The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-08-27
CAMP BY REGIMENTS.
Would Cost Less and Do More Goo

"Why don't you advocate regimental encampments hereafter in your paper?"
 This was the inquiry Colonel Tyler of the Third, himself an eX-officer of the regular arhy and graduate of West Point, addressed the Courant's camp correspondent as he said good bye to him Saturday morning. The person ad- dressed has consistently advocated reg imental encampments of the National Guard for several years, ever since 1t became evident that brigade encamp- ments meant that the show and holi- ment of convivial-disposed visitors, the baneful features of life under canvas, had come to stay. There is unanim- ity of feeling among the officers of the brigade outside the brigade staff that the time has arrived to put stop to fuss and feathers, family gatherings and the establishment of colonies of married people with their children on the ground for a week, and have a pure | ly military encampment for work and l instruction.
 l This much desired result can be best l obtained by regimental encampments, successive if desired to put all the reg iments into the camp in the year. A permanent post should be established on the ground with the assistant adjut- | ant general of the brigade or the assist ant adjutant general of the state | in charge, who could readily attend to all little details of administration. Con- i necticut followed Massachusetts in es-
 tablishing encampments of the Nation- al Guard and New York state followed 1 Cnnnaotin1Jt ha tn l however, gone far in advance of either in establishing the system of regiment al encampments, which has proved 1 great success. The brigade general could be represented on the ground and ] if necessary give a day to inspecting l the troops of a review. There would
 be no necessity for the week at an ex- pense to the state for pay alone of 1 S1 ,250 and there would be much econ- omy in other ways The members of | the governors staff, their sisters and l their cousins and their aunts" would not have the pleasure of a weeks rec
 reation and a jolly good time all
 around, but the camp would be mili- ] tary one and have much more opportu- | nity for real work, devoid of the show and holiday features.
 | A suggestion was made in camp by
 an army officer who readily perceives | the need for regimental encampments
 and other reforms that as a compro- mise next year two regiments might be
 ordered into camp as a brigade and the ] two others follow in succession. It is ! possible that the new governor may see
 that regimental encampments are the 1 correct thing and that a weeks holi-
 day in camp by the governors staff i with their female relatives is no more 1 necessary for their health than it is 1 triangle requirement. The governors s triangle all during the week wore hol- iday aspect. Large quantities of new l ly-purchased flags were supplied by the { quartermaster general and the tents were decorated by men in the pay of the state. The governor had four men
 detailed for attendance at his quarters,
 a sergeant and two privates of the Gov ernors Horse Guard and sergeant of infantry. All the tents were furnished throughout with bed linen and toilet
 accessories at the expense of the state
 and Luxury Row" wore gala aspect all the week.
 A member of the governors staff
 discussing with your correspondent the
 subject of the family arrangements by
 which many of the wives, daughters, sons and sisters of the staff slept in
 camp in a eottage-like arrangement of
 quarters, made the assertion that the
 presence of the ladies would have re-
 fining, wholesome influence upon the
 camp. His auditor doubted the neces-
 sity for their presence as a deterrent in- fuence upon the present staff and sug-
 gested that it would hardly spread
 across the parade ground where about 2,60O men had many lady friends call
 upon them during the day, none of
 whom was of course allowed to remain over night.
 There is no questioning the efficien-
 cy of the National Guard It is now
 time to put stop to extravagance and
 the show features of camp life already
 deeply engrafted in the system. The
 governor has authority under the
 present law to order regimental en-
 campments. Let the experiment be
 tried.-Hartford Courant.