New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-24
N1TIONAL GUARD AFFAIRS.
TALK ABOUT THE SEVENTY FIRsr-COMpANY BIS
POSITION.

The list Regiment has to the fore again in
the week Just passed and has caused good deal OF
| discussion among National Guard circles generally
about the various complications in the organization.
After Colonel Kopper's resignation, Withdrawal"
that officer prefers to put it, there was good deal
OF speculation about the future Of the regiment. Not
great deal OF surprise would have been caused had
order come from Albany consolidating the list with the
| sth Regiment. and In fact such move was con-
fdcntly expected in various quarters If this was not
done. it expected that UcutenantCOlOnel James
A. Dennison would be promoted grade higher and
! that he would take command That officer, however,
is authority for the assertion that he did not want the
place. He did not feel that he could consccntlolSly
take it. because he did not feel like making the sacr-
! flee Of time which Thea place would entail on him.
| Then the name Of Major Francis Vinton Greene at
present engineer on the stan OF Brigadier-GeneTal
Louis Fitzgerald, mentioned for the place. and II
understood that at the election to be held at the
! armory on Tuesday evening Major Greene will be
elected.
Another matter which is disturbing the serenity Of
| the list j. the uniform question, especially In Its
relation to Company b. This question Of uniforms
has caused much trouble and discussion in the regi
men I'm the last year two that the true history OF
the trouble Is Interesting. 1t began two or three years
ago when the question OF distinctive uniforms was
first discussed formally by the Board Of Officers. The
regiment not in position at that time 10 secure
distinctive uniforms at once, but number OF talors
we're requested TO make sample uniforms for inspection
by the officers and men, A number Of samples were sub
mlttcd and remained exhibition for some time. The
Board d Officers discussed the matter fully and finally
decided upon the one which the members Of Company
b subsequently purchased As far as the regiment
! was concerned this was all that could be DONE but
10 make the matter final 1t should 50 It Is now de-
clarcd have been submitted to the Adjutantteneral
for his approval. This was not done. however, and
the members Of Company b. being DESTROYS OF buying
distinctive uniforms they went to Colonel Hopper
and asked II they would be safe in laying out the
| money necessary to uniform themselves According
To the assertions Of the officers Of the company, Col mel
Hopper assured them that they might go ahead with
perfect safety as the Board OF officers had formally
/ adopted the uniform and he would see that
they did not suffer II they should ahead on the
presumption that the acton Of the Board was final
After this assurance the members Of the Harlem com
pany went ahead and spent about $500 out OF their
own pockets for the uniforms never asking nor
expecting cent OF remuneration from the reslmehta
| treasury While the regiment was In camp last sum
mor the uniform question was taken mp again. some
OF the officers expressed themselves as dissatisfied with
the uniform adopted by the Board az previous meet
ing and worn By the members OF Company b. Mtef
considerable discussion the Bolrd held another
meeting and reScndcd the former resolution and left the
whole question open again. Then committee, con
,stng OF the captains OF all the companies, was ap
pointed to consider the whole question anew y mum
Der Of conferences held, and although no final de-
cson was ever reached, was decided that at least
the uniforms then by the members Of Company
Il should not be the uniform adopted. Another reso
luton was also adopted by the Board If Officers to the
effect that the regiment should pas 10. Company the
cost of making any change from the uniforms they had
bonsht TO the uniforms finally adopted by the regiment
when the change made. And it wa
further provided that II the regiment did not
! ,vI farm, ~ !
members Of Company Il were to sell their uniforms
for the best plcc, they could and the regiment
was TO pay them the difference between the amount
realized and the sum invested in the uniforms. This
arrangement did net exactly satisfy tile members OF
COMPANY b. because there assurance that
new uniform would be adopted by the regiment in the
near future and when they sold their present ones they
wonh bee without any except the Satcservice uni
forms. and they wished to sell their uniforms at once
and receive their pay and have some definite action
taken bv the regiment that they could procure the
dress.
4 good deal Of discussion followed but no salts
factory solution Of the problem reached. Finally
the members " Company decided that they were
wasting their energies in useless strife. and they deer
mined 10 fry 10 be transferred to some other regiment
IL twas learned that the 22d Regiment would be glad TO
have the company rehabate the letter l. maze vacant
BY the disarmament OF that company year or more
ago A formal application for tho tranSie" was
made bv Captain Clinton H. smith, ana Colonel kOp-
per on December 20 two days before he with
drew from the regiment approved this applich
ton and sent 1t to brigade headquarters. For
some reason however. Colonel Hopper did not
send the application to BrigadlerGeneIal FitlGrrlh
until January H. when Lieutenant Colonel Denni>on
WAS in command OF the regiment. Upon receiving this
application, General Fitzgerald sent for Lieutenant
Colonel Dennison and asked him If he approved the
appucaon Lieutenant Colonel DennisOn sail he
audi Ia. o,,niie utinu u -
referred back to him for that purpose 1t Is stl in
hc hands Of the lieutenant colonel and it, future his
tory Is decidedly uncertain. What action Colonel
Greene will take. should he be elected. Is still more
mere matter OF speculation. The probabilities are,
however that the commanding officer Ct the regiment
will never consent to the transfer OF the company u
another organization. There IS OF making
comparI sons. Every one who l. acquainted win the
FIST Regiment is familiar with the relative values OF
ronpony Il and the other companies in the regiment
H. would be n suicidal policy on the part OF com
handing officer to allow such eood mh'erdl
70 20 without protest The linal deoSoh
i'm the matter will Of course be maze Dy
iho AdJuant- General, and whether or not he
thinks that disscnslon will be avoided and that enough
good will come out OF the action to warrant the transfer
Leinr made remains b be seen. As an abstract ara
general proposition probably would not be sood pohcy
IN allow a company which became dissatisfied IN one
organization be transferred to another upon It's o"
onrlcaton on the other hand there may be condi-
tion Of affair, which would justify the action. The
members OF Company ore certainly not satisfied in
their present position and this fact alone necessarily
,onds 10 cool the enthusiasm with which they would
,,turnlly 20 about their duties. They are fine lot
~ soldiers and the outcome Of this controversy VIII
IA watched with interest by the friends Of the members
both in and ont Of the guard.
The long pr )msed series of concerts by Gilmore'S
Rand in the I'D Regmest Arnory' winch have been
unayoldaby delayed BY the work on the armory' VIII
-, ho,,,, IN the evening Of Saturday, February 10