The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-11

Capt Curtis had suggested this by letter
% many officers before their arrival here
4ne suggestion was pushed by Capt. II.
D. Multord Of the Omaha Guards. Al 4
meeting at his headquarters, on the LAST
day Of the drill, the organization was
perIected- Omaha was selected as the
place Tor the next years drill. and Capt
Muuord elected president OF the assoc
alton. 1t is hoped that these meetings
VIII ne annual and under responsible
management. Nothing so adds 10 the ef-
helency OF company as a weeks asso-
citation with the crack organizations OF the
country. The benefit to be derived is rec
ognized by The army in IL competition
IN target practice 1t Would be well for
TINS association 10 have a rule similar
70 that in the army. barring companies
after they have won first place in a great
contest and putting them in what IS
known as fthe distinguished class" This
would give announcement TO those that
had not won, and in a short time there
could be additions. competition among the
companies in the DISTINGUISHED class.
In 1892 the organization again appeared
IN the competitive field at Omaha, Neb.,
and made the highest score which has
been recorded in such contests, carrying
on first prize. In 1888 1t appeared in
the great drill which was held at Little
Rock, and again scored success by
carrying off first honOrs.
Out of its prize earnings it has erected
magnificent tWo-st0ry brick armory in
the city of Indianapolis, where 1t is now
paieually quartered. This battery mas
not only shown its ability TO stand at
the head of the list In the competitive
drill field, but has, at the same time, per-
formed all OF the work assigned II by
the state. 1t has attended every state
encampment held. and rendered forry-one
days service during>the coal and railroad
strikes of 1894 being on duty in Sullivan
and Davies counties, where the most
serious outbreaks occurred during the
cloak strike; and at Hammond. where the
vicious element of Chicago collected dur
ing the railroad strike.
At st. Louis. i'm 1895. the largest artillery
prize ever offered, 5000, was hung up by
the st. Louis Fair Association the money
checks issued some four months previ-
GUS TO the contest as an inducement to
bring the best batteries in the country
there. The result was an unusual contest,
part of all the competitors, and the cry
was anything to down the indianapolis
artillery All the other competitors had
finished their drills on the Fourlh OF
July and thirty minutes before the time
for the drill of the Indianap-
oils battery, violent rain
Missouri loan a mud four inches deep.
There was much joy in camp of the COM
bined enemy, as they thought that for once
they would succeed in downing the cham
pions. The board of judges decided that
it was impossible for a battery to drill in
such mud as was on the ground. Ine oth-
er companies entered a vigorous protest
against any postponement until the next
or succeeding days The Indianapolis Bat
terry offered TO drill any place the judges
designated, and did not ask any postpone
ment as they wanted their title, If they
retained it, to the championship, to be
clear. AS a result, after two hours of VeX-
atious delay, which was a wonderful
strain upon the men, the judges selected
a covered shed, where the drill was i'm
peded to a certain extent by posts, but
where there was solid foundation. In this
shed no air circulated, and under the most
trying circumstances one Of the most diff
ficuIt programmes ever drilled was exc
cuted,and as a result the battery was
again awarded first prize, leading all COM
petitOrs some ten points.
1t was confidently thought by friends
of the organization that had 1t been possi-
bile for it to drill under the same circum-
stances as its competitors, a clean-cut
score of 100 per cent would have been the
result. on the arrival at home of the or
ganizatiOn with the largest prize ever Of
fered in its class 1t was given a royal re-
ception by the citizens A few days later
it performed its regular camp duties by
sending a full representation to the camp
of instruction, and has since kept up its
perfection in drill.
In 1892, at Omaha, Capt Curtis was cleo
ted president of the National Drill Assoc
citation, which Office he has held ever since.
The drill team and substitutes are:
James =, Curtis, Capt. Z. b. Johnson,
James f. Boswell, II. II. Van VIE John
son G. Holmes, Harry Gallon, Edward II.
Miller, William f. Meyers, Charles A. Gar
rard, Smith Strickland, r. II. oliver, Ed
ward Hicks, Charles H. Dunlap and w. d.
Mayhem.