Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-09
MILITIA IN REVIEW,
Inspector General McKibben Sees
Much to Praise and Condemn.
TOO MUCH PURE FANCY DRILLING.
Four Of the Companies May Ee Disbanded
on New Inspection.
COMFORT OF SOLDIERS CUNSIDERED

| ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPArCH.1
HARRISBURG, July 8.-Inspector Gem
eral MSKibben has filed with the Adjutant
Generals Department, with his approval,
the report of the inspectors of the various
companies of the National Guard, made
under his direction by the brigade in
spectors this year. Colonel McKibben says:
The detailed reports show O carefuli com.
piiance with the order, and are very COM
plete and satisfactory. 1t is to be regretted
that in some companies the attendance was
not as large as 1t should have been. Some
action should be taken to prevent this in
future. These inspections should be made
OF greater Importance, and every company
should be required to parade for inspection
with full ranks. 1t is greatly desired by the
Guard that these detailed reports, with
rating reports, should be published in orders
and issued at the earliest date possible.
Your attention Is called to the reports as to
the equipments of the Guard. l recommend
that the following companies be reinspected
(if possible) by the division inspector,and, If
80 recommended by him, that they BE dis
banded: Company B, Third Regiment In
fantry; Company C, Sixth Regiment In.
fantry; Company G, Sixth Regiment In
fantry; Company F, Eighteenth Regiment
Infantry.
In his report to Colonel \McKibben,
Major F. K. Patterson says Of his\ inspec-
tion of the Fourteenth regiment:
One Of the Regiments Criticised.
There has not been the Improvement in
this regiment that would like to see. They
have fitted up, at considerable expense,
very neat headquarters room in Central
armory, established an officers school ana
are taking more interest than formerly in
their organization. There is still room for
further Improvements. The armories Of
companies C, at OakdaIe, and r, at Eliza
beth, are in very poor condition and en-
tirely unfit for the purpose. and should be
condemned. All the field and staff, with
but few exceptions, attended one or more
inspections.
Of the inspection of Battery B, Major |
Patterson says:
The inspection of this command has |
always been a pleasure to me, but never
more 30 than this year. The school or the
soldier" :" school Of the company" and con- |
dition OF State property were as good as they
getic officer, and his able lfeutenants are
soldiers in every sense of the word They
are full of enthusiasm aud interest.
furnish this admirable organization with an
entire new outfit. The gun carriages and
caissons are falling to pieces and are en-
out and unsafe. The whole outfit should be
condemned and turned over to the State.
/ would respectfully recommend that the
teens. The old ones are rusty and worn
out. The troops cannot possibly use them
longer; also new haversacks and knapsacks.
Many OF those now In @ service Will ,ts hardly
badly worn and should be replaced with
new ones.
The Comfort or the Soldiers Considered.
would also suggest that company COM
be required to see that their men
are furnished with good, comfortable
wooden and rubber blankets. Many of the
blankets have been in service for the past
zen years, and should the Guard be called
INTO active service during the winter season
hey would greatly suffer.
Major George @. Richards, of the Six
eenth reg giment, inspected the Sixteenth OF /
Company E He says:
This Is the nucleus of the best company in
he regiment. Personnel and physique
uperior, but needs training, Captain Boch-
having as much as a lair knowledge OF tao
les. The first lieutenant is inefficient. Tho
econd lieutenant with little experience
nay make good officer, though he should
tudy.
The following is said of Company I:
Captain Coon should give the company
nure attention and look more closely to his
W duties. The first lieutenant fs an earnest
fficer, but should famfliarize himself with
is duties, use his own Judgment instead of
elyfi,g upon others. The second lieutenant ,
Ias q Ssent, understand. through fntimfda- |
lon, lie having been notified by an officer of
is company that his appearance at the
rmory meant personal violence to him.
his company needs instruction. The
oufpmeIits were very good, but the arms
'ere in deplorable condition.
Too Much Purely Fancy Drilling.
The following are some of the general
Iatters contained in the report:
Too much time is wasted in fancy drilling.
more attention were given to the schools [
the soldier and company Especially in
le latter aedcal loading and frtng), skir
realty to the efficiency of the brigade. The
othing Of the several commands is kept in
pod condition, being renewed by the COM
any commanders from time to time as re-
lired. would again call attention to the 7
ok Of uniformity In the neckwear. Were
le State to adopt either regulation collar |
woollen shirt the military appearance of
any Of the commands would be very much | r
approved. Uniformity is the only guaran- | 1
9 Of neatness In this particular.s
Since my lastreport the number Of strained y
Iyonets has increased owing to stacks G
ling on slippery floors. The evil, how
the new drill regulations require the =
aoking habitually with the swivel. AS the
w drill regulations have been adopted
Id instruction has been begun, / do not
ink 1t necessary to report upon the tactial
rors observed In the inspection.
FIN ANC IAI sTR rTS oF TIE FaIp