Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-25
GREATER FENCIBLES
A Battalion to be Formed from the
Present Company.
PROPOSED UNIQUE FORMATION
Each Company Will Be Com
manded by Lieutenant.
APPROVED BY GEN. oRDwAY

1t is to be the Greater 'Fencibles. WASH
| ingtons representative military company.
the Natfor al Fencibles, or as 1t Is officially
| designated a National Guard organiza-
| ton, company c, second battalion, will
soon be battalion of four companies.
The Fencjbles are known throughout the
| United States generally and as the cham
pion military company of America are re-
garded with envy by the crack infantry
drillers everywhere. The Galveston semi
| centennial championship cup, twice won
on fields of friendly strife against The
| world, graces the armory, and the company
| occupies a position at the top of the lad
der, SO far as the citizen soldiery is con-
cerned. Therefore the announcement that
the organization is to increase to four
times it's present numerical strength and
merge into q battalion is of more than
passing interest.
The scheme for enlargement originated
with Capt Charles s. Domer about three
months ago. The commanding officer OF the
Fencibles since then has been thinking
deeply of the idea all to himself. disclos-
ing it to no one In company with Lieut..
Mortimer, Capt. Domer called at brigade
headquarters the other day and INDUCED
in a lengthy conference with Brigadier
General Albert Ordway, commanding the
District of Columbia militia, and as re-
suit a special meeting Of the Fencibles was
ordered for last evening. In the order 1t
was stated that the commanding officer
would submit vital proposition to the
company, and that occasioned an unusually
large attendance, every Fencible, with but
one or two exceptions, answering to the
roll call just after the meeting was called
to order.
Plan Outlined.
Without preliminaries of any nature
Can't. Domer outlined his proposition in de-
t., hoe hoon cfo fn6
the present company to battalion Of four
companies This arrangement,it is thought.
will make the organization a greater factor
in National Guard affairs generally, will
give 1t a much higher standing in the COM
munity and supply the District National
Guard with representative battalion of
equally as high standing in drill and dis
cipline as the FencibleS are now as COM
pany. A novel feature Of the scheme, how
ever, is the fact that there is to be no
rank as captain of company c, second bat
talon, and as senior officer Of the new bat
talon, will be in command thereof. Neither
are there to be any captains besides Capt;
Domer. Each of the four companies will
be in command of a first lieutenant, with
second lieutenant under him. When an
additional officer is necessary, as in execut-
ing movements by platccns, the first SER
geant, who under the new drill regulations
Is practically supernumerary, will be
pressed into service.
Additional Reasons.
Another reason for the enlargement, as
stated by Capt. Domer, is to provide for
number Of well-deserved promotions. The
Fencibles were organized in 1887, and since
that time changes among the officers have
been remarkably few in number. At least
half of the membership of the organiza-
ton is made up of charter members, who
are, and have been for eight years, privates
These men are fully competent to act as
company commanders, and as there is no
indication that the present officers will re-
sign. opportunities for promotion under the
existing state Of affairs are decidedly SLIM
The new battalion formation will provide
for an adjutant, a QuartermaSter and an
inspector of rifle practice and a surgeon,
each with the rank of first lieutenant. Six
more Heutenants will be required and also
a full complement Of warrant officers. With
such additions. Capt. Domer will be reliev
ed Of many arduouS duties, and the heavy
responsibilities devolving upon the captain
Of such an organization will be distributed.
According to the proposition as submit
ted, the organization is to participate in in
terstate and other competitions in the
future, as in the past, as company c, Sec
ond battalion. Instead of sixty men, Capt.
Domer will hereafter have a body of 200
well-drilled soldiers from which to select
his drill teams. Holding a commission as
captain Of company G, second battalion, ID.
c. N. G., no dispute can be made by rival
organizations at interstate drills as to the
Fencibles' drill team. In such events the
men to be promoted on the formation of the
battalion will be expected to resume their
places in the ranks of the drill team If
necessary.
Control of Mess.
The annual encampment Of the brigade,
1t was stated at the meeting last evening,
will probably seriously interfere with the
plans Of company desiring to participate
In interstate drills, for the reason that the
commanding general Is not inclined to ex-
cuse any company of the brigade from par
ticipation in the camp. The Fencibles, as
battalion, could easily be represented in
camp with four good-sized companies, and
also send a team to competitive drills. An
other point set forth was that at the bri-
gade encampments the various battalions
are to organize their own messes. In the
present formation, the Fencibles must COM
bine with three outside companies, so far
as commiSSary arrangements are concerned,
which they do not look on with favor
while as a battalion they would be able
to have entire control of their mess.
The four companies Of the new battalion
will assemble for drill on the same evening
handing officer may elect. They may drill
as companies, as battalion or be consoli-
dated into one big company. An organiza-
ticn similar to the one proposed is the
a national reputation. Applications for
membership in the organization must be
made to the battalion. Assignments to COM
parties will be made later:
Gen. Ordvvay Agrees.
Gen. Ordway heartily concurred in the
scheme as proposed and promised his as
sistance. The new battalion will probably
be assigned as the second battalion.
vacancy being made by the transfer Of the
Corcoran Cadet Corps, now designated as
company A. second battalion. Companies
B and c were transferred to the third bat
talon on the LIST instant. The Fencibles
will be given the quarters in the new
armory building which were originally in
tended for the second battalion. These
comprise six large rooms on the L street
front Of the fourth floor Of the structure.
large space on the floor above adjoining
the pistol gallery will be set aside as a
locker room. The rooms on the fourth
fe or will be handsomely furnished, and will
comprise a reception room, an officers
room, an office for the commanding officer,
a library, a writing room and billiard
room.
At the meeting last evening. after free
fp.