Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-03-26
in THE CASE OF WAR.
TROOPS AVAILABLE IN THE
VARIOUS STATES.
Investigation OF the Organized Militia
of the United States Shows There
Are 9,487,694 Soldiers Available
When Needed.


According to report on the organized
militia of the United States, which has
just been prepared by the War Depart
ment, the United States, in case of need,
can put 8, 9,467 ,694 men in the field. Copies
of the publication are as scarce as the pro-
verbal hens teeth The public printer
has furnished the War Department with
only half a dozen copies, and these have
been given to the President, the Secretary
of War, the Assistant Secretary of War
and the general commanding the army.
At the close of the year 1895 every
State and territory, with the exception of
Indian territory and Alaska, had an or
ganized national guard. The total force
of the militia number 115, $685. of which
TO-, ,604 composed the infantry arm, 5,21o
the cavalry, 3, ,267 the artillery, GAO special
corps and ], ,443 generals and staff officers.
In many of the States last year camps
were held, and the attendance upon these
occasions ranged from 55 per cent in Mis-
sissippi to 80 per cent in Vermont. The
total appropriation allowed the militia by
the Government amounted to $4OO, 900,
while the States during the same period
spent So, S34, ,974 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 ia Oregon, other State organ
izations assembling between these two pc
riods.
New York is far in the lead in the num-
Der of men enlisted in the national guard,
its strength amounting to 12,9O1 officers
and enlisted men. Pennsylvania is sec
ond, with S,4S2; Ohio third, with 6,493;
Illinois, 6,22G; South Carolina, Sill;
Massachusetts, 5,344; California, 4,364;
Georgia, 1856; New Jersey, 3,93S; Alaba
ma, 3,120; Indiana, 3,026; Virginia, 3,0O6;
Texas, 5000; Michigan, 2,S75; Connecti-
cut, 2,740; Wisconsin, 2,640; Iowa, 2,39S;
Missouri, 2,107; Minnesota, 2,027; Mary
land, 1885; Louisiana, l,SS3; Kansas, l.
S15; Mississippi, 1,695; Oregon, 1880;
District of Columbia, 1,471; Kentucky,
1,469; North Carolina, ,403; Tennessee,
1889; New Hampshire, 1880; Maine,
1887; Washington, LISA; Nebraska, l.
1877; Florida, LOSS; Utah, 1908; Rhode
Island, 979; Arkansas, 9T4; West Vir-
ginia, S45; Colorado, S33; Vermont, 800;
South Dakota, 79S; Idaho, 535; North Da-
kota, 525; Montana, SO; Arizona, 500;
New Mexico, 410; Wyoming, 45O; Nevada,
439; Delaware, 427, and Oklahoma, 153.
1t is estimated in this publication that
in case of necessity, Illinois could place
So, ,625 in the field; Pennsylvania comes
next with 771,S74, and Ohio third with
$4,000; New York, 100000; Indiana,
4S1, 1,192; Kentucky, 361, ,137; Missouri,
100000; Massachusetts,, 339, ,391; Wiscon-
sin, 306, ,343; Texas, 100000; Virginia,
295, 40; New Jersey, 2S4, 1887; Georgia,
264,071; Michigan, 100000; Iowa, 245,-
800; North Carolina, 5000; Mississippi
22S, 700; Marylind, 205,S16; Arkansas,
205, ,00O, and the remainder of the States
below 10000 each.
In about two-thirds of the States, the
publication says, the militia is armed with
the Springfield rife and carbine of various
patterns. A number Of the artillery mill
tia regiments are provided with Gatling
guns and 3.2-inch breech-loading rifles,
but large proportion of the artillery arm
ament consists of 12-pounder Napoleons,
3-inch muzzle-loading rifles, Parrot rifles
and other obsolete ordnance.
The aggregate of small arms ammuni-
ton held i'm reserve in addition to that in
the hands of the troops is not far from
100000 rounds. States having Gatling
gun batteries keep on hand limited sup
ply of ammunition for these guns. The
supply for field guns is very limited, and
the quality by no means the best.