Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-08-11

proYement has been noticed, both in drill
and formation. A very pleasing and en-
eouraging feature has been the marked
anxiety displayed BY both officers and men
/ to overcome the difficulties found in. and 10
familisrize and perfect themselves with
the new drili regulations. 4 sornew hat
extended experience with the militia Of
other states enables me TO make very
/ favorable comparison in favor of the
( Maine militia. While none Of the move
men,s are perfect by any means, and will
not and cannot be made SO. in the very
I limited time allowed for camp education.
| can say that if the improvements now SO
noticeable during this short time should be
continued for u period of two weeks the
| militia of Maine would compare fayoraely
with that of any other state. Many of the
errors noticed and reported YES
terday have been corrected. 4 progressive
system of lessons in battalion drill was es-
tablished at the beginning of the encamp-
meut, willingly accepted by the colonies
and printed cards of same were issued 10 the
officers and non on-commissioned officers and
today it has developed Judging from the
drill that by some error the lessons for the
day was not followed and that many Of
iicers had eontented themselves with read
ing over the movements called for without
studying the regulations 10 see how the
movements should be executed. 1t was in
tended by these lessons for the officers and
men TO study the san,s so that they would
be able TO act quickly and inteilisently ON
the field and thus save time and verbal ex-
PLANTATION. II is believed that by the sys-
TEN adopted the best results can be had,
and il is hoped that proper attention will be
paid To the same. Ii lessons ART not stud
led recitations cannot be made,
In one thing alone no perceptihle I'M
provement is noticed, and that is in the care
of arms and equipments. As rule, in
both commands guns are dirty and rusty,
belts and cartridge boxes not biacked,
many of them almost white. and brasses
not Frightened. All this can be easily and
quickly rcmedied, and should bc without
delay. consider the officers more respon-
sible for this condition of affairs than | do
the men. Jpon them devolve the care aud
management, of their companies, and if they
do not interest themselves sufficiently 10 re-
quire perfect cleanliness in all things, as u
rule the men will not attend to it them
selves. II dirty gun, belt or box is
passed by the company officer without no
,iee, the men will soon think it the proper
thing TO make no effort to improve
| wish to especial attention
to the perfect order and
quiet maintained in the camps of both regi
men,s during last night. At taps all lights in
the tents of the men were extinguished aud
perfect silence was observed Thus is very
commeniablc and reflects credit upon the
State troops. In my experience it does not
often occur in State encampments
At the morning guard mounting of both
regiments the manner of bringing in the
details was much better than Yesterday. The
wheeling into patoons and the march past
was very fair
Inspection of tents, streets and mess
houses of First Regiment at 4. NJ. left
tent Company & uutidy also ground about
same. The police of Company street
cook and mess house, also ground about
latter quite poor. Stops thrown from mess
house on ground between kitchen and cook
house, and the same remarks also apply 10
Company e, with the exception of slops
thrown out
At morning drill the absence of men from
duty was very noticeable in each regiment
and the excuse was made that the men were
absent u, target practice. The range did
not show many men present While tar
get practice is 10 be encouraged
in every possible manner, and the
making of good shots is most desirable
il should not he abused or made the cloak
to cover neglect of duty. The time for
target practice should he assigned the same
rs for any other duty, and in no ease be al
lowed to interfere with drill. Men shoot
ing should return in time to form with their
companies. On account of absence the
ist Battalion md Regiment. could form
but two companies for morning drill.
The formation of the 2nd battalion 2nd
Regimen, for morning drill was very poor.
At first officers were uncertain and guides
not acquainted with their duties, probably
by reason before stated, hut decided i'm
provement was noticed before the end.
The morning drill first bsitalien 2d Reg
iment was very fair as whole. Gmdes
took too long step in turning instead OF
the fifteen inch step as required. The
adjutant and sergeant ma jor should acquaini
themselves with manner of posting guides.
Left and right front into line not well un-
dcrstpod, particularly by the flank com
panier. Forming line by two movements
the companies executing tours right or left
do not dress and no guides are posted.
TuE DRILL. FIRST BATrNFpN. FIRST RLcI-
MINT.
Officers should bc careful in The position
of swords. Stand at an order whether the
men are at an order or carry when tn"
men are not at an order. Marching in line
was very fair, bu, marching in column of
fours and companies too much distance was
lost. Right and left front into line faced
10 the rear was not we'll undcrstood. cap
tain marching too far over the line before
haliing.
pR1IL, .tcoNr HnrhLi"N, FfR~r rtGi-
Marching in line fair, but not in column
of fours. Men on side of guide should
cover properly Commanding officers
should hold their fours together and prevent
struggling. In pioying from line into a
close column. company officers should he
careful to halt in rear of flank of the com
pany in front AMI let company pass them.
During the afternoon the First Regiment
drilled in forming rcgimental dress parade.
The ceremony was executed twice as
drill and Just before sundown in full dress
in place of battalion parade. The forma-
ton for and execution of this ceremony left
little TO he desired.
The Second Regiment formed for rcgn.
lar evening parade a regiment. This
was the first time il has been attempted by
the regiment, and barring a few slight cr-
rors attending first attempts was IN every
way most creditsble. desire to congratu-
late the regiment upon its success.
Very respectfully,
Gu,uIr. IL II.I