Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-14
CITIZEN S0LDIERY
An Army Officers Official Opinion
of the District Militia.
CAPTAIN CHASE ON TIE JUNE CAMP
A Foremost Place in the Ranks of
the National Guard.
SO E CON SION S

. " M Il " ~ N y II " . L " N =
Residents of the District of Columbia
generally will naturally want to know
what a thoroughly experienced army Off
Ger honestly thinks about the District Ma
tional Guard. The opportunity to find out
is afforded by the report of Capt. Constan-
tire Chase, fourth United States artillery,
who was assigned by the Secretary of War
to report upon the condition of the local
brigade, as it appeared to him in camp at
Fort Washington last June. Assisting Capt.
Chase was Lieut.. Gordon G. Heiner, also
of the fourth artillery. The report, which
was submitted to the adjutant general of
the United States army in September, opens
Up with a description of the camp arrange
ments, and in that connection says:
1.-The remainder of the 18th instant, after
arrival, was devoted to pitching and ar
ranging camps, the issue of rations, fuel.
forage and straw. and the establishment of
local guards, &C., so that by shutdown the
camp was in well organized state, ready
fer military duty. and this was accom-
plished in the orderly, business-lke man
ner usually looked for in more seasoned
troops
Then follows a complete statement of the
organization of the brigade and while
armament and uniform were being touched
upon Capt. Chase remarks that The Uni
fern worn was the regulation blouse, trous-
ers, leggins and drab campaign hat United
States standard. No attempt was made at
full dl ess or the fancy dresses sometimes
affected by militia troops"
Drill routine and instruction are de-
scribed in detail and at length, and no
where is there an uncomplmentary COM
ment.
Pleasant for the Engineers.
1.-The special troops" says Capt. Chase,
were daily employed in the line of their
respective specialties. The engineers copied
and built, from material cut on the reser-
vaticn, a signal tower some fifty feet nigh
being reproductioa on small scale of
the wel-known tower at Petersburg, Va,
used during the war of the rebellion. This
corps also located battery and profled it,
while detachment made gahions, fascines
and hurdles-lkew.se procuring the ma
terials or the reservation. Finally, the
corps executed an admirable survey of the
camp, which has probably been filed at
brigade Headquarters. l refrain from men,
tioring ether and very valuable service
rendered by this unique body of troops for
fear of unnecessarily simplifying this re-
pert.
The signal corps demonstrated their in
tereSt and proficiency in the line of their
always delicate duties, including the ham
ding of carrier pigeons for messages were
frequently exchanged between the camp
seconded by the cyclists; but this last or
ganization was. as has been said already,
in process of reorgan cation.
THE ambulance corps, ever ready, found
little employment in their special duties,
owing to the good health of the brigade.
THE band and field music were both re-
markedly efficient, particularly the first
named. Organized hastily, with chang
ing personnel, and with infrequent oppor-
tunit.es for practice together, this band
played a high class of music admirably, and
performed its military duties in manner
seldom excelled.
COmmends the Dress Parade.
"A parade of the entire brigade was held
daily at shutdown, and this was made
browning feature of the days work in the
field. The ceremony is peculiar to this
command, and is fully described in an ap-
pendix to this report l consider it an i'm
provement upon the ceremony Of dress
parade laid down in the drill book, and
well calculated to rouse patriotic impulses,
not only in the troops but among Specta-
tors. Combining the REVIEW, as it does,
with the dress parade it gave advan tages
not otherwise obtained for measuring dis
cipiine, and the progress of the men in in
struction; while homage to the colors is,
and ought to be, daily duty among SOL
diers, it has been the custom Of all soldiers,
excepting the United States, for many
years. 1t means stability, constancy devo-
ton to law and order.
Following the parade, that is to say, at
$50 each evening, after dinner at brigade
headquarters mess a consultation 'critiaue'
was held upon the days doingS. This was
attended, by order, by all the field officers,
and was presided over by the comman ding
general in person. AT these meetings there
was a free but orderly discussion of any
and all questions appertaining to the work
of the day, and that for the succeeding day
was then laid out and announced by the
commanding general. The object of these
seances was mutual improvement and I'M
Outstanding to be obtained through frank
and friendly criticisms and discussions l
bear witness that that object was most adj
mirably and thoroughly achieved and, con-
sequently was the underlying agent CT lar
mony and discipline, or morale of the
brigade
And the COmmissary Was All Right,
Under the head of cooking, messing and
police, the report says:
1.-The troops messed by battalion with
separate table near by for the officers of
EACH This problem, which has always
been the bette Eoir' of militia encampments.
1 consider to have been most admirably
solved in this instance. Nowhere did
learn of complaint or dissatisfaction. The
supplies were good and the cooking excel
lent and wholesome. Fresh beef and bread
were supplied daily from the city, and all
cooking done in camp The messes quite
apr cached those of regular troops in
method quality and quantity of food as
| well as in good order and demeanor. The
men were paraded for meals at the trum-
pet signals on their several parade grounds
and then marched to the mess tents.
Careful attention on the parts of the
| various commanders was manifestly given
| to the policing and cleanliness of the camp.
| Unnistakable signs of this care were
| everywhere easily observable = Sat
| urday, the odd instant, was devoted to
| breaking camp. This was accomplished in
| the same orderly manner in which it was
| established. Property was carefully turned
| in to the post quartermaster, whose syste-
tic arrangements We're quite apparent to
any thinking observer. The tents were
| struck at the sounding of the general
| We're carefully folded and left, by order
| where the men found them; that is to say
| on the tent floors, ready to be slowed
| away"
Guardsmen Deserve Respect and
Esteem.
| Capt. Cnases conclusions to the en-
| campment as a whole will be pleasant
| reading to every guardsman who was in
| the camp, and probably to a number of
| ot| ers who through causes w u-era