Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-30
Doubtful; to be verified by score cards

WHAT THE FIGURES MEAN.
An analysis Of the foregoing figures ought to
BE- interesting. and might perhaps DE beneficial.
Companies that have heretofore been looked
mp to as paragons Of ali that is soldierly have
either produced miserable records or no
records az all: something for which they should
BE- heartily ashamed Other commands from
whom buc little was expected in the line OF su-
perlatiye efficiency have done admirably and
are entitled to all commentator.
The first battalion has two sharpshooters and
eleven narksmen; both shareholders and nine
of the marksmen are in company c. In COM
pany A there was not a single qualification.
In all the second battalion there is but one
aharpshooter and three marhsmen. Company
A failed TO qualify even one man.
The third battalion produced seven sharp
shooters and eleven markSmen. ten Of the total
being to the credit Of company ID.
much better showing is that Of the fourth
battalion, in which forty-three men qualified;
seven as shar pshooters, thirty-six as marks
men Company contributed twenty of these
But the cake goes to the fifth battalion, so
Likewise does the plate and the cold pie and
anything else that happens to be in the refrig-
orator or pantry. All told there are sixty-four
qualified men-thirteen of them sharpshooters
and tfty-on marksmen- This is all the more
remarkable when II Is seen that this big total
was piled ND by two companies Thirty-one of
the successful ones are In company A. twenty
four are in company T. Company ID did not
qualify man. Four of the field and staff are
snarpshooters. Had companies and ID done
rs did the others Maj. UBrien would be the
proudest soldier in the city when he reads this
column As it Is he is far in the lead that
he can be proud anyhow. Some officers de.
serve good deal Of credit, and they viii prob
ably get II.
There are bu. three companies in the sixth
battalion. but they with tie battalion field
anu stan- OF coursel ran up total Of twenty
nine qualified men, Nine of these are sharp
shooiers- Two of the sharpshoOters are staff
oricers-the other i've all markmen
There are, perhaps, two marksmen in the
nrst separate battalion (coloredJ.
IL viii be seen that troop A, first separate
company has seven marksmen- There are
about nifty men in the troop. The second
battalion consists Of nearly 100 men and, had
three msrksmen.
Between the regimentai totals there is marked
disparity. In the first regiment are ten SD arp
shooters and twenty-five marksmen. In the
second regiment the returns show thirty-tvo
sharpshooters and li0 marksmen
SOME THINGS TO BE Considered.
None OF these figures can, however, be fairly
used IN comparing results with the standing
STAINED by the National Guard elsewhere.
dere the standard is much higher than any
where elsa. 50 any attempt at such compari-
son would be useless and improbable. One n,
the things 20 lie borne in mind though ia ,he
Tact that much of the proficiency in rifle nrac-
Hce throughout the entire National Guard n
misplaced Subtract from the list of sham
shooters and marksmen the names of corn
mlssioned officers and the total would be a
TIME sieky. Were the brigade in the field i, IL
certain thur none Of these officers would ever
nave an opportunity to use rifle. OF course
tf entirely proper that every officer be on
terms OF intimacy with the service rifle. IL he
Is not lie cannot properly give instruction. bu,
u Is nevertheless & fact thai efficiency on paner
Is often very far from efficiency in actual work
command the efficiency of which is 6cti
uousiy rated. because of officers scores. ia :
trine snAky ss a foundation on which 70 build
for actual service.
BIO RgcoRps-
smart shooters are required to make 800 on
OF possible OF 800. Those members OF the d
G. n q. who made $50 or better are bsrsv;,,
mentioned The fight for supremacy WAS
stubborn one and 1t developed some Of the bes
shooting ever done over any range. Here ar,
the large scores:
Major ). VI. Pollard, inspector general O
ride practice, $50; Lieut. Geo. II. Harr,es- in
spector rife practice, second battalion. 3s5
Capt Jas T. Bell. inspector rife practice, sec
ond regiment 3s3; Col. Sergt A. O. Hatterly
engineer corps. 74; Lieut. +. L. Graham, en-
gineer corps, S73; Lieut. W. Il. Johnstons, com
paoy A. NTH battalion, 81; Lieut. J. NJ. Stew
art, inspector rlfie practice. third battalion
SoS: Lieut. L. B. Hing. inspector ride practice
NTH battalion, 364; Comfnissary Sergeant Chas
d. Laird. second regiment, 36S; Col Cecil Clay
second regiment. 33I. Color Sergeant i. +
Doyle. fifth battalion. $50. Private C. l. Hime
hs1Sh. company c, arst battalion, $50; Privst,