The Washington times., 1894-12-30

CAPT. D. L. NJ. PEIxorTo.
non-commissioned as to their proper positions
in the rear of the officer OF the guard, owing
TO Ignorance of the date of their warrants.
The adiutant, in assigning the officer Of the
guard. passed by his right and rear instead
of to his left and rear.
The sergeant of the guard should be in
struc ell in the manipulation of the piece at
inspection. At the command. "close ranks,
march, the officer OF the guard omitted to
face about and resume his place two PAGES in
front of the center of the guard. At the COM
mand, guard right" the field music should
not play march. The march in review was
very we'll executed considering the confined
space. the only error observed being that OF
the acting sergeant-major, who should halt
abreast OF, and one paca to the left OF, the
adjutant. short battalion drill then fol-
loved, in which all commands were trans
n,Rted by means OF the bugle. This is an in-
novation In battalion work in the brigade,
and the credit is due to the eyer-aiive MAJOR
of the i.th, who is nothing IL not progress
siye. Following this, the major intends to
initiate the boys into the mysteries OF ex-
tended order, with commands on the the bu-
gle as soon as they are 7snugly ensconsed
In the new armory.
The changes in the Fifth Battalion are COM
ing. Capt. Columbus, of Company c, has
been placed on thirty days. leave and First
Lieut. Phebus is in command. Capt. Sim
mons, of Company A, has also been placed on
thirty days leave and Lieut. Swigart. OF Com
pany c, placed in command. These are per-
cnrsors OF the organization which is to take
place. Company is entirely composed OF
veterans of the late war and the command is
not in the best shape.
1t is claimed the men are too old for
National Guard duty. A suggestion was,
made that This company be made the nucleus
of a veteran reserve corps. but it did not meet
with approval. 1t is understood that a num-
ber of young men are ready and anxious to
form company and enter the Fifth in place
of Company A. The changes in Company @
will lead to a thorough reorganization there
before they are ended. A great many of the
present members will be dropped and new
material taken in. The boys will have to
keep an eye ON the Fifth after this.
TROUBLE IN THE RIFLES.
There has been some little excitement in
one of the battalions, and as a consequence
one young soldier has.been discharged in the
interest OF the service. His first offense was
laughing and talking in the ranks, for which
his chevrons were taken off. Then he refused
to salute the adjutant, and when ordered to
report to his company commander replied
that ne didn't know whether he would or
not. In excuse for not saluting the adjutant
he offers that he went to the Congressional
Library, studied up and found that he need
not salute when "under cover" He knows
better now.
When the matter was reported to Gen. Ord
way he took action at once. and in short
time his discharge was made out. The law
gives the commanding officer power which
he often uses to good effect-that OF ordering
the discharge of soldier in the interest of
the service certain lawyer in the city
ealle1 on the general in behalf of discharged
man some time ago and demanded the revo-
cation OF the order. He was going to test
this matter in the courts. but he has not yet.
The National Rifles seem to be drifting
further away from the National Guard. and
the friends OF the latter begin to fear the fail
ure of the plan to enter. The members of the
Rifles who were desirous of going IN the
guard are almost discouraged, and it may be
that the day of usefulness for this organiza-
tion is past. Plenty of recruits from the out
side have offered themselves, but Capt. Oyster
will go into the guard, if he goes at all, only
with his present company. His plan was a
good one. and would relieve the company OF
many annoyances. but it can scarcely pull
through now The feeling in the Rifles is
said to be intense, and old friends are arrayed
against each other. The matter may be
smoothed over and arranged at the next
meeting of the company Thursday night.
The chief reasons for wanting TO come In
the guard has been the privileges such an
action would bring. AS it is now none of the
officers will ever attempt to bring the organi-
zation into parade again. They object to
the humiliation. At present the organization
cannot parade itself as an armed body with
out nalice permit, while the guard can. The
Rifles are not recognized as a military body,
and in the last two inaugural parades it has
been placed in the civic division along with
the knights of Pvthas and similar bodies.
This is CALLING to company with war re-
cord. 1t cannot 20 through one of the
States as an armed body.
This permission has been refused by Penn
syivania and Massachusetts. Neither of
these States would recognize it as military
organization. Members of the National
Guard are exempt from jury duty but men,
bers of the Rifles are not. Members of the
guard empl Dyed in the departments are en-
titled to leave with pay when ordered for
duty, not 80 with members of the Rifles. The
Rifles are one of the finest bodies of menin the
District, but it is not in it. The company
has very valuable property and there is the
trouble. Every fellow thinks every other fell
low is after that property. Too much wealth
is sometimes a burden.