Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-03-17
COLONEL DoHERTY CRITICISED.
What the New Haven Papers Don't
Know About Military Tactics Would
Fill u largo Volume.

What the New Haven Papers Don't
Know About Military Tactics Would
Fill Large Volume.
Two of the New Haven morning
papers should instruct their reporters to
study up military tactics, or else not at
tempt to criticise as they did to-day
in the case of last nights battalion drill
says:
THE drill was marked by peculiar
incident Colonel Doherty, while the
battalion was marching in ten divisions
at right shoulder arms, gave the COM
mand for rear open order. All the cap
tains repeated his order with the ex-
ceptiOn of Capt Greed of the Sarstields.
Captain Greed recognized that the
colonel had made "A mistake, and while
the other officers also noticed it, they
did as commanded SO as not to bre TX up
the movement. An explanation OF
Capt Crced's action was given by a
member. The command of rear open
order should be preceded by the one
carry arms as it is necessary during the
movement for the men to look to the
right, which is almost impossible while
the men are at right shoulder. 1t is a
common occurrence for captain to be
caught in a mistake, by his superior Off
Ger, but it rarely happens that a captain
sees fit to expose a mistake of the
colonel so that all present can see that
something has gone wrong"
ga Colonel DohcEty. when seen this
morning, was all smiles and was reading
the criticisms of the newspapers which
so un Justly accused him of an error in
command. In regard 10 the statements
of the New Haven papers he said they
were all wrong and any person with
any military knowledge could see the
matter correctly. He said he had no
conversation with Captain Greed for his
mistaken action. He explained the situa
ton as follows: The battalion was
as the New Haven papers state. They
had marched to the rear and the COM
mand halt had been given. The next
command was rear open order and Capt
Greed had mistaken the command for
| right shoulder arms. AS a consequence
| he had to send out to the left twice to
complete the movement correctly.
Eight of the ten companies had come
out on the line and Colonel Doherty did
not discover the mistake until he sent
out to have the officers on the extreme
left come out. The battalion was at a
halt when the command rear open order
was given and the men must necessarily
have been at a carry as that part of the
manual is always executed when the
battalion or company comes to a halt.
The Palladium reporter, who said that
the men were carrying their guns at
right shoulder, and when rear open
order is given they are to march at q
right face, is sadly lacking in military
learning. Colonel Doherty was perfect
ly satisfied with the drill and the officers
all spoke highly of the maneuvels.
There was one thing the New Haven
papers forgot to mention. In executing
a rear open order the left guide wheI
he steps back to his place should invert
his piece in order to show the com
handing officer the position of the left
wing. The left file closer should also
invert his piece as guide to the file OF
line closers. Sergeant Major Carter re
quired this to be done last night anC
after the first rest the two ST rgeant.
whom he had required to do this, ap
preached him and asked him if he wa
not wrong. He informed them he was
not, as Colonel Doherty had instructed
him on that point on the way to New
Haven. The sergeants both informed
Major Carter that it had never beel
done before.