The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-09-09
State Troops in Riot Duty.

State Troops in Riot Duty.
The tribute paid TO the Pennsylvania Ma
tlonal Guard by Lieut.. Col w. J.NoLKMAR. in
his official report OF their services at Home
stead. Is not only we'll mcrited. but shows
that any State in the Union can find n sure
source Of reliance for the preservation of
peace and the execution Of it's laws in a
we%ll-organized body Of citizen soldiers. Col.
VoLKMAR. himself a Pennsylvania. Joined
the Union army during the civil war, and
afterward took the course at West Point.
served in the cavalry. and a few years ago
was transferred to the Alphabetically
Department.
1t Is worth noting that the rapidity Of
mobilization which Col. VoLKMAR eulogizes
is a striking confirmation OF comments
made two years & by his predecessors in
inspecting duty. One Of these. Capt. SEARS
| of the engineers. had reported in 1890 that
1.-The State can, with forty-cight hours no.
| tice. put into tho field at almost any point
within it's limits a division Of 5000 men.
we'll armed. fairly equipped. and properly
organized, which. on taking the field. will
be much superior to any volunteer brigade
or division that took the field in 1861"
Pennsylvania even bettered the prediction.
for although tho orders were sent out at
midnight OF Sunday. when railway and
telegraph Offices were generally closed. and
many men were away on midsummer raca-
tions, within twenty-four hours 5000 men
were massed near Homestead.
The telegraph. the telephone. and the
railway OF course greatly aided this splen-
did achievement in concentration; but the
secret had been expressed by Capt. SEARS
in declaring that he knew OF mo other
State. unless it be New York. that can put
into the field on a short notice SO large. SO
well equipped. and SO efficient u body OF
men: and l doubt il any other State has as
good an organization. SO far as relates to
the division staff and the lOgistic organiza-
ton" This point was clinched in the re-
port OF another inspecting officer. Capt.
RAMSAY Of the artillery. who said. in 1890.
that the present admirable system Of the
National Guard Of Pennsylvania is the
logical sequence Of u top-heavy orgauiZa-
ton which the unhappy disturbances Of 1877
showed to be Ineffective and faulty" 1t is
thus evident that the success OF Pennsyl-
vania in the Homestead affair was due to a
proper militia organization and equipment.
The same lesson Ia taught by the success
OF the New York State troops at Buffalo.
1t has been made clear that. under u proper
system. the fact that militiamen are widely
scattered. and engaged in the ordinary oc-
equations of peace. does not prevent their
rapid mobilization Col. VOLKMAR was at
the pains TO study out the reasons of a
promptness which in non-professional
troops seemed to him so wonderful. He
| M r,,n flat -,. T-.+n; nl-n, az, an ..:ol H.
his pocket II list of tho homo and business
addresses OF all his men. and OF the tele-
phone numbers nearest them; that that
company was divided into squads, with the
men grouped. as far as possible. according
to residence or employment. and each
under n sergeant. SO that on a call to arms
tho Captain had only to notify the SER
geants. who in turn notified their squads.
lie found that another company. mine
miles from a railway. had been gathered
from harvest field and workshop. moved in
wagons to the railway. and was in waiting
for its ears before these arrived"
He found that n company consisting
wholly Of coal miners was called up from UNI
derground. and soon hurried Off. He found
that in u Pittsburgh factory. which was noti-
fled by telephone OF the call. the foreman in
stantly stopped labor. and directed all be-
longing to the National Guard to advance
to tho centre Of the workshop. Men. your
regiment is ordered under arms; go to
your armories. Your places will be kept
for you here Over twenty-five men has
tened from that shop to their ranks" Such
Illustrations show nov any drawbacks TO the
prompt mobilization Of citizen soldiers may
be0ycrcomc. The Skill with which the move
ment upon Homestead was planned. SO rs
to effect n surprise. is also praised.
Another gratifying point noted by Col.
VoLKMAl: Is the fidelity with which guard
duty WAS performed. 81 have certainly"
lie says. "ncvcr seen anywhere scntincls
more alert. day and night, than these
seemed Ia the performance OF duty" The
same excellence in guard dlNr was noted.
rs n whole, among the Now York troops
serving; at Buffalo. This is IL point in which
militia arc often apt To fail. partly because
III the cam!s there is only IL sham enemy to
guard against, and partly because they
have not the daily routine, year in and year
out. Of regulars. Accordingly. special at
~tcntiom las been given to this mat
ter daring many Seasons at the
PceksHill camp of instruction. with the
result that Lieut.. FRENCH. in his recent
report to tho War Department on the late en-
campment, said that the guard mounting
and guard duty were performed with such
order and regularity that the impression
conveyed was that they were performed by