Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-11
Getting Ready to Start the Long
Projected Rife Association.
A MEETING TO Be HELD THURSDAY
Major Thompson Talks Instructive!y
About Organization.
OTHER MATTERS OF INTEREST

to be a certainty-for the ground has been
plowed and narrowed a1i,. seeded and har-
rowed, and rolled, and the grass is spring
ing up-the rifle association, which was
organized some time ago, will probably
commence to be something. Next Thurs
day evening there is to be a meeting of
officers of the department of rife practice
and of others interested in the organza-
ticn, and arrangements will, if possible, be
made at that time for commencing opera
items Whatever shooting may be done by
the association during the month of June
Will be done in the gallery, but after the
LIST of July gallery work will temporarily
be at an end, and the crack of the eXplod-
ing cartridge will be heard on the range.
The association proposition, as now I'M
derstood looks to one day of practice in
each week for members CT the aSSocia tion
The day will be fixed, and throughout the
se&son-rain or shine, whether the wind
blows or not-memberS of the aSSoca ton
will compete for glory and for prizes. With
such a membership as such an organiza-
ton should have there ought to be no
trouble in securing a pretty solid founda-
ton upon which to build. The entrance
fee and dues will be kept down to the low
est reasonable point, and everything proper
will he done to encourage the participation
of a very large proportion of the good shots
in the National Guard, and those other
good shots vino are not members of any
military organization.
For a long time past rifiemen who We're
not also guardsTen have had no place in
the District OF Columbia where practice or
competition was possible; the association
Will give them the chance they have been
ye&rning for. Control of the organization
will, however, be vested entirely in the de-
partment Of rifle practice, an arrangement
to which no exception can reasonably he
taken, because the association in its capac
ity as an association would not be able to
make terms with the National Guard as to
=, ~ Sc tIaN -
citation say that all persons who inter
ested in the association are invited to be
present at the meeting next Thursday
evening in the brigade rifle gallery.
Capt. Tomlinson's Team the Winner.
An interesting match between a team
from company b. sixth battalion, under
command of Capt. ]. S. Tomlinson, and
team selected from the fifth battalion, COM
manded by Lieut.. George C. Shaw, l. r. p,
took place last night at the brigade rifle
gallery, in which the team from company
Is of the sixth came out winner by score
of $50 to 400. The match consisted of a
round of ten shots per man, at a distance
of 200 yards.
The Individual score follows: Company
B, sixth battalion; out of possible 30
Corpl Glover, 40: Capt. Tomlinson, 40;
Private Buell., A.; Sergt. Davenport, n;
Lieut. Simonson, 10: Corpl. Kirk, 43; Pri-
vate Barstow, ~; Private Hosford, ~:
Sergt. Garrett, II: Corpl McClain. Al; Pri-
yate Blunton, 80; Private Harrison, 80;
Sergt. Ellsworth, IS, and Private Stock,
81 Total. $50.
Fifth battalion-Corpl Appleby, &c; Lieut.
Shaw 40; Corpl. Whitaker. II; Corpl. Glenn
ents, ~; Private Norton, 80; Capt. Jen-
kins, IS; Lieut.. Swigart, 81; Private Will
Jams, 81; Capt. Hevus, 80; Sergt. Wilson,
81; Lieut.. Mock 81; Corpl Day, IS; Corpl.
Archer, y, and Lieut.. Neely h. Total,
400.
Ahout IsnttniiOn Or~anizntiOu
LAS I see the statements from time to
time in the National Guard column of The
Star that this or that company is about to
disband." said Maj. Gilbert Thompson of
the engineer battalion to Star reporter
yesterday, cit seems to me there must be
a defect somewhere in the battalion organi-
cation. It appears that when a company
starts upon the down grade the battalion
allows it to continue until the bottom Is
reached, and whatever check has been
given or encouragement furnished to pre-
vent such a result comes from general
headquarters or from the energy and tact
of some one man of the company or one
who is brought into the company for this
purpose.
pride in the battalions among the members
thereof. The battalion unit in some in
tangible shape is somewhere in the battal-
ion staff while the company unit is very
distinct and good for all it is worth as long
as it lasts. L will admit right away that
this condition is almost unavoidable from
the very way in which the d. G. n. G.. was
necessarily organized at the start and the
many contingencies which have since
arisen. BattalionS have been made up of
companies which were Independent of each
other in every respect; in military objects,
social standing and it's consequent restric-
tons. The battalion staff, in many re-
spects, was just as independent and in the
same directions; thus there We're four units
instead of one, and they liable to become
even antagonistfc.
The Battalion Also Il Unit.
81 believe that all who are interested in
the general progress and welfare of the
guard do not approve such condition, and
are working as far as possible to get out
of it. To illustrate the great difficulty of
the solution of this problem, let us sup
pose that the National Rifles, the Emmett
Guard and the Washington Light Infantry
We're formed into a battalion. Each is a
permanent, self-sustaining unit, and CT I'M
doubted reputation and standing. Now
weld them into battalion unit, with as
much interest in the whole as they have
company pride and spirit, and you have
something to think over.
THE first rule to adopt would be that
there should be no change in the companies
as soon as it was settled what companies
could form the battalion. For better or for
worse, they should stick together forever
practicable then there is nothing left but
the four units battalion, and if any unit
disappeared it is not at all probable that
there would be any unity of action on the
part of the remaining three in Offering a
reward for it's return. I will not go into
extended Illustrations and speculations. but
it seems to me that the best way is for the
battalion to grow from the company unit,
and If the battalion organfza ton was after
ward given up for any reason, the COM
pany unit would remain intact. If I am
right, the champion Fencibles have begun
such movement. They are hampered, how
ever, by the continuation of the company
unit, but with the objects they have in view
this may be managed, but in whatever shape
they may be, and at any time, there will be
no question as to their unity of purpose of
battalion pride, and any one would hesitate
to decide as to which would be the prefera-
BILE point of attack. either as battalion or
a company. If they do not succeed with
their four-company battalion, they may
with a two-company battalion.
The Engineer Corps.
1.-THE best example, and one which may
be accepted as a precedent, is that of the
engineer corps. Under the comprehensive
word corps 1t can have the organization
of a brigade or Of squad of sixteen men
only. 1t was started in October, 1890, as