The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-21
CORPORAL PRITCHARD WINS
He Will Wear The HuSSaTS' SabeT
Medal the Coming Year.

| the Guards Hall Last Night-The
Hussars Turn Out in Force for Their
Annual Contest Maj. Meldrim De-
livers the Prizes and Compliments
the Victors as Well as the Troop.
Music and Dance After the Contest.
The annual saber contest of the Geor-
gia Hussars at the Guards Arsenal hall
| last night, was one of the most spirited
and energetic that has been known in the
| history of the troop, and was character
| lied by unusual earnestness aud zeal.
A large crowd of admiring friends of
the troop and members of other military
| companies gathered at the hall early in
the evening, and at $3.50 the troop, just
thirty-two strong, marched in command
of Capt. Beirne Gordon. The troop in
open fours first gave preliminary exhi-
bition drill under the new drill regula-
tons, which was we'll executed.
DRILLED BY SQUADS.
The troop then lined up for the pre-
liminary contests and the fifteen men
who had entered it were divided into four
squads, three of the four and one of three
men. The drill was in charge of Capt.
| Gordon, Lieut.. Gaillard, Lieut.. Minis and
Judges of the movements Capt.
Gordon took the first squad
which held its ground perhaps longer
than any of those which followed. One
by one they fell out, however, until Sergt.
r, L. Constantine was left standing alone.
AS each squad finished its work the
victor was loudly applauded as he retired
in triumph to await his turn in the final
contest.
Lieut.. Gaillard had charge of the sec
ond squad, and he put the men through
some difficult movements. They drilled
well, but Corpl. r. L. Pritchard who
had in store for him greater victory, of
which he knew nothing then, vanquished
the other contestants. Private Robert
Ellington was the lucky man in Lieut.
Minis squad, and Sergt. w. G.. Harrison
was victor in that in charge of Lieut..
McAlpin.
CORPORAL PRITCHARD WINS.
Then came the final contest. The four
victors in the squad-drill lined up for the
decisive struggle, and there was deter
mination and hope for victory in every
eye. The SQUAD was commanded by Capt.
Gordon, with the commissioned officers as
judges of the movements. Private Bill
lington was the first to retire from the
scene and he wassfollOwed by Sergt. Con-
on account of having been
ratified by a wrong command given
by the captain. He was turned down on
the next movement, however as he had
forgotten that the squad was drilling with
the numbers. The contest between Corpl.
Pritchard and Sergt. Harrison was close,
but not of long duration, and it was soon
decided in favor OF the former.
MAJ. MELDRIM PRESENTS THE PRIZE.
|
The troop then fell in at the comman d,
the four victors advanced to the front,
and Maj, Meldrim, who is member of
the staff of the regiment to which the
Hussars belong, presented the prizes.
Maj. Meldrim said:
Fellow soldiers: haveubeen asked by
Capt. Gordon to present these prizes
which you have so worthily won tonight.
The first duty of soldier is to obey
orders, therefore / am compelled to infiict
upon you some remarks which may not be
as bright as your buttons, but which YOU
will be compelled to receive, as your disci-
pline will not let you retreat. 1t is great
pleasure to me to present these prizes.
because you have so worthily won them.'
Maj. Meldrim referred to the little
that the legislature had done for the mill
tary of the state, and the fact that the
cavalry had never been furnished with
horses, but had given permission to have
them whenever it would be of no expense
to the state.
WELL ORGANIZED MILITIA ESSENTIAL.
The constitution Of the state" he said,
declares well organized military force
essential to the peace and security of the
government. 1t is true that certain per-
sons have closed their ears to this man
date of the constitution, hoping thereby to
hear the voice of the people of the state call
them to power. All we can do now is to dis
d,l.o l,,N1V os4s
waiting the time when some outraged
community will recognize the necessity
for action, and then perhaps the wisdom
Of the state will recognize that principle
in the constitution of the state. Good
government is dependent on a well or
ganized military force. The law
has no self executing power,
hind the law. True, virtue meets always
its own reward, but it is greater when it
wears sword. Real power is disciplined
power. The Romans under Caesar were
no greater than the Britons, but dis
ciplined valor prevailed over undisciplined
valor. Your success is dependent on dis
ciplined valor.
PRIZES FOR THE FOUR vIoToRs.
"The last to sheath his saber in the
contest was the first to congratulate the
victor on his success. That was a spirit
which the soldiers who followed Murat
might well have envied Soldier and
gentleman are synonymous TERMS
Maj. Meldrim then referred in compli-
mentary terms to the record of the troop
and said that it was as strong in the liv-
ing present, as it was in the hope of
bright future and the consciousness of an
unsullied and glorious past
de then presented the troop saber
medal and the first prize, a handsome
scarf pin, to the victor of the contest.
Corpl. r. L. Pritchard, the second
prize, a silver match box, to Sergt. Har-
rison, the third prize, a pair of sleeve
buttons, to Sergt. Constantine, and
the fourth prize, silver backed brush.
to Private Ellington, and for each he
had some word of encouragement for sue
cess in future contests
After the contest was over the Hussars
entertained their friends with music by
Cobb's orchestra and dance. The occa-
sion was one of the most delightful of the
season.