Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-17
THE NATIONAL GUARD
Matters of Interest to the Military
Men of the District.
SECOND REGIMENT TROPHY.
Col. Ciay's Stirring Speech In Presenting It
The Veterans Again Win the Attendance
Trophy-The Brigade Library Rapidly
GrOwing-In the Rifle Gallery-Notes.

The sixth battalion was a very large organi-
cation on Thursday evening when Col. Clay
formally presented it with the second regiment
trophy. won in the rifle gallery some days pre-
viously. Gen. Ordway was present and took a
lively interest in the proceedings. The second
regiment was paraded in honor of the OCCASION
Col Clay's remarks in connection with the
audience than could be crowded into the big
drill hall. Among other things he said:
| COL cLAY's SPEECH.
| from the earliest times men have taken
position in the world or among their fellows
because Of their skill in the of their weapons
| BY this mean not simply weapons of war, but
such as might be used in the chase and provid-
ing Of the daily sustensnce well as the defense
Of their persons.
Savage tribes discover that there is strength
In numbers, and very soon upon that discovery
that to use these numbers advantageously
| leaders are necessary and they chose chiefs at
| first because Of their noted prowess in chase or
In war; that is, their skill in the use of their
weapons. The savage is willing to submit to
the rule OF the chief when he knows that refusal
means a combat in which he must necessarily
come of second best-the chief knocks his
head of.
| This is applicable to our own time and to
civilized people. We see every day men who
have the finest of weapons, brains money. a
college education, everything that seems neces-
sary to make them successful in the battle of
| life, but If they do not know how to use these
weapons. where are they?
Within the memory of all of you arose an
expression, from the tow-path to the White
House" What did it mean? Simply that a
| man who began with no better equipments than
| those possessed by mule driver on a canal
path, If he used his weapons skillfully, could
achieve the highest success.
| LESSON FOR THE GUARD.
There is a lesson in what have said for the
National Guard. A man who goes into the
guard should do SO determined to play the
game for all it is worth. Battles, other things
being equal, are won by those who best know
how to use their weapons A campaipn can of
| course. be dec lded by strategy without battle.
| One may seize such strategical points with
| enough force as to make it at once apparent to
the enemy that resistance is useless and that
| ends the matter; but if battles be fought of
what avail is the utmost skill in tactical move
| ments If after all those who make them cannot
| use their weapons, but are at the mercy OF
| worse drilled-opponents who can?
Examples of this have occurred in the his
tory OF our own country. The man who sits
on the horse rampant in LAFAYETTE Souare Gen
Jackson at the battle of New Orleans with a
lot of poorly drilled and disciplined men who
| knew how to shoot defeated some of the best
troops of the British army. The campaign of
the British against the Zulus in Africa fur
| nishes another instance. The Zulus were well
drilled, armed with first-class breech-loaders
and undoubtedly courageous. They out
numbered the British several to one. Yet the
latter formed in a square, which, had the Zulus
known how to use their weapons. ought to have
presented a target, as it were. to have been
wiped out in short order. Nevertheless they
defeated the Zulus with tremendous slaughter.
HE ExCITEs THEIR AMBITION
| 1t is for us, then, to learn to handle our
weapons skillfully. The second regiment has
already something of a name in this direction.
and my earnest desire is that every man in it
shall do his best to increase its reputation 80
that any one who. asks what good regime ntal
| record at target practice is may be referred to
that of the second regiment You have thor
oughly competent and energetic inspector of
rifle practice. assisted by three battalion in
spectOrs, all whom well fitted for their posi-
| tions.
To excite ambition among the men of the
regiment and keep up an interest in the target
practice, at the suggestion of the inspector,
there have been prepared two trophies which
am now about to present. One, the battalion
| trophy, to be shot for four times year. once
at each of the ranges at which we are accus-
| toned to shoot. and to be held by the winning
| team until beaten. The other Is the champion
banner. inexpensive in itself, but valuable as a
mark Of victory, to be given monthly to the
company having the best record for shooting
and attendance. These trophies can only be
held by one battalion or one company at a time.
| Officers are now beginning to wreathe their
faces in smiles at the prospect of their battalion
| or company carrying off trophy, but only one
can get it, and hope that each one of you will
do what he can to see that the smile is kept in
his command
THE VETERANS WIN ONCE MORE.
Competition for the brigade Attendance
H.,
returns were made up company A, third
battalion, was in the lead. That pleased the
old veterans immensely. The February report
SHOWS another victory for company A. Any
command DESTROYS OF overtaking the ''old
guns" had better hurry up.
Following are the official figures showing the
percentage of each organization:
Company A. third battalion. "a. %: company
C. third battalion. S7.5; company d. third bat
| tallion, "a; company Il. fifth battalion, 80 IS;
battery A, light artillery, 775 first separate
company, 7642; company b, third battalion.
76; company A. second battalion. 71.S7; COM
pany Il, FIRST battalion, 70.37; company d, first
battalion. 69.76: companys ID. fourth battalion,
$3.50; company G. first battalion, 65. 80: COM
pany A. sixth battalion, 6307; company d,
second battalion, 62O6; company b, seventh
battalion, 6l.53 company A, first battalion,
| 1888; company A, fourth battalion, So; COM
pany A, seventh battalion, $685. company c.
second battalion, 55.55; company b. second
| battalion. 55.26: company ID, fifth battalion. 55
engineer corps. 53.l2; company b, sixth bat
TALON, 5l.2l; company c. fourth battalion, So
company A. fifth battalion. 47.45 company A,
eighth battalion. AGO. company C, sixth bat
TALON 1854; company b, fifth battalion. 37.5
company b. fourth battalion, 36.ll; company
b, eighth battalion. 24.29.
Orders No. IL. issued from Headquarters third
battalion. reduces Sergt. John l.. Slim OF CON-
pany A to the rank of private. Cause: Absent
from drill on Monday evening and being unable
| to furnish satisfactory excuse. Mai. Har.
rison is bound to have company win that
trophy.
| BRING OUT YOUR BOOKS.
The brigade library is growing. Gen. Ord
way and Col. Long are interested in it and as
natural result the stock of military and other
literature is constantly being added to. Mem
bers or friends OF the guard possessed of more
books than they need could 90 worse than pre-
sent the surplus-provided the works are suita
ble--to the aggregation of reading matter now
located in the adjutant generals office.
IN THE RIFLE GALLERY.
The schedule Of rifle practice for this wee.
is as follows:
Monday-Company C, fifth battalion.
Tucsday-Companies G and ID, fourth bat
talon.
Wednesday, Company B. fifth battalion.
Thursday-Company b, fourth battalion.
Friday-Engineer corps.
NOTES.
Without identifying the company or com
panies to whom the attention Of headquarter,