The herald., 1894-08-28
A SUCCESSFUL ENCAMF MENT 7.
Colonel Berry's Opinion of the
Citizen Soldiers.
Tomorrow Camp Santa Monica Will
Be Broken.
a Mock Drill TO Close the Fac mp n ,nt
Tonight-Nine DAYS OF Hard 's.
Work and Esjoy
msnt.

Speaking of the brigade encampment
OF the National guard at Camp Santa
Monica Lieut. Colonel Berry OF the
Ninth regiment said yesterday: SIT Is
the general opinion OF the mombers oi
the Ninth that this 10 the most profisa-
bls encampment the regiment has ever
had. The regiment has done more work
and made more progress in discipline
and drill. There has boen less parade
and more practical instruction in the
essentials. Officers and men have
shown willingness to work that is evil
dence OF an ambition to be more than
mere dreas-parade soldiers.
THE instruction has embraced the
whole range of the infantry soldiera' du.
tics. The tirst two days were devoted
to company aud battalion drills, the
next two to company and regimentel
drills, and the rest chiefly to extended
order drill under the efficient
instruction of Lieut.. George w. Melyer
U. 8. A. This last is the actual battle
formation and vancouver. Owing to
the increased efficiency of modern lire
arms tbs old formation with elbow
touch has been abandoned. The line of
battle is now au open formation, with
two-pace intervals between the mon at
tho beginning OF the action, this inter
val being decreased to one pace or less
as the action progresses and it is desired
to increase the energy of it. As the In
terval ia diminished the original length
OF the line OF battle is retained by re-
enforcing it at either end, and openings
in the line caused By losses are closed up
| in tho same way. The unit OF the ex-
tended order is the equad of scven
men and a corporal, the corporal
| being the leader. Out of tho
| SQUAD units are formed sections OF which
sergeants are chiefs, OF the platoons OF
which lieutenants are chiefs, and the
| company. The corporal thus becomes
an officer of the frat Importance, and
his thorough instruction and diecipline
a vital necessity. Lieutenant Mclyer's
| instruction in the extended order in.
cluded the squad, section, company and
battalion, and he expressed himself as
we'll pleased with the progress made.
'Oi course" continued the colonel,
".here were many mistakes made av Gil
the drills and it is not claimed that the
regiment has vet attained any great de-
gree of perfection. But it has learned
much, wants to learn more, and 10 will
ing to work as u means Of learning it. :"
Nearly all Of the staff of the regiment
attended the encampment and worked
hard to make it success.
The best OF order prevailed from frst
to last, and there was no kicking on che
part OF the men or chickering's among the
| officers.
Between the Seventh and Ninth reei-
ments the best Of feeling prevailed. Be.
cause they did not join in e1cher parties
and champagne suppers. it WAS inferred
by Homs that they were not friendly.
but the fact was that both regiments
were kept too busy to bo convivisl, but
all the aarae they were friendly and very
cordially SO. Under the command of
Col. Schneider the Seventh has made
great progress since the two regiments
camped side by eide at Santa Monica
three years ago.
Santa Monica is popular place for
encampments, and it would please the
men OF the Seventh aud Ninth If the
state would secure permanent camp
site there.
Tomorrow the guardsmen will break
camp, after having spent nina days in
doing duty and enjoying themselves to
bOH1b e1LeAb ny tilo ecHShoiCs LouHy
will be taken up in the usual order o!
drill, and tonight psndemonium will
reign eupreme throughout the camp.
The boys will hold mock parade and
drill. Dressing in all sorts OF hsbiliments,
from bathing suit down to smile,
with uniforms wrong side out and hats
and leggings wrong side in, they will
elect their own officers from the ranks
and drill according to tactics especially
devised for the occasion. Orders have
been given that no soldier is allowed to
20 out of camp with such garb on, but
the whole grounds will be given mp to
them. In former years at such encamp-
ments it was customary on the last
night to "iteraliy take the town." but
better plen will be inaugurated this
season and oil such performances pro-
hibited on the streets.
Owing to the warm weather yesterday
there was no morning drill. which the
guardsmen appreciated beyond expires.
sion. A drill this morning, ii the heat
is not too oppressive, will finish the
actual work of the camp, and by Il
O'Clock tomorrow there will be very
little OF Camp Santa Monica lett to tell
the tale. A large number OF the boys
lsls for their homes yesterday, but all o!
them expressed the belief that this has
been the moat successful encampment
ever held by the First brigade.