The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-07-23
HA1
MILITIA SHAKE Up
Second Brigade to be Reor-
ganized for Bad Work
in Camp
TWO TWELVE COMPANY REGIMENTS.
The Superiority of General Wanser's
Command Universally Acknowl-
edged saturdays Shoot.
TWO TWELVE COMPANY REGIMENTS.
Special to the Jerscy Citg Neacs.

Special to the Jersey Citg Nelrs.
CAMP WERTs, SEA GIRT, July 90. 1894.
-Brigadier General William j. Sewells
command, the Second Brigade, comprising
the Third, Sixth and Seventh Regiments
and Gatling Gun Company B, which broke
camp here Saturday, will shortly undergo a
reorganization. From a reliable source it
was learned today that tine reconstruction
order would be promulgated while the mem
cries of the late camp would be fresh in the
minds of che guardsmen. An officer who is
cognizant of all important affairs pertaining
to the National Guard said
ssThe Second Brigade will be divided into
two regiments of twelve companies each,
and the companies will in the future be
more closely situated to the regimental
headquarters.
The First Brigade, as at present arranged
in accordance with the Regular Army regu-
lations, is admitted by all unprecedented per-
sons who witnessed the e-ncampinents to be
superior to the Second Brigade in every par
ticular. The discipline of the men from the
upper section of the State is said to be bet
ter. the enforcement more rigid. In drill,
too, the Second Brigade is outclassed, but
then the commands of the First Brigade are
more advantageously situated and better
provided for in thetway of armories.
The reorganization of General Sewells
Brigade is likely to cause some displeasure:
as did the reconstruction of General Wan
ser's command. Several companies will. it
is said, receive a severe shaking up. The
dead Woo" men, whoss records show them
to have been shirkers, will find themselves
dropped from the roll, it is said, while others
will be treated more gracefully; the simple
announcement that they have been retired
will be made.
t LoP F DEAD WOOD
Many of the officers OF the Second Brig
ade have for months been expecting Major
General Plume to forward his order calling
for NEW things" and several in the Sew
enth Regiment who have not been strictly
obedient to orders are on the anxiou seat.
General Sewell is said to be heartily in favor
of the change. He has seen the improve
ment in the First Brigade, and Is said to
lave remarked that his experience in ac-
tive service during the war taught him
that the new or modified regulations were
"just the thing" The rude conduct of a
lot of the guardsmen early in the week in
the villages near the camp. it is claimed,
will nave the effect of fastening the
change.
Other changes, too, will be made in the
near future, if Brigadier-General Spencer
can weld any influence. The State Military
Board will, it is said, request a modification
of the laws governing the National Guard,
and the physical condition of the recruits
will be carefully looked into. Heretofore
commandments of companies were not partic-
ular as to the makeup of their recruits, their
great anxiety being to get the recruits, and
in many companies prizes were given to men
who, during certain periods, obtained the
greater number of recruits. Quality was
not so much sought as was quantity. The
law requires that a ~guardsman shall be at
least five feet and six inches in height. There
are many men on the guard, however, below
that height, but they are as a rule good
soldiers. The practice of taking in men re-
CARELESS of physical condition has set Gen
eral Spencer and his assistant, Colonel John
c.. Owens, to thinking, and they are of the
opinion that many of the men would simply
be in the way of others if the troops should
be brought into real service.
WORTHLESS AS A SOLDIER.
The condition of the eyesight of applicants
for admission to the guard will also be a
leading consideration. Colonel Owens ar
CUES that a man whose sight is impaired, or
who is afflicted with any nervous ailment, is
worthless as a soldier. Infantrymen, the
Colonel says, should be taught to shoot.
Fifty men armed with rifles, who know how,
when and where to shoot, are of more value
than 200 who would shoot Unfortunately,
he says.
The officers who are supervising the shoot
ing on the range this season are carrying
out General Spencer's ideas, and are more
interested in their work than ever Men
who show an aptitude are given every oppor-
tunity to qualify. The conditions are more
severe than in previous years, but the
guardsmen are allowed to improve, and are
given three and four practices.
In conversation with THE News correspon-
dent, Colonel Owens said that he had no
doubt that within a year and a half the New
Jersey infantry would be provided with
greatly improved and lighter arms, and that
then the guardsmen would become more pro-
fcient in the use of the firearms. Hundreds
of the rifles now in use are not
suited for fine shooting. Some, if
locked in a wise and the sights ac-
curately focused, would shoot wide of a
mark. At any rate, a six-inch bullseye
would stand little chance of being ~disfigured.
Many a guardsman with a fondness for
shooting would nave qualified had ne not be-
lieved himself to be out of gear, instead of
his rifle. Only the companies mustered in
during the past few years are fully equipped
with rifles with the improved sights. All of
the companies, however, have eight OF ten
of them, but many of the men are forced to
accept a handicap and compete with the old
time pieces.