The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-23

In other words. brigade of 1--WE so-called
regiments, a signal corps and an unattached
cavalry troop, which could be recruited 10
maximum company membership OF 3O31,
officers and enlisted men, has membership
on paper of only 1s6S-61.62 per eent--and
the number lacking is 1865, difference
between membership on paper and number
lacking of TO5. When it is further con-
sidered that if the 1868 on paper. just about
two-thIrds are the drilling, depend-upon-
for-all-times membership Say about 1915 all
told, there is no escaping the conclusion
that the brigade needs a raklng over, and
at General Dickinson VIII nave MS hah Us
full when he once begins the taSk-and he
viii as soon as he has warmed Tie seat IN
his new saddle.
SOME THINGS NOT DONE.
Now as regards some of the things said,
others not said and still others which it is
timely to say regarding the parade OF that
brigade on Sunday as a funeral escort.
Glaucing through the reports OF that parade
and the following gems attracted the critic
eye: The Statue-like soldiers wheeled
right into line" Qhty marched teurs right
and on, Company front was the order OF
formation Ct was nOD, 1.-THE san Francisco
HuSsars vita open files" (nOihing OF the
kind in the escort, and then reference to
regular moving compa les of the Second
Artillery" whatever that may mean.
In the First Infantry one wide-awake OBJ
server saw that scattered between the
companies of blue-c0ated soldiers with their
reversed arms were the drum corps" an
other noted that the local companies all
paTaded with strong ranks" that Colonel
Dickinson and STAFF did certain things, and
that the "hearSe passed between the col
umnS, when at no time during the day any
formation was attempted TO permit OF
passage between columns. so much for
things said to have been done but not done.
That "the local companies all paraded
With strong ranks is a studied perVersIOn
Of the fact as will be demonstrated to a
mathematical certainty. There was IN the
escort p foot companies, whose membership
is 1J47. The formation was by platUons, 10
files front, single rank, so that, counting
guides and the officers in command, full
platoon should have numbered -, and the
1917 company officers and men, had they
been on hand, would have furnished 81 full
pIato0us and flies over.
There were probably in that parade 23
foot companies, not more than companies
each with full platoUns. Nor must it be
accepted for granted that the plato0ns OF
the other 20 companies we're IulI OF provided
with all the required guides. But giving as
stated each Of the 20 two full platOous and
with the nine Of the three companies there
were 40 platoons, total of 93l "a generous
estimated, or 6O.1S per cent of the papered
membership of 1851. The cadets are not
considered in these figures.
DRIZzLE OR NO DRIZZLE.
The small attendance cannot be excused,
as it always is attempted to be, on the score
that the parade was on week day and the
members could not leave their business, or
thar the parade was on so short notice that all
the members could not be summoned. The
parade was on a Sunday and the orders for
the same had been issued Tor more than one
week before. But So 81 per cent viii plead
that it was drilling.
Suffice TIE reply that 6O1S per cent
paraded, driZzle or no driZzle, and dTiZzle is
no excuse for a soldier. even though anna
teu7. 4 pity that the Second Artillery
ambulance corps has not more Wagons, for
then the 80 50 per cent of the twenty-thTee
foot companies might have been accOmmo-
dated without exposing their precious selves
TO the drizze. But these precious ones are
absent on all occasions, driZZle or no drlZZle
and particularly are they unknown Qua0ti-
ties at drills.
There were some good features about the
formation of the brigade line, but why it
should have been formed so far away from
the church does not appear, unless that it
was formed where 1t was because so near
the three regimental aTmOries. The timing
was close, and after arriving at the church
there was only d very short halt This
manner of forming might be followed in all
future parades of the brigade rather than
have the battalions scattered In marching to
their designated places, from which TO fall
in line when the march has once been
started.
No doubt General Dickinson will heed,
even on a rainy day, the suggestion made in
all diifidence and humility that if the good
of the service and the safety of the country
would not thereby be put in peril, it would
be better in future to form brigade line upon
4 less busy thOrOughfare than Golden Gate
avenue, especially upon a Sunday. On that
d. n nm
avenue, and many Of them by women. All
these horses are not used 10 the Shrlll
trump, the spirit-stirring drum, the ear
piercing fife, pride, pomD and circumstance
of glorious war, and hence are prone, when
suddenly confronted with said pride, pomp,
etc, to rear, shy, run away and otherwise
demean themselves to the great danger OF
drivers, aud 0f pedestrians, too"
AN INCOSGRUOUs APPEARANCE.
The brigade made rather an incongruous
appearance IN the matter Of uniforms. The
Third was in full uniform, as it should have
been, and so were the three companies OF
the Fifth, whose men would have liked to
have been in the undress, but they were
away from home when the verbal orders
were issued before making the change.
Several. that is two or three of the CON-
panies of the First wore OveTcORtS, and such
overcoats some of them while the cadets
wore capes. The other companies were in
no uvercOats or capeS, and the lew that are
happy in their possession would not veal
them to sWelter il the close and depressing
atmosphere.
Some carping critics have found fault
that tie brigade should have been ordered tC
parade in undress uniform, but the answer
10 these is that although the rules and regn-
latiOns demand that full dress be worn on
all occasions Of ceremony, still II the weather
or circumstances make 1t necessary for the
comfort aud health of officers or men, conf
manding officers may authorize the use OF
undTess or Of additional clothing. While a
Colonel, General Dickinson always made
ceremony and pomp a matter secondary to
the comfort of his men.
The blouses in most of the companies are
Hitting and wretched things, and when
taken in connection with the various STYLES
of linen collars and caps worn the effect
may be imagined, not to mention the assert
ment Of cartridge belts and boxes, some of
which have never been cleaned since in pos
session of their WeaTers. linen, as further
incongruity, the spectacle was presented
particularly in the Second Artillery-ot SER
vice chcYrons, though Paragraph 1151 OF the
Rules and Regulations declares that "Done
of the service chevrons will be worn on
the overcoat or blouse" In a further
violation of Paragraph 262 that "decOra-
lions should not be worn on an undresS
coat" how many officers and enlistment
did what they should not have done?
DRAPING OF THE CoLoRs.
Then as regards the colors there was an
other Noncompliance with the rules ''in
such cases made and provided for" The
eolors of regiment will only be draped in
obedience to orders from general headquar-
tiers, and no such orders were received from
general headquarters.
They were all draped, but not all accord
ing TO regulations, and the Color Sergeant of
the First, who rolled his flags around the
staff and then covered chem with crepe,
probably does not know that Tin draping the
edge Of each color will be faced on both
sides with black crepe six inches wide and
two streamers six inches wide. OF the same
length as the cords, will be attached to the
ferruie below the spear-head."
But all these things could be passed over
if stop could be put to the crying evil now
existing in the disgraceful exhibition made