Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-12
OUR SOLDIER BOYS.
ApJurAxr-GEN'L ANDERsoN's re.
PORT on VIRGINIA TROOPS.
STANDARD HIGHER THAN EYER.
Most Of the Weak Companies Dis
handed - Where ORGANIZATIONS
should BE Efected-Miiitary rum
Entirely Too Small. ~ i.il-s

Acknowledgement Charles ]. Anderson
has concluded his annual report 10 the
Governor. giving In interesting detail
| all the workings of his office for the
fiscal year of lsssJs. The report. proofs
of which have just been made by the
printer is a voluminous document. ana
while Il is largely statistical, contains
much valuable information concerning
the volunteer soldiery of Virginia
After the usual preamble. the Adju-
tant-General says:
| ct should be a source Of qualification
to the citizens Of the Commonwealth.
believing in the necessity OF the mill
| tary arm to assist the civil authorizes
when needed, TO know that the general
efficiency Of the Virginia Volunteers Is
| greater than at any period OF its his
tory in time Of peace. That this can
be demonstrated, II Is only necessary
to ask attention to the description Oh
the numbers armament uniforms, ana
! other details which make up the per-
sonnet of the Virginia Volunteers, as
| set forth in this report, calling particu-
Il
| lar attention TO the general fact that
few organizations in other States OF the
Union render as efficient service when
the comparatively small moral and pc
cuniary aid given by the people OF the
| Commonwealth is taken into considera-
| ton; or, In other words, such large
| part OF the burden Of maintenance Is
| thrown on the troops themselves. Inc
| h. 1faf1
Iynchburg to the Second Regiment as
| Company K, and the DISARMAMENT OF the
| First Regiment OF Cavalry, has consoi-
! dated the First Brigade, so that the
| promises made in previous reports that
| worthless companies wern being elimi-
| mated, and the service would be com
| posed only Of troops ready for duty at
q telegraphic or any quick summons, is
now an absolute fact subject 10 the
drawbacks mentioned, and which arise
from no fault Of officers nor men,
THE CAVALRY DISARMAMENT.
at was a subject Of regret that the
necessity arose to disband the First
Regiment Of Cavalry and the troops
composing the same Except Troop A,
| Richmond, and Troop b, Surry county,
| but the cost of such organization was
to heavy for the men to bear, and for
more than a year previous 10 the is
| suance OF the order on August Sd II had
| become apparent that Ii would be ne
| costly. In the report of 1896 1t was re-
| commended that the First Regiment or
Cavalry be disbanded, and that the re-
naming companies be formed into
squadron at such time as might be eX-
| pedent and for the good of the service
the inspection Of that year showing only
five troops, or less than the minimum
| Nv 10 for aOfr
several OF these being inefficient.
I'm the report of the Assistant 1nspec-
tor-General two companies-A, Third
| Regiment, Danville, and H. Second Regi-
| ment. Salem-are not mentioned, as the
| captains of each have unofficially stated
that each will be in good condition be-
fore the end OF the year. While so much
can be truthfully said, 1t is urgently ne
| cessary to call your attention TO the
| many existing difficulties, which will prob
ably become serious. Men are enlisted
under the law for five years. and have
to attend drills, parades. orders for duty,
and obey any other military orders under
| penalty OF tine, reprimands. dishOuorable
discharges. and other verdicts Of courts
martial, modelled upon and conducted as
nearly like those prescribed by the United
States army and the United States Ar
| ticles of War as our service Will allow.
Also, their officers under our law have
TO do this same duty and much more,
| and particularly captains of companies
have much of their time taken from
their ordinary business in addition to the
fact that all officers are required by the
| State law to uniform and equip them
selves at their personal expense.
WHAT UNCLE SAM GIVES Us.
"The quota Of Virginia from the arma-
| ment and equipment fund OF the United
States is s1O,351. The military fund of
the State after salaries and all expenses
from the limited total appropriation OF
about 81, 900 available for distribution is
about 5000, or from the combined
amounts of both funds s66S per man per
year. The only exception to this Is the
81 per man per day and Is cents per man
per day Communication for rations when
ordered into service by the Governor
the Mayor OF a city or town, or Sheriff
of county, under the Code of Virginia,
TO actually assist the civil powers in the
preserya ton of order. Also. the jury ex-
emption clause, which operates and then
only partially in the larger cities. IL
Is the simplest problem, them In the hgh'
of these figures. to demonstrate that men
will not continue to efficiently serve the
State of Virginia where their freedom oil
action is constrained by orders OF mill
tary commanders, and their lives in peril
in periods of public disorder, when their
total assistance from the State Is $50
or $3.50 per man. and the combined ma
tional and State is less than $3.50 per man
| Nor do the people seem 10 appreciate the
immense moral effect, particularly in the
| more sparseiy settled communities oil
| the military arm, which costs the State
| as has been stated before in these re-
ports. little more than the pay of 4 dozen
policemen.
at is. therefore. respectfully suggested
to your Excellency that you suggest 10
the General Assembly to order It's COM
mittee on Militia and Police, through the
entire committee or a subcommittee, 10
look more carefully into the needs or the
service with a view of giving 1t larger
appropriation. Several plans have been
suggested in previous reports, but the
| simplest would be to make the appropria-
ton l per cent. instead Of half OF l per
cent Of the State revenue, excluding
schools, which would make the appropria-
ton about $4,000. The additional sum
could and should be used for an annual
camp of instruction. which is more need
ed than anything else to promote mill
tary education and discipline, and Which
would have more effect I'm these and
other important particulars than a year
of duty spent in the ordinary manner.
THESE CAMPS DO NO GOOD.
"Camps have been established during