Evening star., 1896-01-04
Important Notifications of the Order
for Team Matches.
LACK OF FACILITIES FOR DRILL
Interesting State of Affairs in the
First Battalion.
ENCAMPMENT AT ORDWAY


practice and permits officers to participate
as competitors in the team matches which
are scheduled to take place during January,
February, March and April. The other mod
ificaIion is of much greater Importance, for
through it will become evident the willing
reSs or otherwise of the various commands
to do their share of military duty. In order
that the rifle competitions In the gallery
shall be all they were intended to be, the
matches Will hereafter be voluntary instead
of compulsory. the match records will,
therefore, distinguish clearly between the
commands that interest themselves in rifle
practice and those who DO not. Were the
entire series of matches to be compulsory
as were the preliminary competItlons-the
efficiency record would be somewhat unfair,
for it would place the unwilling and, as a
rule, incapable company on the same footing
60 far the tendency is concerned as the
companies which are deeply concerned In
the work OF the National Guard. This last
modification of general orders No. II will
have nothing whatever to do with the fall
ire of company or battalion teams to show
up in The December competitions; the care
less or the willfully disobedient ones can,
so 1T is rumored, rest as easy as they may
in the conviction that they Will have good
deal of explaining to do before 1t will be
possible for them to satisfy the authorities
that disobedience of orders is merely a little
joke.
Company commanders who have been in
the habit of turning their men out in cos
tunes of the go-as-you-please variety may
possibly be grateful fer a tip 1t is under
stood that no member of team will be per-
mitted to shoot in any of the matches unless
he wears regulation fatigue uniform, which
invariably includes leggins and field belt
1t should be clearly understood that the
matches which took place in December were
simply preliminary; the trophy matches VIII
commence this month and will be shot as
follows, at 200 yards:
Thursday, January o. companies A, B, c
and D, first battalion, companies A and Is,
second battalion; companies A and d. third
battelion companies A, and D, fourth
battalion; companies A, and d, fifth bat
talon.
Thursday, January 16, companies A, B
and G, sixth battalion: companies A, B, c
and D. first separate battalion: companies
A, and c, engineer corps; battery A; first
separate company; second separate COM
pa1y-
rany and battalion teams has been sent to
the proper officers by the inspector general
of rifle practice.
The battalion match will open at o'clock
Thursday, January 23-
The regirnental match will be shot We'd
Eesday, January %.
Lively Meeting Expected.
Things are expected to be more lively
than usual at the regular monthly meet
ing of the frat battalion Wednesday even
ing next. At that time a decision, 1t is
hoped, will be reached determining the fu-
ture of company c. and as there is di-
vision of sentiment on that point the ex-
pectation that the usual tranquility that
marks the transaction of business in the
first will be- conspicuous by its absence Is
-Ekely to be realized. AS stated in The
Star at the time, the corps in annual meet
ing month ago voted not to confirm the
election of Capt. Ourand, unless the name
of tn, former first lieutenant, ]. II. CARL,
was also presented. general tender of
designations on the part of the members of
company C followed, and there the matter
rests.
Under no circumstances Will Capt. Our
and remain a member of the battalion. He
has turned in his property and closed his
accounts and Is practically out of the or
ganization- 1t is not known if he intends
to accept position on the stan of the
commanding general, which, 1t is under
stood. Is at his disposal, or whether 1t is
only question of time when he will be
battalion commander in the second regi-
ment. taking the place of major whose
resignation, conditional on the finding of
successor des.rous of the office. has been
in the hands of the general for months
past. 1t is further advanced that Capt.
Ourand has had enough of soldering. and
means to hereafter remain cut Of the
guard.
All the papers necessary for the trans
fer of First Lieut.. J. H. CARL to company
B, a private. it Is said. are ready to go
through, so that the company is now prac-
tcally with only one commissioned officer,
Second Lieut.. Kettler. The matter
VIII he called up at the coming meeting
under the head of Unfinished business. OF
the designations rendered, some VIII be ac-
cepted and others laid on the table in or
der TO permit desired transfers to other
comnanies of the battalion. Next, 1T Is
probable that two motions will be offered,
ore to dfsband the company and the other
to reorganize the present command.
Invitation to the FencibIes.
Perhaps the most interesting feature of
the meeting will be a motion providing
that an invitation be extended to the Ma
tional Fencibles to enter the corps as COM
pany C. A prominent officer of the organ
ization is ag:tat;ng this move. and he has
a host of supporters and likewise many op-
ponents. Once before the Fencibles in con-
junction with the National Rifles, were in
vfted to join forces with the infantry, and
thereby form one of the wealihiest and
most powerful m litary organizations IN the
country. but the Fenciblej pol tely declined
although the consolida ton, it was admit
ted, vould have proved of great benefit to
them financially. Capt. Domer's men are
proud of the name National Fencfbles,"
and that was the principal reason advanced
for declining the offer.
Undoubtedly it will be argued that the in
vitation should not he repeated after hav-
ing been once declined. and also that Gen.
Ordway would not commission again the
officers of company once mustered out OF
the National Guard. On the other hand,
however. it is to he set forth that the COM
panv which twice won the Csivestop cnn
would be a desirable acquisition, and that
there would he no trouble with headquarters
should the first battalion desire that the
Fencibles fill the existing vacancy.
1t may be stated on the best of authority
that the National Fencibles will not in the
near future. at least, again become a part
of the National Guard. The company has
just refurnished its quarters in an unusually
handsome manner, is III a fourishing condf-
ton. and. the members express them
selves. is well satisfied with its position in
the community.
The meeting next Wednesday is looked
forward to with interest by all connected
with the battalion. In addition to the other
business, Col. Moore will appoint board OF
managers and the standing committees for
the ensuing year.
Lack of Drill Facilities.
The lack of facilities for drilling in the
local brigade is becoming a serious menace
to the success and standing of the guard
so it is considered on all sides. With the ex-
ception of very few days, Convention Hall
has been closed to the companies quartered
in the new armory this season. and without
exception, there Is complaint from the bat
talon and company commanders, who are
supposed to hold drills at frequent inter-
walls, but VINO are given no space wherein TO