
| previous.
It's component parts are:
Brigadier-G General and five staff officers.
First Regiment Six companies, % Off
GERS 1913 men; gain of 2 officers and loss of
man as against 1889. Percentage at in
spection, S5.2.
Second Regiment: Seven companies. 30
officers, and $40 men gain of 2 officers
and "A men. Percentage at inspection,
65.8.
Third Regiment: Seven companies, 80
officers, and 345 men; gain of officer and
2 men. Percentage at inspection. 72.2.
Fourth Regiment: Ten companies, 37
officers, and 492 men: gain of l officer and
IL men. Percentage at inspection, 1913.
The Richmond Light Infantry Blues is
the only detached company of white sol
diers in the State. This organization has
officers and 6S men, an increase OF l9 men.
Percentage at inspection, 100,
CAVALRY AND CANNoSEERs.
First Battalion Cavalry: Four troops
(not counting O and FL, - officers and 1856
men. loss of / officer and AZ men. Per
centage at inspection, 69.3.
First Battalion Artillery: -Four batteries,
% officers, and 200 men, loss OF Z officers
and l04 men. Percentage at inspection,
1876.
Appended to the report is that of the
Virginia Military Institute, which shows
that LAG cadets have matriculated to date.
THE coIoRED SOLDIERS.
All the negro troops are infantry.
First Battalion: Three companies, l6 OH
GERS, and 1853 men, a gain of officers and 10
men. Percentage at inspection, 1874.
Second Battalion Two companies, 6 Off
GERS, and 101 men. No change. Percentage
at inspection, 76.6.
and 24S men, gain OF IL men, FER
centage at inspection, 1872.
ASSISTANT INsPEcToR-GENERAL's REPORT.
The report Of Assistant Inspector
General Jo Lane Stern is as follows:
"Thero are nfty-tnreo companies in the SER
vice, only fcrty-nine Of which were Inspected.
The tour not inspected are Company Of the
Third regiment OF infantry, Battery Of the
First battalion Of artillery, and Troops and
OF tho First regiment OF cavalry Those four
com panies will DO referred TO later on in this re-
port Fifty companies were Inspected In l55g,
and there were present of1lcers and men, l,o7i.
The forty-nine companies inspected this year
show present officers and men, 2OO6 The at
tendance In 1889 was 70 per cent; for this year
IL is 766 Tho percentage this year rs the best
ever made, but attention Is called TO the low
percentage In the following commands:
"Company It, First regiment infantry; the
field and stan and Companies A, c, x, and I,
Second regiment Of infantry; the neld ana stan
and Companies and G, Third regiment OF In
fanty; non-commissioned stah and Companies
and OF the Fourth regiment OF infantry;
Company A. First battalion OF infantry 'cSioreul
the State Guards; Troops and d OF the First
regiment OF cavalry, and Batteries and u.
1t 10 very evident that there are mum Dor Oh
men on the rolls Of these companies that may De
considered "dead wood -; and as recon mended
lsst year. again repeat that the officers In COM
mand should be directed 10 discharge or drop
men that .incnmber the rolls and do not render
any service. IL 10 true, however, that the live
business interests throughout the State at this
time re Iuire the absence from homo of numbers
OF men In some Of the companies, and this,
doubtless, has had effect upon the percentage
present OF those companies
:" In a special report, for the reasons therein
ststed, | have recommended the disbandment
~ Company +, Of the First regiment OF In
fsntry Company II. Of the Third regiment OF
infantry Batteries G and x, OF the First pat
talon OF artillery, and company G, OF the rrst
battalion OF infantry. Tho other companies
mentioned above as making such small per-
contago present at inspection can scarcely hope
10 escape similar recommendation at the nexI
inspection unless there be great improve
mont The following companies have fallen be-
low the minimum number OF men required py
law: ~ ,.,.
minimum.
Company A, First regiment Infantry ,-......'''
Company ", First regiment Infantry. .''l0
Company c, Second regiment infsntry....''''
Company r, Second regiment Infantry .s.'''.
Company X, Third regiment infantry ...''''''''''
ONLY ONE UNIFORM.
all NJ thu voluntaera ware provided