The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-09-21
HOME GUARDS.
Butte's Reward for Political
Services Rendered.
Captain 0ConneII and His RspOrt-sen
DenisOn's Yarn-Trying the New Tactics.
Naval Battalion Slang.


Brigade was for political services rendered
at the recent campaign. 1t has been stated
that Butte County was promised the cont
pany should certain men be elected. The
certain men were elected, aud, TO fulfil the
PROMISE various expedients were eousid-
cred. except the one laid down in the Code,
and finally tile charming scheme was nit
upon to consolidate c and II of the Third
Regiment, Second Brigade, and locate the
surviving OF Oakland in San Francisco.
Politics having been brought into the
National Guard the ''pul" was drawn upon
TO resist the proposed consolidation and it
became fight of fire with fire. The protest
signed by the Senators and Assembly
men and Board of Supervisors Of
Alameda County, the City Council
and officials and Influential citizens
of Oakland was presented at headquarters
and considered and for the present, at least,
Captain Henry Levy and G Company OF
Oakland are on top. The consolidation
scheme has. been temporarily laid up for
repairs, and Oakland people, who are inter-
ested in keeping three companies in Ala
media County, are beginning to sleep again
nights.
But after all the end has only been put off,
and when it does come the Third Regiment
be bounced upon to furnish the company
as the reward for political services rendered
by somebody in Butte County. This also
recalls that IN lis report for the fiscal year
ending June so, 1880. the then Adjutaut-
General had but one change" to suggest:
THAT is, that one more company be organ
lied and stationed in Oroville, TO be attached
to the Eighth Battalion of Infantry thus
raising it to a full regiment" and he rec
ommendS "tnat this coming Legislature
authorize the formation Of one more com-
pany Tor that purpose. There Is now OF hle
IN this Office an application from the cltlzenS
OF that place to form new company"
1t Is true that II company Is taken from
the Third and given to the Eighth the three
San Francisco organizations Will be
eQualiZed to seYeu-cOmpauy regiments all
outside to six and all but one, the First,
can avail themselves Of the law to attach
company of cadets. But the reasons which
existed In January, 1890, for giving the
Third an eighth company probably exist to-
day, and no good reason or military require
ment has Yet appeared why II should now
20 TO Butte County.
WHAT CONS 0LIDATION MEANS.
The consolidation of c and II must result
In the muster out of II, the practical disOT-
ganiZatiOn of G and also the financial ar
engagements of the regiment for reasons that
are well understood. The other plan, which
involved the muster out of the Petalumu
company of the Fifth and the transfer of
The Third TO the Fifth. has also been COM
batted strenuousy The muster out in ques-
ton would he q reflection on the COlunel
commanding, who has had regimental head
quarters located in Petaluma from Oakland,
and the transfer locating three companies
ia Oakland is objected to be because giving
the Oakland contingency the balance Of
power in the regiment scattered as il is in
five towns adjoining San francisco.
A legal way II settling the dispute, ii has
been suggested, would be to put into eXecu-
ton Section 1920, and the a. G. would Dot
have TO 20 very far from his office at Sacra-
mento to find the company; but then
Colonel would lose his eagles and the dis
tracted A. G. would be confronted with
complications that he wOts not now, SO
that the enterprise Of great pith aud mo-
lnent would soon lose the name of action.
The Fifth Brigade, as the returns show, has
never cut very wide swath for military
spirit or enthusiasm, nor the Eighth Bat
tlion since its organization in Decem Der,
1889 With five companies located at Chico,
COlusa, Red Bluff, Marysyille and Redding
it has never been able to show its head
much above the low water mark, yet wants
another company.
In January, 1890, when organized, the five
companies mustered $40 men l46 above the
minimum, and when tie military spirit was
at high tide, and for that month drilled
IS. so per cent of the number. Its member
ship has dwindled monthly, and at the mus
ter in July, 1880, 1t had total membership
Of 536, Including field, staff and band, and
IS. 43 per cent, or 2S2 OF the number, present.
Thence on the battalion continues to dwiu-
ole in membership again, and in February
Il reached its lowest mark, IA "a above the
miuimum). Between July, 1880, and Febru-
AIRY, 1891, its highest percentage for any one
month was 1852 for January, 1881. In
April. 1891, it was delinquent il its returns,
and at the muster this year it numbered 293
present, absent, percentage 9S, the five
companies numbering 1855 above the
minimum.
Lieutenant Colonel Park Henshaw has
hRd rapid promotion moreover, and has not
had to do the work and service in the n. g.
c. which others have had to attain the rank
OF Colonel He was appointed in March,
1857, Major and A. A. 6. Of a brigade, which
had two companies. In March, 1859, his
rank as a A, G. was increased by the Leg
stature, and in February 1890, he was
elected Lieutenant Colonel Of the battalion.
Now he wants to be Colonel. and the bat
TALON a regiment for political services rem
dered in Butte County.
CAPTAIN o'CoNNELL's REPORT.
Poor Captain OConnell, y. S. A.. and
late Inspector National Guard CalifOr-
MIA" as be Lies to call himself, must have
lashed himself into burning fury and then,
TO cool himself of, kicked himself at double
quick some SIX or seven times around
Angel Island, after handing in his report
to tile Secretary Of War for publication in a
morning newspaper, to see the same cred
tied to and also published to the world nItS
emasculated form over the signature OF
party by the name OF OCOTrell.
There are people who have been so I'M
kind as to hint that the Captain mixed
NORWOOD and gall with the ink with which
the report was written, but that he was not
accurate in the proportions and that the de-
coction was drained before be took up the
subject OF the Seventh and Ninth Infantry
regiments, from the Tehachapi region, and
what he saw of them encamped at Santa
Monica.
This must be set down, of course, as bad-
mage. Perish also the thought that the Cap
tain was influenced at all In his criticisms
by the presence IN camp with these feSl-
ments of the Governor; that these regiments
are from his ExcellelcI's stamping ground
and from the native heath OF the Adlutaut-
General, and that the A. g. is the eX-ColOnel
Of one OF the regiments in question.
Captain OConnell inspected the National
Guard encsmDmeuts in 1899, but that year
the First Brigade did not go into camp, and
lie stopped all over the Second Brigade,
The Captain was quite an attraction at
Camp Waterman-a novelty it were.
Not so, perhaps, at Camp Markham. But at
Camp johnson he was tile same attraction
which he was at Camp Waterman, and the
JOhnsOnites who saw him for the first time
fell upon their knees to MIN, and kow-towed
oft and many a time. The Second Briga de
has been completely disillusionized, as was
the little temple rodent in the Eastern
proverb. which feared not the temple idol.
JoB-LoT RECOMMENDATIONS.
With the recommendations in the report
every member OF the guard who has its gen.
eral welfare and efficiency at heart and is
not blinded with the sole aim Of self-aggran-
1lsement will agree. They are believed to
be as follows:
heartily recommend that an officer of the In
spectoi- Generals department OF the Amy be &C.
tailed TO inspect al such time as he may see nt
the records arms. clothing aud equipment Of the
National Guard, and submit report OF The
dillon and strength OF the guard yearly 10 the
Adiutant- General Of the army The War De-
parlment should have It's representative In every
camp OF instruction held yearly In the several
States OF the Union.
The term OF enlistment In both regular and
national guard service should be reduced to
three years. l recommend that the militia OF
this State be organized into one division OF three
brigades, namely, tho first brigade IN San Fran
cisco and vicinity. Tie second brigade In Stock
ton, Sacramento and adjacent territory, and Tie
third brigade at Los Angeles, San Diego and