The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-10
FOR ANOTHER PRIZE
TIE LIGHT ARTILLERY WILL DRILL
AT SAVANNAH.
An Addition OF 5000 Made to the First
Prize to Secure the Presence
of the Champions.

management, recognizing the Importance VI
having the organization with them, added
$500 as a special inducement. The members
of the organization who went South are:
Capt. J. Il. Curtis, Lieutenant Charles A
Garrard, Sergeants Harry Gallon, Smith
Strickland. Edward III. Miller. William E.
Meyers, johnson c. Holmes, privates Ed
ward Hicks, James +. Boswell. George
Schad. r. T. Oliver and w. d. Mayhem.
They will be accompanied by DR.. c. E. Cary
who viii look after the medical wants Of the
drill team during its absence. The party ex-
poets to be gone just week and will leave
Savannah next Saturday morning, arriving
home sGne time Sunday.
The battery has made very hard prepara-
ton for this drill III the last few days. but
in quiet way, because it was uncertain
whether number of the members could get
away from their business, and their going
depended upon the arrangement of Captain
Curtis's legal matters, especially case
which was disposed of yesterday in the fed
eral court. Fortunately, all matters were
put into shape so as 20 permit the departure
Of the organization.
The Indianapolis Light Artillery stands to-
day as the only undisputed champions in any
class of Military drill in the United States.
This standing has been acquired by reason
of the fact that this is the twelfth year
during which the organization has attended
all Interstate competitive drills where ar
tillery contest took place, and in every one
succeeded in winning first prize. No other
company at any time in the history of COM
petitive drills has made a record for even
half the length of time as that attained by
this organization. 1t has now won seven
teen prizes and floats this number of ribbons
from its banner.
The first meeting of the Indianapolis Light
Artillery was held in the reading room of
the Denson Hotel in August, 1882. 1t was
attended by James b. Curtis, Harry Jackson.
Harry Allen, Lew Cooper, Frederick Die
trichs. Charles Sissloff, Charles Gladding and
Edward Miller. The Denison House meet
ing was soon followed by others, and within
sixty days an entire battery was sworn into
the Indiana Legion under the command of
Captain George W.. Johnson. With the ex-
ceptlon of the commander, the members
were all of less than twenty-tnree years of
age. They began work with youthful en-
thuslasm, which they have been abe to re-
| tain as the years advance. ~
The battery was named the indianapolis
Light Artillery. 1t at once secured the serv-
| ices OF Lieutenant Hamilton, u. 5. A, for
progress in drill by the spring of 1888 that it
| entered in four, classes of contests at the
encampment OF that year 1t won a prize
tive 10 the members
In the spring of 1884 the battery was chal-
lenged by the Cincinnati Light Artillery
The meeting took place at Richmond, where
clean-cut victory vas scored, the Cincin-
natl artillerymen falling behind 20 per cent.
just after the drill Captain Johnson re-
signed. He was succeeded by Lieutenant
Curtis, who had begun as private and been
in a the na 1Ictor Gm
drills; so he naturally enough took The cap
taincy.
on foot, which resulted in one being COM
pleted in March, 1885. Work was begun for
the great Southern drills in May. After six
weeks of preparation the battery went to
Mobile TO compete with all the famous ar
tnlery organizations of the country. There
| 1t met its first reverse owing TO an unfortu-
! nate accident After the drill was more
than two-thirds completed 1t was found that
the cartridges were too, large and the cam
non could not be loaded.
The battery went 10 New Orleans the fol-
lowing week, where it met all its Mobile
competitors, in addition TO others. The ia
nous New Orleans batteries were at their
BEST and had little fear of the result They
were doomed TO disappointment, as Indian
apolis was given the first prize, and Captain
championship medal
In July the battery went to the Philadel-
what might have been successful affair
The management promised ''caisSons, but
forced the battery to drill Without one but
| sanding this disadvantage, second prize was
Jon against field of eight competitors.
In 1856 the Light Artillery entered three
| drills at the Lafayette encampment and won
first prize in each. Perhaps no other COM
pany ever made similar record in one
ment at Washington was announced. The
men had been looking forward to a
visit. to the. capital and were naturally en-,
thusiastic. but had their ardor dampened
when informed that the drill would be a
mounted platoon: The battery had no horses,
the drill field at washington in magnificent
condition. 1t carried the day and received
first prize from the hands of General Sheri-
| dan.
At Nashville. in 1883. the battery again APP
| peared in the South to meet the noted bat
| teries of that section The drill was one
| OF great perfection on the part of all COM
| petitors. but victory once more perched upon
| Indianapoliss banner.
| In 1890 at Kansas City, the battery APP
! peared in territory and before an en-
| tirely set of judges. It's work was SO SUI
| perior that II easily took first place. This
| closed its series of drills, in which IL won
thirteen prizes and never met genuine de-
| feat
A tournament was held in Indianapolis in
| the success of il resulted in the formation
| of a permanent organization. Captain Curtis
had suggested this by letter to many Of
! ficers before their arrival here. The sugges-
| ton was pushed by Capt. II. p. Milford,
| of the Omaha Guards At meeting at his
the organization was perfected Omaha was
| selected as the place for the next years drill
| and Captain Milford elected president OF
the association.
| In 1892 the organization again appeared In
| the competitive field at Omaha, and made
| the highest score which has been recorded In
] such contests, carrying off first prize. In 1893
| II appeared in the great drill which was held
| AT Little Rock and again scored a success
| by carrying off first honors.
| Out of it's prize earnings il has erected a
| magnificent two-story brick armory in this
city. This battery has not only shown its
| ability to stand at the head of the list in the
| competitive drill field, but has. at the same
| time performed all the work assigned TO il by
| the State. Ii has attended every State en-
/ campment hell and rendered forty-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 coal strike, and at Ham,
mond, where the vicious element OF Chicago
| collected during the railroad strike.
| At st. Louis in 1895. the largest artillery
prize ever offered $1,000, was hung UP by the
! St Louis Fair Association. the money being
| deposited in bank and certified checks issued
an inducement TO bring the best batteries in
| the country there. The result was an un-
/ usual contest. as the training had been Sc
| we're on the part OF all the competitors, and
| the cry was anything to down the Indian
| apolis Artillery. All the other competitors
had finished their drills on the Fourth OF
July. and thirty minutes before the
a alpoi battery violent rainstOrm
! set in. which quickly made In the
| Missouri loan mud four inches deep.
| There was much joy in camp of the COM
| bincd enemy. they thought that for once
| they would succeed in downing the cham
pions The board of judges decided that II
| was impossible for battery to drill in
such mud was on the ground The other