The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-03-26
IN THE CASE OF WAR.
TROOPS AVAILABLE IN The
VARIOUS STATES.
Investigation of the Organized Militia
of the United States Shows Ihcrc
Are 9,467,694 Soldiers Available
When Needed.
Uncle Sam Counts Warriors.


According to ii report on the organized
militia of the United States, which has
Just been prepared by tie War Depart
ment. the United States. in case OF need
can put 9.4G7, G9l men III the field. Copies
of the publication are as scare" as the pro
verbal hens teeth. The public printer
has furnished the War Department with
only half Il dozen copies, and these nave
been given to the President. the Secretary
of War, the Assistant Secretary OF NaI
and the general commanding the army.
At the close of the wear lSJ1 every
State and territory. with th" exception OF
Indian territory and Alaska. had an or
ganizrd national guaId. The total force
of the militia numbcr f+5.G69, of which
102.i04 cumposod the infantry arm. Oh
the cavalry. I.4G1 the artillery, 643 special
corps and l.li3 generals and staff officers.
In many of the States last year camps
were held, and the attendance upon these
occasions ranged from - per cent IN Mis-
sissippi to % per cent in Vermont. The
total appropriation allowed the militia 10y
the Government amounted 10 S4OO.UuD.
while the Statos during the same period
spent S2.S34.914 on these organizations.
1t is estimated that mobilization of the
militia could be effected in the different
States and territories in from three hours
in the District of Columbia to seventy
two hours in Oregon. other State organ
izations assembling between these two PEE
RODS.
New York is far in the lead in the NUM-
Der of men enlisted in the national guard,
its strength amounting to l2.9ol officers
and enlisted men. Pennsylvania is sec
ond, with S.4S2; Ohio third. with G,493;
Illinois. G.226: South Carolina. Oil;
Massachusetts. 5.3I4; California. 1861;
Georgia. 4.3J5; New Jersey. 3.43S; Alaba-
ma. 3.120: Indiana. 3.02G; Virginia. 3.OOG;
Texas. 1900: Michigan. $50; Connecti-
cut. 2.I4O; Wisconsin,. 2.Glo; Iowa. 2,39N
Missouri. 2.101; Minnesota. 2.O21; Mary-
land, 1,SS5; Louisiana. 1888; Kansas, L.
SO; Mississippi. 1863: Oregon. 1.53O;
District of Columbia, 1.l1l; Kentucky,
1,4G9; North Carolina. 1.lO3; Tennessee,
1889; New Hampshire. l.3N0; Maine,
1,331; Washington. 1.1S4: Nebraska. L.
1871; Florida, Loss; Utah. 1903: Rhode
Island. go: Arkansas. 91i; West Nir-
ginia. Sll; Colorado, S:3: Vermont. NOU;
South Dakota. 79N; Idaho. 30; North Da-
kota. %; Montana. 80; Arizona. 5Oo:
New Mexico, 40; Wyoming. 40: Nevada,
I3J: Delaware. i21. and oklahoma. 1;l3.
1t Is estimated in this publication that
in cas-" of necessity. Illinois could place.
!SI2.G25 in the field; Pennsylvania comes
next with U1.S1i. and Ohio third with
10000; New York, 1G0.000; Indiann.
Isl. 1872; Kentucky. 3Gl 49,: Missouri.
3l0,OUo; Massachusetts. 339.391: Wiscon
sin, 306,343; Texas. 30o.oO0; Virginia,
291.440; New Jersey. 2S4,NS7; Georgia.
2Gl,oI1; Michigan, 2cO.0uO: Iowa. 30
500; North Carolina. 2lO,OOO: Mississippi.
22N, 200; Marylind. 205.SlG; Arkansas.
100000. and the remainder of the States
below 100000 each.
In about tWO-thirds of the States. the
publication says, the militia is armed with
the Springfield rifle and caroline of various
patterns. A number of the artillery mill.
ma regiments are provided with Gatlin3
guns and 3.2-inch brccch-loading rifles.
but a large proportion of the artillery armi
amcnt consists of l2-poundcr NapolconS,
3-inch understanding rifles. Parrot rifles
and other obsolete ordnance.
The aggregate Of small arms ammuni-
ton held i'll reserve III addition to thai in
the hands of the troops is not far from
3.oWD,0OO rounds. States having Gatliu.
gun batteries keep on hand Il limited sun.
ply of ammunition for these guns. The
supply for field guns is very limited. and
the uuaItN by no mems Tho host