The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-28
NEWS OF THE
NATIONAL GUARD.
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company IN this city which would De
placed in charge of two sailing guns and
termed a battery The idea does not
seem to be pleasing to some officers OF
the various Salt Lake organizations, who
have been struggling along for the past
two years or more under very discourage
ing circumstances. endeavoring to per-
feet the companies to which they be-
long and establish a guard worthy the
name They understood ii was the IN
tention OF those in authority to reduce
the guard to one regiment of infantry
of twelve companies; two batteries OF
light artillery, two troops of cavalry,
signal corps, and hospital corps, and that
the matter was now under consideration
The infantry at present is represented by
10 companies; one regiment and one
battalion of another, which is more than
can be properly equipped and provided
for with the appropriations made for that
purpose.
One officer, in referring to the subject.
said: 1T was the opinion of number
of the Sixteenth United States officers.
and expressed by them before leaving Tor
their new quarters, that the guard was
top heavy with artillery and should be
reduced to one battery. The same Of
ficer does not believe the organization OF
another battery would be consistent with
the military code of the state, and calls
attention to section 81. which reads: In
time of peace the National Guard shall
consist of not more than three regiments
of infantry. of u companies each; three
troops of cavalry and two batteries OF
light artillery, signal corps and his
-,-.al corps; all OF which may be or
ganized under the direction of the COM
mander-iE-chief.
THE question is of interest TO most OF
the guardsmen and will be watched very
closely"
Whether the idea is pleasing or not,
the governor and commander-ln-chle1
seems to be pretty we'll satisfied. mas
muc!, as orders for the same have been
issued. The some office,s' alluded TO
are undoubtedly one or two sOre-headed
regimental staff officers who, jealous be-
cause the organizations to which they
belong are not thriving, wish TO drag
down others which are doing we'll III the
artillery arm of the service is able TO
grow and become proficient while others
are dragging. it is to the credit of the
former. and members of the latter ought
not complain 1t is undoubtedly proper
that the infantry be confined to II COM
pantes; that the cavalry be limited 10
two troops. but inasmuch as there are
two light batteries and the Gatlings, 1t
has been deemed best to organize tne
latter into a command and attach the
same to the battalion formation, which
will be perfected on Jan. 81. The Cat
lings should be manned and ofhcered, as
they are not in actual service when they
are not.
The officer who referred to the sub
ject although alluded would be the
better term) quotes a number of the Of
ficers of the Sixteenth as saying the
guard was top heavy with artillery
The National Guard cannot be top heavy
with artillery. If mustered into the serV-
ice of the United States it would be
good thing if all Utahs National Guard
was organized into batteries. Whether
the quoted officers of the Sixteenth or
the officer who referred to the matter
know it or not, the National Guard of
the United States is short on artillery. 1t
has infantry to throw at the birds There
is cavalry in plenty. But If in the hour
of trouble the troops were thrown into
the field, the officers of the Sixteenth who
are quoted would be glad to have more
artillery to open engagements. with, even
if it came from top heavy state like
Utah where one little Calling battery is
causing so much anguish.
The artillery strength of the states is
poor. 1t is branch of the service which
has been neglected. There is too much
work for the members to do as rule,
and he prefers to join the infantry where
all he has to busy himself in cleaning is
a rifle, bayonet and a belt plate, which
he can rent out by the job
In 80 inch breech loading rifles New
York has eight, Pennsylvania six, Yer
mont four and Utah eight Nearly every
state has galings land they are organized
into separate batteries mind YOU. but
the balance of the artillery armament IS
poor, very poor Imagine going into
action with the following:
Alabama. six muzzle loading, 3-inch
rified cannon
Arkansas, two ditto
California, eight 12-pound Napoleons;
long ago out of date.
Connecticut, four 3-inch M L. r.; very
old.
Colorado two Napoleons; very ancient.
Florida, four Howitzers.
Georgia, four NJ. l.. r. 3-inch; six old
fashioned brass cannon
Illinois. four 12-pOund NapoleonS; four
SINGH Rodman NJ l..
Indiana, eight S-inch NJ. L. r.; very old.
Kansas, four bronze cannon; calibre
Kentucky. four 3-inch NJ. L. r.
Louisiana three 3-inch rified cannon.
Parrots and Howitzers, all M L.
Massachu~et (home OF the ancient
and honO---5ie artillery four brass can
non. eight 3-inch NJ. L.
Minnesota. two 3-inch M. L. r.
Missouri six ditto.
Montana, four ditto
Nebraska. two ditto
New Hampshire, four Napoleons; very
old.
New York. eight 3.2-inch b. L. r.; six
Nanoieons four mountain Howitzers, six
3-inch M. L. r.
brass NJ L. r.. all sizes; IL S-inch NJ
Oregon. two Napoleons.
PENNSYLVANIA. six 3.2-inch B. l. R.. two
26-pound Phoenix NJ. L. four 3-inch NJ
South Carolina. four s-inch NJ. L. r.
South Dakota. two ditto
tennessee, Oi4S 1--POeAA~-'
NJ. l.. r.
Texas. three 12-pounders-
Vermont, four 3.2-inch Is. L. r.
Virginia - 3-inch NJ. L. r., two bronze,
and two Napoleons.
Wisconsin, two 3-inch NJ. L. R.
District of Columbia, two 6-pounders,
Utah, eight s.2-inch B. L. R.
@ @ @
The above does not comprise the gait
lings of which there are a great many,
but all this talk of top heaviness is drivel-
With the exception of the states of New
York. Pennsylvania Vermont and Utah.
Guard of the United States is mt for
nothing but hitching posts ornaments for
soldiers monuments or old junk
@ @ q
The only reason for the protest, if it is
entitled to be dignified by such a term, is
NOT = reason at all. This is somewhat
paradoxical. but it goes nevertheless.
There are a few infantry officers who
think the gatlings belong to the infantry,
and want them manned by details from
the several organizations. all of which is
tommy rot 1t would bankrupt some or
the infantry organizations to make a
detail large enough to properly man
gatling battery. Besides there is no reason
for any such action. The other states,
and where there is an artillery organiza
ton they are attached TO it. The drill
regulations are found in the artillery
books and not in those of the infantry
g. g g
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