Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-12
THE NATIONAL GUARD
FAVORABLE AND ADVERSE
Engineers and Fifth Battalion Too
the Mark.
SIGNAL BLUNDER

Right merriiy are the inspections Of the
bia National Guard progressing. and. as q
rule q great improvement in the appearance
OF the various STATS. companies and men
over last year is noticeable. The NTH bat
TALON and the engineer corps have faced
the music, and the Official comments Of the
inspecting officers are given below.
Fifth battalion-General appearance, very
good; military bearing, good; steadiness In
rarkA fair: steadiness during preliminary
Inspection. excellent. This battalion has
improved wonderfully since last inspection
Commissioned stan-with the exception Of
| the acting adjutant, none Of the staff held
the sword correctly at the order" With
the exception Of the major, the officers did
not have sword knots. The inspector Of
rife pra ctice was the only oficer not in full
dress uniform. The officers and non-com-
misstoned officers need instruction in man
ual Of the sword.
Non-commissioned staf-Sergeant major
did not hold sword properly at an order"
He also executed Inspection arms' incor-
rectly. The quartermaster sergeant and
hospital steward resumed the carry at
the command attention" One non-com-
missioned stah officer brought sword to
him.
Company A-All the men in this company
looked like soldiers and most OF the tactical
defects may be attributed to their age
Several men executed right dress at COM
mand open ranks" not waiting for COM
n'and march" The captain and first ser
geant did not hold swords correctly at the
order Nineteen men grasped their pieces
at an order" with the first two fingers OF
the right hand under the gun sling. The
opening OF the cartridge boxes was very ir-
regular, the second sergeant and one private
continuing to hold their pieces with the
LETT hand. until ii became necessary to let
20. In order to come to Inspection arms"
Second sergeant did not come to "inspec-
| ton arms" until told to do SO by inspecting
ofncer. The captain did not return sword
ana accompany inspecting officer until five
men had Been inspected. Four men failed
TO open cartridge boxes. The men Were
! somewhat unsteady In the ranks during in
spection. One man closed his cartridge box
with his left hand. The majority of the
pieces were not carried properly at the
/ right shoulder, and good deal Of uncer-
tainty was displayed by the men as to what
they should do. The men being at "atten-
ton" was not necessary for the captain
TO give command attention" preparatory
TO giving the commands for muster. Second
lie utensfit had no sword knot One man
had coat partly unbuttoned- One belt plate
not In center Of body. One man had no
letters on blouse. One man had dirty
4 6soNcs Oft man nad torn gloves. Several
men had dirty shoes. Two men kept turn
ing heads and looking around. Six men had
hammers down. pieces at the order" and
che man had piece at half cock. Two men
lowered pieces al inspection of arms with
out closing chambers or lowering hammers
and one other man attempted the same feat
One man hesitated in bringing piece from
the order" to inspection arms" Seven
teen men took pieces from inspector with
both hands, instead of with the left hand
only. Fifteen men failed TO port arms"
before closing chamber. Fifteen men failed
TO port arms after lowering hammer.
Seven men returned TO order from port
arms improperly. One man lowered ham
| n er before closing chamber. Two men had
blank cartridges and empty shell in cart
ridge boxes. One sergeant was chewing in
chevrons Improperly placed sleeve OF
coat. large number Of the men came to
order arms from right shoulder i'm
properly during muster.
Company B-This company would have
made a much better appearance had II been
properly sized. The rear rank was improp-
| eriy formed, which may have been caused
by the late arrival of one sergeant and one
private. One man in rear rank did not
know his number. The ueutenants did not
| take the positions prescribed in drill regu-
! lations while company was being inspected.
The first sergeant did not hold his sword
properly at an order Only two ser
geants and one private held the piece at an
order with first two fingers of right hand
over the gun sling. There was no left guide
for the first platoon. One man lifted his
hand to his head, and several men in the
front rank turned their heads SO as to
| watch the movements OF the inspector. Sew
eral men did not hold the piece correctly at
the right shoulder" and were awkward
and slow in the handling of the piece The
opening Of the cartridge boxes was promptly
and well executed, but the arrangement OF
the boxes was irregular. The officers had
no sword knots. The first sergeant came 70
present" from the order" One man had
hammer at full cock, one at half-cock and
one hammer down, piece at the order "
One man had a piece OF paper stuck under
his belt and one man had handkerchief
showing. One man wore a colored collar.
| Two men had no collars. Three men wore
torn gloves. Sixteen men failed to port
arms" before closing chamber, and sixteen
men failed to port arms" after lowering
hammer Five men had badly scratched
belts Five men took pieces from inspector
only. Two rifles had been vanished or
painted or polished in some way Two
rifles had very dirty chambers. One man
lowered piece to the order very noisily
One man lowered hammer before closing
chamber.
Company C-This company presented a
very good appearance and went through in
spection and muster with a snap that show
ed careful instruction and attention to drill
The lieutenant did not strictly adhere TO the
position laid down in the drill regulations
during the inspection Of the company. The
opening OF the cartridge boxes was done in
very struggling manner. Steadiness in
ranks was excellent, with the exception OF
an inclination on the part OF a few men to
watch the Inspector. Sixteen men grasped
the piece with the first two fingers OF the
right hand under the gun sling at an ''or-
der" and one man kept his feet closed to-
arms rendered necessary at inspection and
muster were well executed. The officers