The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1896-12-19
MANYMARKSMEN
Presentation Of Trophies and
Badges Last Evening.
Troops A and B Pass In Review
Before Gov. Lippitt.


Over 1000 people were present at the
State armory last evening to witness the.
presentation of trophies and badges to the
members of the National Guard of the
State who had qualified as sharpshooters
or marksmen. OF this number fully one
third were unable, owing to the crowd, to
see anything of the drill or presentation.
Gov. Lippitt arrived In Pawtucket ON
the train due here at 7:55, and was received
by Major Strauss In command of Troops
A and b, and escorted to the armory. IL
was intended to make the reception and
parade more of feature, but owing to the
weather the troops did simple escort duty,
headed by Fairman's band.
Aside from festoons of bunting and
American and signal corps flags behind
and over the platform reserved for dis
tinguished guests, no attempt was made
to decorate the armory.
Shortly after eight o'clock Troops A
and b, under command OF Major Strauss,
came on the drill floor and were drawn up,
in battalion front, facing the reviewing
stand. A few moments later the band
struck up "Hail to the Chief" and Gov
Lippitt, accompanied by his personal and
general staff, passed down to the review
ing stand.
The battalion presented arms and were,
reviewed by the Governor. The align =
ment and distance maintained during the
passage In review was. poor but doubt
less the restricted floor space may account
for this 70 some extent.
Troop A was then dismissed and Troop
were put through various evolutions
consisting of marching I'm company front,
IN column of fours, by twos and in single
file. The right front into line was well
executed, the men maintaining proper
distance and coming into line 80 accurate
ly that little or no dressing was necessary. .
The movements to the rear were not quito
as Uniform In execution.
These maneuvres were followed by q
saber drill by Troop A, the men appearing
In fatigue uniform. The drill was well
executed. The officers commanding the
troops were: Troop A, Capt Jones, First
Lieut.. Allenson, Second Lieut.. Dexter;
Troop b, Capt. Maynard, First Lieut. Page,
Second Lieut.. Murphy.
The winners of badges then marched
down the stairway and took their posi-
tions before the Commander in Chief. The
Governor then addressed them, congratu-
lating them on being SO proficient In
markwnanship. Gov. Lippitt gave figures
from the reports of the Inspectors of Rife
Practice, showing the improvement In
work with the rife since 1892. The figures
given show that there has been steady
increase In Workmanship. While in 1896
but eleven and one-third per cent Of the
enlisted men were marksmen, the records
this year give the number of men in all
branches of the service who have qualified,
as twenty and one-half per cent of the en-
rollment.
Adjucant General Sackett then read the
general orders, which contained the names
of nearly 400 Of the rank and file who had
qualified as marksmen and sharpshooters,
and proceeded to distribute the trophies
and medals to the men.
Among the prominent persons occupy
ing seats on the reviewing stand were His
Honor Henry K. Tiepke, Mayor of Paw
tucket, and several members of the Board
of Aldermen and Common Council.
At the conclusion OF the presentation
the floor was cleared for dancing, and to
the inspiring music of Fairmans full
band the soldiers and their friends, who
always have an eye Of admiration for gold
braid and the equipment OF the soldier,
took possession of the armory. Dancing
continued until after o'clock.
Among the officers present from various
branches of the service were: Brig. Gen.
Frederick M. Sackett, Adjt. Gen.; Brig.
Gen. Charles r. Dennis, @. M. g.; Brig.
Gen. Hiram Kendall, Col. Phetteplace and
stan Of the 1st Regiment, II. /. M; Col.
Moran and stan of the I'd Regiment, r. I.
M: Maj. Alexander Strauss and stan of
the Battalion Cavalry; Capt. Barker, Bat
terry A; Lieut.. Weavet, Battery A; Capt.
Walcott and officers of the Machine
Gun Battery; Capt. Rittman of the
Signal Corps; Captain Harvey and
officers of the Hospital Corps; Lieu
tenant Elswald and officers OF
the Providence Naval Reserves; Lieut..
Fred Williams and officers of the Bristol
Naval Reserves; Major Arnold and star
OF the u. T. A.; Col. Daniel Stephens and
officers Of the Bristol Train of Artillery;
Col. Bosworth and staff of the Warren
Artillery; Col. William A. Browning and
staff of the Kentisb Guards of East
Greenwich.