The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-07
THE STATE MILITIA IN A PRETTY MIDDLE,

1
moralizing abundance. One of the propo-
sitions is to reduce the San Francisco force
to three foot battalions with troop OF
cavalry and battery OF light artillery, and
also to reduce the regiments throughout
the State to battalions of four companies
each.
Another suggestion which has been &C
corded the consideration of the board
points out the manifold advantages OF
| forming number of eight-company regi-
ments and four-company battallons
throughout the STATE. There would also
be troop and light battery in this City,
with two regiments of infantry of eight
companies each. The signal corps is, OF
course. included in every plan suggested,
because this arm of the service IS
always considered a necessary part of
the brigade formation. The officers who
consider this method of reorganization as
best suited to the interests of the guard
also suggest that one of the three Naval
Battalion companies now stationed in this
City be disbanded and its place in the
service be taken by a new company at
Eureka.
The most prominent officers in the Sec
ond Brigade have submitted, or rather
have made known their approval, of still
another plan. which is now most likely to
meet with the favor of the Board of
Location.
In this case the method of reorganiza-
ton does not differ to any great extent
from the other but it's completeness has
given it an advantage. Many officers have
recommended the method, and if reports
are true, the board is disposed to rate it
more highly than the others. The National
Guard of California, according to this pro-
cess, should consist of three brigades, one
in the south, one in and around San
Francisco and the other in Northern Cali
fornia.
The First or Southern Brigade would con-
sist of two battalions of four companies
EACH with stations south of Tehachapi;
one battalion of four companies at the
lower end of the San Joaquin Valley, and
two troops of cavalry, one at Los Angeles
and the other at San Benito or somewhere
in that locality.
The Second Brigade would have two
regiments, OF eight companies each, in this
City, with one troop of cavalry and one
battery of light artillery. There would
also be one regiment OF eight companies
located among the bay towns. In the Sec
ond Brigade there would be three bat
talions of four companies each, one in the
upper part of the San Joaquin Valley and
two IN the Sacramento Valley. A troop of
cavalry would also be stationed in the
Valley of the Sacramento.
Thus far the military force would have
have been disposed of, and the Naval Bat
talon might then be spread along the
coast by locating one company at San
Diego, one at Santa Cruz, two at San Fran
cisco and one at Eureka. By this arrange
ment the entire force of fifty-eight COM
panies, forty-eight ofinfantry, five of Naval
Reserve and FIVE of other, arms would be
accommodated and easily supported by
the yearly appropriation of 100000.
Among numerous other methods under
consideration is one which would CONSOLE
date the First and Third regiments in this
City, detach the Nationals and make cav
alrymen of them, and allow Light Battery
a to remain. The only objection to this
proposition comes from the Nationals, who
would strenuously object to change from
the infantry to the cavalry arm. Speak
ing of the possibility of the adoption of
this method of organization an officer of
one of the Ellis-street companies declared
that the companies would obey orders in
any event, but that a majority of the
would secure discharges from
the service if yellow facing were made to
supplant the white.
Governor Budd has already expressed
himself that some of the companies
should be consolidated, and thus the num-
Der of members would be greatly increased.
Said Captain Sutcliffe yesterday: 'Such
a proceeding might indeed increase the
membership roll of the new organization,
but only for time. The thing has been
tried here any number of times, and it was
invariably failure. Companies so con-
will not amalgamate however Wig.
orous the efforts to make them do so.
After month or two this compulsory and
uncongenial association Of companies pre-
viously independent become unbearable
and the men begin to drop from the roll.
In very short time the consolidated con-
Germ is no stronger than either company
was before the consolidation"
The work of the Board Of Location in
generally reorganizing the National Guard
is likely to stir up more trouble among the
militia officers than is generally imagined |
At brigade headquarters it is considered
quite certain that if new organizations are
formed new officers will have to be elected |
In cases where regiments are reduced to
battalions this is likely to cause an enor-
nous amount of dissatisfaction. In the
National Guard as it is now constituted |
every regiment has two majors, who exer-
else command over battalions. Upon the
disruption of regimental organizations
there would be considerable cleaning out |
of be-bullioned officers of the field and
staff.
Ordinarily major commands a battal- |
ion. but new regulation in California |
permits heute3ant-colonel to hold this |
command. The regulation itself is liable |
to the dangers of a military controversy,
and in case regular army regulations should
prevail the result would be a merry war
betwee the two majors now in every regi- |
ment to determine which of them might be |
entitled to the command. Even with a |
in command number
of officers will have to be dropped.
The staff allowed a lieutenant-colonel |
includes one adiutant with the rank of