Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-01-15
THE OFFICERS SCHOOL.


Regular Army OHicers---Recommend
tiOns for Improving the Service.
The officers of the National Guard of
Vermont assembled Monday evening at the
Elliot street armory for the annual school
of instruction, which is provided by law.
The first business was the election of
major to succeed j. w. Symonds of Bran
don, resigned. Gen. j. j. Estey presided.
There was no contest. The name of Capt.
Henry D. Fillmore of Company K, Ben
nington, the senio. 'aptain of the company,
was presented by ut. j. Gray Estey of
Company l, Brattlel =. the second cap
tain in seniority. The ton was unani-
nous, and was a deserved tribute to a
faithful officer. Major Fillmore will have
charge of the third battalion, which will
include his own company. Major Fill
more was born in Bennington, Jan. 7,
1868, and enlisted in Company K, in
March, 1881. He was promoted through
the successive grades, being corporal, SER
geant, second lieutenant and first leuten-
ant before he was commissioned captain
| Sept 10, 1890.
The officers were then commanded to
| fall in without respect to rank and we're
drilled in the manual of the sword, sa-
lutes, and "about face' for officers. The
instructors were Capt Tutherly and
Lieut.. Hovey of the regular army, who are
detailed for service at the University of
| Vermont and Norwich university. These
| two officers also conducted recital of that
portion of the drill regulations pertaining
to ceremonies and reviews.
The second session began at o'clock
| Tuesday morning and consisted of drilling
in the manual of arms by the line officers
Of TD4h ba
field officers were instructed in battalion
and regimental movements by Lieut.. How
ey. The officers of the Light Battery dis
cussed artillery movements, assisted by
Lieut.. Foote, an artilleryman of the regu-
lar service, who is instructor at Vermont
Academy. Physical exercises were per-
| formed by the line officers with the rifle
under direction of Capt. Brownell of Com
pany NJ of Burlington.
At the afternoon session the senior Off
| GERS conducted examinations with blocks
of wood on square tables, arranging the
blocks as men in the different military for
nations The officers who took the ex-
animation passed from table to table in
groups of threes. The three officers who
took highest rank had the same average,
99S out of possible 100: First Lieut..
| Haigh of Company l, Brattleboro; Second
Lieut.. Prouty of Company NJ, Burlington;
Cadet Carr, Norwich university.
The line officers were drilled in guard
mounting and sentinel duty by Capt.
Tutherley at the session Tuesday evening.
A game of basket ball was played for the
amusement of the officers by teams repre-
senting the Estey Guard and Fuller Bat
tery, and resulted 8 to 2 in favor of the
Battery. Bingham, Hines, Haynes, Angler
and Clune comprised the Battery team,
and Dunklee, Whitney, Swift, Cooley and
| Young played for the Guards. Carroll
Allen and Lieut.. Foote were the officials.
The session closed with stereopticon dis
play by Lieut.. koote, Notifications, guns,
ETC., being thrown upon the canvass. An
other interesting display was made by
Capt. Tutherley, who had military maps of
camps hung upon the walls.
The officers met in the parlors of the
| Brooks House Wednesday morning, Gen.
Estey presiding Many matters were dis
cussed which were thought to be for the
! good of the service. A recommendation
was adopted asking that dress suits be dis
! pensed with entirely, and a request was
made that companies be allowed to enlist
supernumeraries not exceeding ten out of
which company may complete its full
number before going into camp in case
regular members are absent The contests
for the centennial trophy were considered.
! The shooting has been at the musters for
several years, and some thought it advisa-
BILE to have the competition take place on
each company's home range, and not at
the annual encampment. 1t was argued
that under the present arrangement days
time is lost which could better be utilized
in drill. A committee of five was appoint
ed to report on this matter. Capt. j. Gray
Estey of Company / of Brattleboro, which
has held the trophy several years, was
made chairman of the committee. 1t is
thought that if a change is made each COM
pany will devote one-half day to annual in
| spection in June, and half day to
shooting for the trophy in the fall. There
was discussion as to whether line Off
GERS ought to be armed with revolvers.
| The company commanders expressed a
wish for themselves and their men that
their time at encampments be spent in
rigorous service rather than ceremonial
displays.
The attendance at the school was large,
the only absentees being Lieut.. Col. Wat
son; Capt. j. D. Wyman, inspector of
rifle practice Surgeons II. II. Lee and B.
G. Senton of the coloneps staff; Capt. F.
L. Greene of company B, St. Albans; and
| Iitut. W. ID. 6TllHu Vi COupdIJ NJ, Dur
lington. Capt A. G. Smith, first Lieut..
Pattee, and Second Lieut.. Osborne of
company H, Montpelier; Second Lieut..
Winch Of Mortified; and Lieuts. Miller
and Ferris of Bradford took examinations
for the offices to which they have recently
been elected.
Gov. Grout was present at the session
Monday night, but was obliged to leave on
the 1910 train north. Coils. Moore and
Osgood of Bellows Falls, Col. Fletcher of
Burlington, and Col. Clark of Bradford,
members of the governors staff, were pres
ent at all the sessions of the school.
The school was one of great profit to all
of the officers, and all recognized and ap-
preciated the fact that the success was due
in large measure to the presence of the
regular army officers, Capt. Tutherley,
Lieut.. Hovey and Lieut.. Foote. A vote
embodying this sentiment was offered by
Major o. d. Clark of Montpelier, and
unanimously adopted.