The record-union., 1895-04-08
REORGANIZATION OF The MILITIA.
The Three Brigades Are Not Yet
Mapped Out.
Under the New Law No Blank Cart
ridges VIII be Fired In the
Face of Hostile Mob.

1lOI IhC SdS0s lu6 ACI, "ulCu is hnO"A
as Assembly Bill No. 6lS, became law
as soon as it was signed by the Governor.
1t provides that the National Guard
shall be composed of three brigades, each
to be commanded by a Brigadier-Gen-
eral, and the three brigades to constitute
a division, commanded by Major-Gen-
eral. The limits of each brigade are to be
fixed by the Governor, and the Brlga-
diers and their staff officers deprived of
their office by reason of the reorganizs-
tion are placed on the retired list
WHO ARE BRIGADIERs NOW?
AS the Governor has not yet announced
the limits of the brigades nor who are to
command them, the Brigadier- Generals
are at sea as to what commands come
within their jurisdiction. Some of them
claim that under the law they have no
authority TO issue orders nor to subscribe
themselves as commanders of any par
ticular brigade. Those who have gone
about their duties as though the law had
not been changed, give as their reason
for doing so that they have not been
officially notified of any change. OF
course, as soon as the three new Drigades
and tho officers who. are To command
them sre announced by the Adjutant-
General everything will be in running
order again.
The new law provides that the force
shall not exceed siXty-nine companies,
of which sixty shall be infantry or artil-
lery, as the Board of Location may direct,
and five companies of the Naval Batal-
lion, and the other four companies shall
be distributed to such arms of the service
as the Board OF Location may direct.
All staff officers are required to be citi-
Zens of the State, and-except Surgeons,
.ll1DaG- a HVppatp and IhanlaInS-Shol1
be examined as prescribed for elective
officers. This provision does not apply
10 the Governors statf.
WHEN DIsHoNoRABLY DISCHARGED.
4 'character' shall be attached to all
discharges from the National Guard.
Every member dishonorably discharged
shall be disfranchised for the period Of
one year next ensuing such discharge.
No dlShonOraDIy discharged nOu-com-
missioned officer, artificer, musician or
private is permitted to again enter the
National Guard, except he be pardoned
by the Governor. No dishonorably dis
charged officer, according to the new law,
Is permitted TO hold any office of trust or
emolument, nor to enter the service
again unless he be pardoned by the Gov
ernOr.
NO INDEPENDENT COMPANIES.
Another provision of the law, and one
~
lzatlons, makes it unlawful for any body
OF men whatever, other than the regularly
organized National Guard OF this State
and tie troops OF the United States, TO
associate themselves together as mill
tary company or organization, to drill or
parade with arms without the license of
the Governor, which may at any time be
revoked. This does not apply to colleges
where military instruction IS a part OF
the course.
MN aER OF OFFICERS AND MEN.
Each field battery shall have not less
than sINty-One nor more than l49 officers
ana men, which must include one COM
luIssiOned officer, and may include one
Captain, two First Lieutenants, one Sec |
ond Lieutenant, one First Sergeant, one |
(uartermaster-Serg six Sergeants, !
eight Corp0raIs, two trumpeters. two far |
Tlers, ana one saddler.
Under the old law the batteries were |
two Second LieutenaHts, out the |
present law eliminates one Of them.
HONORARY MEMBERS.
Each company, troop or battery NAV
have not 10 exceed ten honorary meItI- /
bers, who shall pay 500 per annum each.
and shall thereupOn be entitled to ali the !
exemptions TO which men on the active !
list are entitled, and shall not be required
10 drill or perform any military duty bv |
reason OF such membership. One of the !
exemptions referred TO is that Of iurv
duty, which an honorary member like |
an active member, can refuse to perform, |
The new law changes the specified time |
of the annual inspection and muster TO |
any time between January Ist and June |
5Oth in each year.
SIGNAL CORPS.
The members Of the Fourth Brigade
Signal Corps, very efficient organiza- |
Ion OF the National Guard, are appre- |
Leuslve Of the future existence of the
corps. The law provides that there shall |
be mustered in and attached to the |
y aional Guard detachment of signal |
lnen, which shall be divided into three |
signal corps, each to consist of not less |
than twenty nor more than forty men. !
each corps to be located in its entirety at
one place.
This latter requirement is what con-
Germs the Sacramento signal men. If the
Governor appoints q nonresident as
General of the brigade which !
embraces this city, then the entire signal |
corps. now one OF the military features Of |
this city, may be thing of the past.
CONSOLIDATION OF DUTIES.
Not only has the number of briradas /
been reduced, and q mum Der of officers |
who have had no duties 10 perform are
TO the retired list, but different |
positions on the brigade, regimental and |
battalion stats have been consolidated.
For instance, on the stats of the Gam
erals and COlOnels the Quartermaster
acts as Paymaster. and the Inspector of
LIHe Practice acts as Ordnance Officer
on the battalion staff the CommIssary
acts as Guartermaster, and the Inspector
OF Rifle Practice as Ordnance officer.
I he separate position OF Paymaster is
entirely done away with.
on the regimental and battalion non
commissioned stafls the position of Ord
nance Sergeant is also done away with.
The battalion non commissioned staff
consists OF but Sergeant Major, a Com
sergeant, who shall also be
QuarterInaster-Sergeant n Hospital
Steward and TWO Color-Sergeants.
All Surgeons are required TO have had
b. least tive years. practice in surgery
prior TO their appointment; all Judges
shall lie mem Uers Of the bar of |
the Supreme Court OF this State; all |
officers shall be civil engineers,
and all Chaplains shall be regularly or
uaIned ministers.
Another provision of the law, which is |
oi considerable Interest to the member |
OF Tue National Guard, is that which says |
that when they perform active service |
they shall be paid out OF the general fund !
MS oOVlates the necessity OF waiting for |
an Appropriation.
NO BLANK CARTRIDGES.
One OF tue most important military |
measures which has recently become a |
law Is the Act giving the commanding
oncer the power to order his troops TO
nre upon any mob or unlawful assem-
Dlage' 1hls provision is coucned in the
terms:
NV henever any portion of the National
Guard or enrolled militia shall have baan
All leading teache
.u