Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-11
VIRGINIA TROOPS.
THE ANNUAL INSPECTION OF AL
ARMs or THE SERVICE COMPLETED.
rhrse New Com panies Mustered In-Larso
Percentage Of Attsndsncs--The cues
t,ou Of Renewal Of Uniform.

t,ou Of Renewal Of Uniform
Co,onei 10. Lanc Stcrn, assistant inspec-
tor.ccneral Of State troops. has hnisned
he annual inspectons and sent his report
.hrorgi the Adjutant-G General to the Gov
ornor This concludes his work until Sep
,ombcr next. Tho report has not been
,n,ds public vet. but in conversation with
a DISPATCH reporter last night Ooione'
stern, speaking in general way OF the
condition Of the forces, said:
ABOUT 5000 TROOPS.
"There are about 5000 troops OF ali
arms of tho service in the state. consist
no ~ thirty.four white infantry com
n.n;ce nine colored infantry companies,
six troops of cavalry. and three oa,teIies
OF artillery. with a new battery OF ar,,liery
abou. ready 10 be mustered IN NJ roras-
,no,,,h Three new white infantry CON-
nan,e, we're mustered in at this inspection,
ono NJ Towns Brook, in Shenandoah coun-
~ one nj Abingdon. Washington county,
and one ct Newport News. :.
1.-THE percentage of attendance at In
ar.ct,ons thi. wear was larger than ever
before. Thirty or forty officers were, ex-
ahmed for their commission during tncse
INSPECTIONS, about rs per cent. OF WHOM
passed.
RENEWAL OF UNIFORMS.
"Considcrable interest is felt by the field
officers in the matter of renewal OF uni
forms. which have been furnished at the
EXPENSE of the men. and II IL their purpose
to have conference in Richmond on some
day in the not far future Tor tno puIpvss
of devisinc some means OF renewing ths
men ofthis expense. It's probable they VIII
ask the Governor to order the fatigue uni
form a, the service State uniform, which can
10 furnished for about little over hall the
cost of the full-dress uniform, and can De
SUPPLIED by the United States Govern
ment out OF Virsinias quota OF the militia
fund. At this meeting the question o.
making room in the Fourth regiment 10Y
the Newport News company Will also DC
discussed"
FIRST Regiments Twentieth Anniversary
A general order has been issued by
Colonel Henry G. Jones. commandment OF
the First Virginia regiment, requesting all
the members of the organization to as.
sembie at the Armory on the nlgnt or
Monday. October 18th. at 7l5 O'Clock.
This is the occasion of tho twentieth ami
yersary of the organization OF the regi-
ment. They will parade during the Gay
and have magnificent supper IN the
lower hall of the Armory at T: NJ.
A COMPARISON Of the condition OF the
regiment twenty years ago ana NJ the
present time shows that when iirst organ
lied the equipment consis.en t on MY
were only uniformed with cap. dress
coat. ond trousers.
THEN AND NOW.
In those days the infantrymen were
and tho cOfnnAnlp9
scattered about IN different sections OF the
city. while now the regiment Is armed with
modern rifles, equipped with both dress
and service uniforms. and all OF its com
panles are quartered in comfortable but
not commodious armory. They are equip
ped with everything needful for service
except overcOats and blankets. The dis
cIpllne of the organization Will compare
most favorably with that of any other
volunteer regiment in the country. The
COMPANY rooms are nicely fitted up for the
convenience Of tho men, and in addition
10 this there II very good reading-room
with G small library for the use OF men,
bers. There is also rlile-range IN the
basement Of the building. 1nd IN a short
time gymnasium Will be added "a "a
adjunct TO the proper development OF re-
cruits.
THE YEARS INCREASE.
During the past year there have been
ninety-two recruits enlisted N the organi-
zation. This is rather above the average
number. The discharges for various rea-
sons, such as expiration OF term OF ser
vice, removal from the State, and other
causes amounted TO about sixty. The
large number Of recruits enlisted entails
o vast deal Of labor 10 both officers and
men in the school Of instruction.
The officers. by the way. are all very
much exercised at present on the recent
changes in the tactics which has just been
promulgated. 1t will require at their
hands. as well as those OF the mon, an on
tire change in the methods of drill. lhis
Is the third time the tactics have boon al
tered since the organization OF the regi-
mept. Tho new Instructions are being
nripted in Washington by the congress
sional compostors and will be distributed
shortly. =,
Colonel 10. Lane Stern inspected the
regiment drum corps yesterday afternoon.
Fourteen out of the seventeen musicians
were present.
Went, bat We're Not Captured.
Colonel G.. Percy Halves. commandant
of the First Virginia regiment Of cavalry,
and Major Kirk Mathews and Captains
Boykin. Owen. Simpkin, and Hotchkiss
exercised their powers of borsemanship
in O ffty-Inile ride last Thursday. lhey
went to Hanover Courthouse. where the
Hanover troop COMPANY @ were
having their encampment, and re-
| csived the most ho.pitsble treatment.
The officers left Richmond at 5 o'clock
in tho morning and rode direct
IL to Hickory Hill. the residence Of Lieu,
| tenant Colonel Wickham. who invited
| them in TO an excellent breakfast. While
| on the way to the camp the riders cap
! tured Sergeant Cardwell. of the Hanover
company, whom they found on picket
| duty about three miles from Colonel
! Wickham's residence. The Sergeant was
taken prisoner.
About three years ago, when Coionei
Halves wss adjutant in the first battalion
| Of cavalry. he and twenty-five members
Of the Stuart Horse Guards played fine
practical joke on the Hanover troopers.
The latter were in camp and the weather
being rainy they had taken up their quar-;
| tiers in country inn. The Richmond
| horsemen stole Ill on the Hanoyerians one
night when every member of the troop,
pickets and all. were asleep and captured
tho entire organization. List week Cap
tain Hall, anticipating the visit or the or
fcers, sought revenge and sent a portion
OF his men TO waylay the Colonel and his
staff, but the latter escaped by accident
ally taking another road. Tho Richmond
officers were handsomely entertained by
| their hosts and barbecue and brunswick
| stew were among the pleasant things which