The morning times., 1896-06-14
DISTRICT SOLDIER BOYS
One Weeks News and G1ss'p
Around Local Armories.

1
money will be available after July L.
Gen. Ordway, in a talk with representa-
tive OF The Times, said he had not beer
able to determine on the matter. II
had been waiting to see what would be
done with the appropriation. Now, since II
had passed, he would call his commandin.
Officers together some time this week
and discuss the affair. He would then
know what TO do.
The only objection to a camp the latter
part or July or the first of August that has
| been offered Is the question Of heat. That
should play but a small part in calculations
| for il July or August can offer any hotter
weather than June OF last year did il
| would certainly break the record. If the
guard was able to stand the heat then, and
l August can offer.
| In case there is q camp it is quite
likely that Gen. Ordway will only be
| present part of the time. Everybody
| Will be sorry should this be the case, for
i the general Is one OF the most popular OF
commanding Officers. The boys all like
him. He Will be ably represented. how
ever. by Col. Clay, commanding the First
| Regiment. The colonel. like the general,
| .s veteran and gained his experience in
camps where play soldiers had no place.
| Fort Washington, OF course, will be the
| camping ground. and The Times, as at
1 the last camp. will be in the front with
| all the news there is going.
THE RIFLE DEPARTMENT.
Major Harrics. inspector general of rifle
| practice, has just sent to the adjutant
| general his report for the seasons of 1894
and 1895. Lack of rifle range facilities
during the season of 1894 and up until
August of 1895 rendered it unnecessary to
| make report for 1894.
In reviewing the obstacles which pre-
vented successful season In this time
Major Harries makes the flattering state
| ment that the brigade figure OF merit has
increased. 1t is higher than it has ever
been In 1893 the brigade figure was
50.o3; in 1894, with all the disadvantages
OF that year. 1t was cut down to $3.50,
and in 1895. with a short season and many
difficulties. 1t moved up to 53.22.
He finds fault, however, with the fact
that the number OF men in the third class
Is SO large, l,OO3, and finds that this weak
ness can only be remedied when each Off
Ger takes as much interest in the one day
devoted to wCrk on the range as he does
In the less important annual inspection.
When the target practice was performed
on the Washington Barracks range it was
difficult even then, to have a small battal-
ION complete its score. Major Harries
urges now that the authorities insist on
every member OF every organization de-
voting at least one day to rifle practice
OF the range. He again urges that those
soldiers who fail to fire the prescribed
number of rounds at the ranges specified
in the seasons schedule shall be discharged
for the good OF the Sc rvice. The range will
be open for at least five months, and
plenty of opportunity will be given for
voluntary practice.
The amendment OF paragraph 10 of gen
cral orlers No. "a is recommended. The
season is to be made one month and only the
names OF the men on the roll for thatmonth
areto be counted. The report furtherrecom-
meDds that ammunition be placed to the
credit of the respective commands and is
sued by designated officer. It also recon-
ncnds similar feature for voluntary prac-
lice. This would relieve the Industrious
marksmen OF the guard n great deal.
Major Harrics hits pretty hard at the
company commanders who neglect to keep
up the aiming, sighting and position drill.
and calls their attention to the fact that
this is their duty and belongs to 40 one else.
The report details ut length the difficulty
OF locating and constructing the rifle range.
Ii gives the various details of the work
done on the range and recites the first sea-
sons practice. 1t further tells of the .'man
target" which is to he used this season men,
ton OF which has already been made in
this column.
NOTED MARKsMEN.
The report further pays a deserved Coin
pliment TO the teams which shot at Sea
Girt last fall. II finds that the supreme
honors OF the seasons of 1894 and 1895
belong, however, not TO the teams, but
to Company b, Sixth Battalion, Capt. j.
s. TomlimsoD. In 1894 this company re-
ported 81 sharpshooters and 20 Marks
men out OF a total Of 45; in 1895, the
report showed II sharpshooters and 80
marksmen out OF n total of At. trophy
is to be procured, by order of Gen. ordway,
aud placed in the keeping of Capt. Tom
linson.
The report shows that on the generals
staff, voluntary, there is one sharpsliooter,
Ma ior Harries, himself; in the First Regi-
ment, 352 on the roll, there are IL
10 inarksmen, 8 first class,
16 second class, 3O5 third class. In
the Second Regiment, 552 men ON roll,
there are 80 sharpsliootres, 33 marksmen,
3 first class, 3 secOnd-class, 463 third
class. In the First Separate Battalion, / So
men on the roll. there are 8 first-class, 2
class, and As third- class. In
the Engineer Corps, 11S men, there are
2S sliarpshooters. 8 marksmen, IA first
class, l sescond- class, 76 third-class.
In the brigade, regiments and battalions
the figures OF merit are: Brigade, 39.s2;
First Regiment, 27.95; Second Regiment,
42.S6; First Battalion, 9.O4; Second Bat
TALON, "a; Third Battalion. 1856; Fourth
1864; Fifth Battalion,
1888; Sixth Battalion, 67; First
Separate Battalion, see; Engineer Corps,
lO3.33. In company figures of merit,
Company b, Sixth Battalion, leads with |
264.SS; and Company A, Engineer Corps |
is second, with 253.33. The following COM
panies bring up the rear with zero: Com |
pany d, First Separate Battalion; Company |
A, Sixth Battalion; Company b, Fourth |
Company c, Sixth Battalion; and |
Company c, Fourth Battalion.
AT THE RANGE. Il
Capt. King is busy looking after the |
interests of the range. Tuesday the storm |
kept away the ni4rksmen of the Rifle
for it rains at Ordway just |
Ihe same as it does ih Washington He
IS trying just now to secure day or
two each week forD voluntary practice
for members of the Guard. Many of the
Guardsmcn are very anxious TO shoot and
sufficient number Will take advantage of
.he permission if it is granted. There seems
10 be but ttleiioubttlrlt one day each week
will he set asile fonprn ctice of tlis kind.
The stock of ammunition in the armory
s growing. Capt. King already has about
20 900 cartridges loaded and the work |
s being pressed right along. He intends
70 have $4,000 loaIied by the end Of the
month. Everything will then be in shape
or the range season.
NOTES FROM THE COMMANDS.