St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-04-26

FINE SOLDIER BOYS.
Company D Passes Inspection
and Receives Much
Praise
FOR ITS FINE APPEARANCE.
A Layman's Description Of
How the Job Was
Done.
FOR ITS FINE APPEARANCE.
SOME BLEMIsHEs FOUND.
Capt. Bean Reprimanded for
Wearing an Unsoldierly
Smile.

The fourteenth annual inspection of
Company D, First regiment, state
militia, at Armory hall last night at
tracted a large crowd, and proved this
to be perhaps the best-drilled COM
pany in the United States. Inspec
ton was made by Lieut.. A. B. John
son, Of the Seventh regiment, U. S. A.,
under special detail for inspection in
this state. The brigade staff, consist
ing of Col. w. B. Bend and Capts.
J. P. Knowles. D. w. Knowlten, c..
H. McGilI, w. H. Hart, J. w. Lane,
o. E. Lee and w. S. Mead, were in
spected before the company. All
know what an ideal soldier Col. Bend
is, and it can only be added that the
captains under him were equally dig
nified, equally erect and equally hand
some in their exquisite uniforms and
abundant gold lace.
When the company was ordered to
fall in, seventy men presented them
selves. But one was missing, a COM
rade absent from the state on account
law, every member Of the national
guard present at the annual inspec-'
ton causes 81 to be put into the treas
ury of his company from the public
funds. Thus Company D will receive
$3.50 toward the purchase of ice cream
and angel cake for the haversacks of
it's soldiers. The general condition of
the company was pronounced excel
lent, but a few blemishes were de-
tected Capt. Bean was mildly rep
rimanded for wearing smile of sat
isfaction when regulations prescribed
an expression of anxious solicitude..
First Lieut. Metz had forgotten to
sharpen his sword, and wnen COM
manded to try it's edge on new re-
cruit, he was scarcely able to draw
blood. Second Lieut. Merrill commit
ted an error scarcely to be expected
from such an old and experienced Off
Ger, although it leaked out afterward
that he had done the same thing
once before while in Yellowstone park.
The inspector discovered that of the
whole command the second lieutenant
was the only one with
HIS CAP ON STRAIGHT.
The equipment was in excellent con-
dition. In one case an abattis was
found that was not properly strapped
on. and in another instance man had
forgotten to attach his cheyauX de
frise. An entire squad received black
marks because each soldier stated,
with reference to his gun, that The
didn't know it was loaded" Lieut..
johnson explained that he would like
to haye ignored these minor, errors, but
it was obligatory upon him to state
the slightest variation from the es-
tablished standard. After the criti-
cal inspection, the company retired
to it's bed room, or wherever 1t keeps
its things, and removed it's full dress
uniform, reappearing lin an incredi-
bly, short space of time" as Tenny-
son says, attired in fatigue dress-or
fatigue undreSS-or undreSSed fatigue.
The proper expression seems vague,
but it is somewhere in this neighbor-
hood.
Capt. Bean then superintended a va
riety of marching maneuvers, which
were ali beautifully performed. Every
man conducted himself so like unto
his neighbors that little Lillian Metz
was induced to observe to small Eta
Merrill-these being the daughters of
the company-that she'd fink ev'ry
one 'ould jes' forgit his own name 1.-The
technical names of the. evolutions-the
"counterscarp formation, the "schrap--
mel parade" and many others-would
fail to explain them intelligibly Later,
the different formations for deliver
ing fire were undertaken, and many
pretty attitudes were then assumed.
The men fired from a standing posi-
ton. Then they dropped on one knee
and fired. Then they fell flat on their
faces, like little boys sliding down
hill, and fired a third time. OF course.
the firing was done with the new gov,
eminent powder which is both noise
less and smokeless, so that many
were persuaded that the company
had not fired at all, until Fry emit
ted panied and painful howl and
took refuge between Capt Beams
legs. A piece of wadding had struck
him on the nose. Fry is a dog-a
mascot that accompanied Company D
hither on its return from WASHINGTON
in 1887
Next Corporal Ernst put his SQUAD
through the setting up exercise, which
Is designed to impart grace and dignity
70 new recruit by inducing him
TO WIGGLE HIS WAIST
like a Midway Plaisance danseuse
After this the whole company was
drilled by the non-commissioned Off
GERS. Then intricate oblique move
ments were executed, following which
the lieutenants gave orders with sword
and whistle instead of by word of
mouth. Lieut. Merrill carried out a
series of bayonet exercises which
frightened the ladies' There was a
Wild Buffalo Bill charge, ACCOMPANIED
by an earsplitting yell attachment.
Inc men appeared in full marching
order, looking as if each had plundered
a hardware store. Then they "felI
out as easily as they had fallen i'm
and everybody went home.
Lieut.. Johnson could not saw too
much in praise of the company. He
stated that it is not only the hest in
the Northwest, but, so far as he has
observed, 1T can drill better than anv
company in the regular army. Every
man is splendid soldier physically.
Besides, such is their promptness of
movement that he did not, doubt bur
they could within an hours notice an
pear In front of the armory fully
equipped for an extended march.
Company d will go to HASTINGS
Saturday at 6:55 p. m. to participate in
the festivities following the dedication
of the new bridge. The men will re-
turn the same night.
New Orleans Wants a Convention