Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-31
What is Expected Of the Teams at
Sea Girt.
COMPETITIVE DRILLS IN OCTOBER
Inspection OF the Fourth Battalion
Next Week.
OTHER MILITARY NEWS

l
which departed at 1915 o'clock this after
noon for Sea Girt, New Jersey, to repre-.
sent the District Of Columbia National
Guard in rifle competition with experts
from several states. The personnel of the
| detachment and all details of the trip ap-
peared in The Star Saturday last.
1--WE mean to win everything" is the
| motto of the little band of guardsmen VINO
have devoted the greater portion of sever II
| weeks to conscientious firing IT the tar
| gets on the new range at Ordway, and II
| will be no great surprise If the determine
| ton is realized. Thus far everything points
| to success. The teams almost without ex-
ception, are made up of seasoned men, who
thoroughly know their business. and also
what is expected of them, and Can, there
fore. be relied on to send the lead straight
into the bulrs-eye as frequently as any
similar number of soldiers to be found in
| the brigade. and. it is hoped, among those
| In attendance at Sea Girt.
Regarding the recent team practice on
| the outdoor range, it may be authoritative
| ~ stated that the average Is higher than
| that CT any previous year to a gratifying
| degiee. The brigade team is feeling very
confident and among the members are
more than one enthusiastic individual who
believes that not only will the Hilton
| trophy again grace District Guard head
| quarters as a result of the present Sea
Girt meet, but that the worlds record will
be shattered in small pieces by bullets from
rifles fired by District representatives, and
rev score established.
Discipline Not n Myth.
Many persons of experience believe and
openly state that such a thing as discipline
in a team made up of a mixture of enlisted
| men and officers can only be characterized
| as a myth. Visitors to Ordway recently
wi
ticfng beside a colonel, while the number
or privates lfeutenants and captains en-
gagged in becoming proficient with the rifle
and at close quarters has been far from
small. Men of various ranks compose the
Sea Girt detachment, and the discipline that
will prevail from the time they boarded the
train today until dismissed on return to
the city may be safely stated as ideal.
The statement that discipline can be and
is maintained in teams is substantiated by
the visits of District teams to Sea Girt for
two years past. The trips are for business
purposes pure and simple, and are by no
| means pleasure junkets; and therein, no
doubt, to great extent. lies the secret of
the success of the local men in the past.
There is an absolute absence of dissipation
with an attendance of all necessary disci-
pine Why should victory, with such &C.
compartments, be a surprise?
1t is the present intention of the detach-
ment to return to Washington Sunday.
September g. but in case of success the
home coming may be postponed one day.
AS the teams all declare that they will win
it looks as though a welcome at the 9th
September 0, will be in order.
Gen. Ordway and Col. Mosher will spend
several days at Sea Girt, probably Witness
ing the big matches.
Competitive Drills i'm October.
The executive committee in charge Of
the military fete to be held by company A,
second battalion. October 2s to November
mill
in a few days, address communications to
the company commanders of the brigade,
announcing that during the fete it is pro-
posed to have competitive drills open to
the companies of the District of Columbia
National Guard. One drill Will be for
squads In the manual of arms, each squad
to consist of sixteen enlisted men and one
commissioned officer in double rank forma-
ton. The prize is to be handsome SILK
flag or silver trophy. There will also be
an individual drill for the best drilled SOL
| der, competition being restricted to two
men from each company in the brigade. A
handsome gold medal will reward the win
| ner of this contest.
wards company promises to be a novelty
in its line. Instead of the customary
booths arranged about the sides OF the
| hall, a large booth is to be erected In the
center and the space nearest the walls de-
voted to attractive exhibits of varying de-
signs. Music each evening will probably
be furnished by the Marine Band, under
the personal direction of Prof. Fanciullt.
The quarters Of the company present
each evening by far the busiest of any in
the armory building, for committee meet
ings are in progress almost constantly.
The ladies who are to assist and also be
the chief attraction during the fete will
meet the executive committee of the COM
pany Monday evening, September 8, and be
Instructed in regard to their duties.
No Longer Acting Captain.
Private Harry A. Blandy. acting cap
tain of company D. third battalion, has
applied for a discharge and the applica-
ton will be approved. This leaves the
company without commissioned officer,
but it is the intention of Major Wilson to
place First Lieut.. Richard ]. Donnelly,
adjutant Of the battalion, temporarily in
command with a view of putting the Or
sanization on a firm basis. 1t Is under
stood that several well-known persons
| are being pushed for the captaincy Of the
company.
Inspection of the Fourth.
The inspection of the fourth battalion,
| ordered several weeks ago by Major
Campbell, will occupy Monday. Tuesday
| and Wednesday evenings of next week.
| company A being the first to undergo the
scrutiny of the inspection officers. The
adutant will examine the books and pa
| pers, the ouartermaster is to devote HIM
| self to the government property and the
| inspector of rifle practice will confine his
| efforts to the rifles and requirements.
Notes.
| Capt. Harrison S. Barbour of troop A is
away on an ocean trip. He will be gone
| about two weeks.
The position of second lieutenant OF COM
| pany B, third battalion. which has been
| vacant for some time. will be filled by
| election at an early date.
The already attractive quarters Of COM
| pany A, second battalion, will be addi-
| tionally beautified in the near future by
| a handsomely framed set of cabinet photo
| graphs of the members of the command.
| First Lieut.. W. H. Myers, Quartermaster
| Of the fifth battalion. IS in attendance at
the knights Templar conclave at Boston.
| Adjutant James L. Mock is visiting in
| Georgia, and First Lieut. Swigart of COM
pany A, acting adtutant, will leave next
| week for a vacation outing.
It Is reported that thirty desirable men
| have pledged themselves to become men,
| bers Of the organization that Is to be des-
| ignated company C, fifth battalion An
| unusual feature regarding this command
IL that it will not adopt distinctive name