The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-08-19
WORK AT CAME WERTS.
Criticism by a Representa-
tive of 1.-THE Army and
Navy Journal .,
THE FOURTH REGIMENT.
Company AS March-Useless But
Snowy Roylew-Ths Men
orderly at Night.

NdUu JOu Tndl thus criticizes the work 0
Camp Werts:-
1.-THE First Brigade National Guard o
New Jersey. compo sed of the First
Fourth and Second REGIMENTS from tn
northern part of the State, the three gul
detachments attached to these regiments
and the celebrated Essex Troop of Cav
airy from Newark and the Orange dis
trict, on Saturday, July %. went intt
camp at the New Jersey State CAM
Ground at Sea Girt, one Of the most ex
tensive and complete in the United
States. all the troops except Company A.
Fourth Regiment, being transported to
the camp by train. The last named com
pany marched from its armory at Green
vile, Jersey City. to Sea Girt, a distance
of sixty-hve miles, In heavy marching
order, and leaving Greenville GU Friday
evening. reaching the camp at Sea Girt
on Monday morning at ten o'clock-a
very fine performance.
"A reDresen tative OF the army dnG
NGUy Journal was afforded every facft.
ity OF viewing the work of the bri gade by
Captain Wallace. A. D. C.,.and the cour-
ecu and hospitable officers at brigade
headquarters.
.In the absence of Brigadier-Genera
Wanser, on account of sicka ass. Colonel
E. A. Campbell, of tho First Regiment,
the senior Colonel OF the brigade. wa In
command. Up early and late. constantly
Ia the saddle supervisor g the work Of mis-
command, and kind and considerable &c
and affection of the entire brigade during
The enca,npment.
''The First Brigade, as now organized,
eomprizes about two hundred and ninety
officers n 3,s5O men, of which nearly
all were in camp during the week. 1t was
in charge of a brigade staff. consisting Of
the following Oft1cers:-Lieutenant-
Colonel j. A. Parker, A. A. G.: Lteuten-
ant-Colonel Charles Bolt wood, Asst. lns.
Gen.; Lieutenant.C Colonel A. Z. Bald win.
Surgeon; Major Louis Broome, Engineer
Officer; Major Enos Runyon. Paymaster;
Major Thomas F.. Bsdlo. Q. NJ: Major
Robert l. Hopper, Judge Advocate; Cap
tain Allan b. Wallace, A. D. c.; Captain
S Wood McClaye, Ado. That this was u
working staff" and not q merely orna-
mental body, was apparent to every one
in camp. aud that it is an experienced
body of officers may be easily imagined
when It is said that the united service OF
these ten officers in the guard mounts to
1893 years. 1t was noteworthy that the
staff were all fine horsemen-as staff
of Ulcers should be. but seldom are.
USELESS But SNOWY REVIEW.
Thursday In camp Is always Governors
Day in New Jersey, and the greater part
of the afternoon was devoted to a useless
but SNOWY review, witnessed Dy 5000
spectators from all parts of the State.
Promptly at 5 p. M. the hour appointed,
the Governor rode out co the reviewing
point, followed by his personal staff.
The brigade was formed for review In
line Of masses, this being the drst occa-
sion when the brigade has bsen formeu
for review since The new regulations were
adopted. The reviewing party having
passed up and down tue line at q walk,
the regiments formed column of compa-
MES by a change of direction by the left
flank. ii movement performed excellently
aud simultaneously By all the regime is.
"Afler the review the Fourth Regi-
meut was formed in the line of masses
and six officers and men were called 10
the front and received long service
medals. 10 some instances for twenty
five years. service, from Governor Werts.
During the ceremony. and indeed
throughout the review, the immense
crowd surrounding the parade ground
were very disrespectful and unruiy, and
the seutries seemed unable to keep order.
Senlriss were Jeered by the crowd, aud
responded in some cases with undigni-
fed abuse, instead of using their
authority in a proper way"
Instruction in the duties of guards and
sentinels is SO badly needed by the men
In the brigade that it would be impossible
for the most kindly-dtsposed critic to
overlook the fact. Even toward the close
of the camp hardly a single instance was
observed where a sentry performed his
duties in O proper and soldierly manner,
Men walked their posts with piece In any
position, but usually held 1t as q nurse
holds a baby, chewed tobacco (and at
night smoked clgarettes), saluted lady
friends. but rarely officers. stopped on
their posts. came to an order and con-
versed with each other for five minutes
an utter lack of appreciation of the
dignity of their responsible posi-
tiop. Reliefs were posted In
q slovenly n careless man her. men re-
lieved iE some instances strolling back to
their company streets as soon as relieved.
This sort Of thing was evidently y thorn
in the side of the officers In camp, who
manifested the greatest chaRrin and dis
gust, but seemed to, hesitate long before
reproying the negligent sentries belong
ing to other commands than their own.
The fact that fully sixty per cent. of the
men in camp were recent recruits per-
haps explains their negligence.
Tho evening parades of the regiments
were ceremonies with which little fault
could be found, the parade or the First
Regiment deserving praise more than
those of the Fourth and Second, the
Arguments or the last named being poor
aud the men unsteady at times, although
this was, perhaps, excusable after the
five hours of drilling during the DAY. The
accurate aud handsome manner in which
such ceremonies were. as a rule, per-
formed at this camp reflected much credit
upou regimental officers, who, since the
recent changes amt consultations, have
had raw material" TO work with, aud
Rave had little opportunity to ''bring up''
their commands.
ORDERLY AT NIGHT.
"The camp was quiet aud orderly az
night. few, ii any, breaches of discipline
or order being observed, and on Thurs
day, July ~, after taps, perfect quiet
prevailed, which was very crcditabis to
| the men. as nearly all their officers were
absent at the Governors reception at the
Monmouth House, Spring Lake. This
function was a brilliant success.
despite their fatigue after the bali,
the interchangeable officers had their COM
panies out for company drill on Friday
morning promptly at six o'clock. Orders
prescribed that the early morning drill
should be in the School of the Soldier, in
the company streets. but many amuiti-
Gus officers had their commands cut upon
the drill ground, and drilled them in
School OF the Company and Extended
Order, As drill in the rudiments. In the
School OF the Soldier, was precisely what
the majority of the men needed, this
action was hardly wise. these men
were earnest ana attentive, and evidently
irving hard to learn.
The regimental guard mounts. which
occurred at nine A. M. were by DO means
perfect ceremonies. The same iudiffer-
ence and carelessness which character.
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