The San Francisco call., 1897-03-01
The Second Brigade.

The regimental parade and inspection
of the First Regiment on Washington
birthday brought out nearly so per cent OF
the command. There were 733 men in
line, rank and file. Taken as a whole, the
command made a fine appearance and
created a good impression on the inspect
ing officers and members of the military
committees.
The regiment, however, would have pre-
sented much better appearance than it
did, had the men been provided with
better leggins than they wore. Those
they had on are so short that they come
only half way up the calf of the leg,
and consequence of this is that they will
not remain III place, but will sag down
toward the ankle. and present anything
but neat appearance. The leggins used
by the regular army reach above the calf
OF the leg and they remain stationary,
adding much to the appearance of the
soldier.
One thing that was not to the credit OF
the companies of the First was the unsol-
dierly manner of wearing the service hats
Some OF the companies seemed to be uu-
der the impression that as service uni
form does not call for the nicely that full
dress does, any style of wearing the ha t
would do, and they acted on that idea.
ana lut four dents into it, and then wore
them in a devil may care style, and con-
clHded that they appeared lust about
right" But they did not, for it was vio-
latlon of the regulations, which in stead Of
adding 10 the soldierly appearance OF the
men gave them a decidedly unsoldierly
look. I regulations call for an AL
pine hat and the presum ption is that
the men shall wear the regulation hat as
it Is furnished. Hal the officers in charge
on that day given the matter the atten-
ton 1t deserved and refused % receive the
men who trausgressed the regulations as
TO hats, there would not have been so
much unfavorable com mment from the citi-
Ems VINO watched the regiment march
along the avenue and down Market street.
But then there may be some excuse for
the men in being careless as to their hats
when they had an example set them by
their superior officers. The brigadier-
general Wore a hat that was no; OF the
gray that the regulation calls for nor the
share. 1t was handsome hat, built on
the FEDORA plan, but it was not a military
hat. There were members of the staff
VINO wore the regulation hat as to shape
and color. and there were others that had
mats off colored and off shaped, and taken
altogether the headgear hardly came up
10 the standard. Then there was the cap
tain of Troop A, who wore hat that
III u.s. nave Deeu pullt ou all cHtIely OTlSl-
nal model for such hat was never before
Sc on the head of a representative Of
the National Guard.
| IS probable that at the next meeting OF
the board of officers the question of wear
Ing hats will be discussed and that some
thing will be done to have the regulation
hat worn as it should be.
Last Friday evening Companies D, A. e
ami l. were ont on Van Ness avenue for
battalion dri in accordance with plan
prepared some time since by Lieutenant
Colonel Duboce. The battalion was under
the supervision OF Major Bloxton, but
TALON was drilled in variety of move.
ments and much attention was paid to in
structing the men in what is known as
he riot drill. This inc uded the forming of
ttreet column and the forming of square s.