The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-23
RACKS STAFF In UNIFORM.
~ FIERY POINT THEY CoNF0RM
no TIE REGULATIONS.
,.,,orms aud Equipments Arc Furnishec for
An the cmbers OF the star By the Same
r,,Ior- and Denicrs-Thus Exact Uninorm-
a., v,. Attained In style and Material.

r.uor- and Deniers-Thus Exact Uniforn-
~, vn. Attained In style and Material.
,p,Sy. Feb. 22.-Tho appearance presented
a. co,. Blacks military star ut the various
.ocI,l functions here at which its members have
so, nresent, and ht tho ceremonies attending
Tho Governors Inauguration, has boen the sub
a., for much favorable m In every
ain, their uniforms and equipments conform eS-
ssc,ly with the regulations, and National Guards
IAN who have seen the members OF the new stan
have very generally expressed a sense of graft
ssa,,on ot this fact. Even where the resula-
,to,s pc-nit variations and might lead to a
,a,i,,mate lack OF uniformity. tho now
..og h,s been careful to adopt one or tho
a,,cr NJ the alternatives and TO adhere to II. IL
,os conc even further than that Instead OF
having its uniforms and equipments furnished
=, d,serent tnilors and dealers II selected tho
,ame ones, and In this way secured exact uni
,orn,,y in material. No two buttons, no two tas-
al, no two straps OF the same sort differ In any
respect. Even the quality OF tho cloth used for
,ho uniforms OF the different officers Is Identical.
yyhon Col. T~rcadwcll, Gov. Blacks military SOC
,o,ary. whose appointment was mado three or
to,r weeks after that OF tho other members OF
,bs ster. ordered his uniform, he went to the
anne tailor and furnisher as the others had
gone to.
Tho credit Tor tll3 tOuulllDu VI hutiEb II uuo
.hisav 10 tho efforts OF Adjt.-Gen. G. whitney
Tnunehast, who succeeded Gen. z A. McAlpin
ss chief OF staff. Gen. Tillinghast served for
,sv.ntcen years under Capt. James w. Cusack
N the sixth Separate Company Of Troy. one of
,be most careful men In the National Guard In
,on,orming TO regulations, and the training ac-
ou,-cd during that period bore fruit whom he
,as placed at the head Of the staff. One snowy
dav. about tho middle OF last December. q few
DAYS after tho staff officers had received their
commissions, they met Mt the Waldorf In New
work city and elected Gen. T~illinghast Chair
man OF the stat organization. That was some
Time beforo Inspector-General McLewee issued
his caustic criticism on Gen. McAlpin
and the other members Of Gov. Morton's
stan. but they had been subjected to criticism
before in q less formal way, and Gen. Tiuinghast
made 1t his first care TO see that the new stan
should not be open to similar criticism. At the
waldorf meeting he addressed the other officers
on the subject, and they all promptly agreed
with his ideas OF strict conformity with tho
regulations. The uniforms were ordered at the
same establishments, and when the staff made
is first appearance here on New Years Day IL
was a sight to gladden. the heart Of the military
man. Even the layman, who knew nothing OF
regulations. couldn't help noticing the splendid
and soldicrlike appearance OF the officers, and
the favorable comment was general.
There are three grades Of officers on the stan,
and the uniforms differ in some respects accord
linsly. The Acknowledgement. who is chief OF
STAFF. has the rank OF Msjor-General. The de-
partmental chiefs. such as the Inspector-General.
fsnS as acknowledgements. The aides rank as
Colonies. Col. Sstterlee, representing the naval
militia, wears q uniform differing In some re-
regulations for the naval militia. All the officers
otthe stan wear double-breasted frock coats OF
terial. The regulations prescribe that the
trousers shall be :" plain, without stripe, welt or
cord" One OF the things for which Gen; Nc
and np the other members OF the stan re:
himself. ."1 However that may be, tho trousers
worn by the present stan officers are perfectly
plain. The sash worn BY the Ad~ju,ant-Genersl
chiefs wear seshes es.entlslly the same, but
tied behind the left hip. The aides wear no
sashes. The regulations for swords arc the
came for all the officers Of the stan. The sword
aud The seab6srd must Be nieielpiated.. This
leaves a good deal Of latitude for Personal taste,
y ssS,sd 10 them, The grip. iSor Instance. may
S Of sharks skin or OF silver. Or of any
Esay' b e"i plain e or studded n With sew nis
When mounted or In the field. instead Of the
straight sword, q light cavalry sabre Is carried.
IA AA VNA'A Aho AZ ~
same. The hat prescribed for all stan officers q,
sohapeau OF black silk plush. comprising tive
fms and two black feathers dropping from front
70 rear. The dimensions are all prescribed, and
the chapeau must DO worn SO that the front
peak shall be over the left ere. The regulations
permit the use Of either a folding chapcau or a
box ~chapeau, which cannot DO folded. This
opens up the possibility OF different chapeaus
being worn by different members Of the staff, sc
the present staff, for the sake OF uniformity,
adopted the box chapeau, and all wear the same
kind.
The sword belts for all the members OF the
n stan except the aides are OF red Russia leather,
with three stripes Of gold embroidery. The
aides belt consists OF n broad stripe OF gold lace
On black enameled leather. Tn sword knots
worn by aides are gold lace straps with gold
bullion tassels. The higher officers wear knots
otgold cord with aeon, ends. Only the general
officers wear epaulettes. Those Of the Adjutant
Genera! have two silver embroidered stars, a
large one in the centre of the cushion and a
small one In the centre OF the strap. The de-
partineHtal chiefs. ranking as Brigadier Gen,
erals, have only tho larger star on the cushion.
Ihe aides wear shoulder knots, which are sim
iMr 10 -epaulettes, but without the gold
fringe. They bear the different departmental
Occupations and the insignia Of grade, and Ia
me right shoulder knot IL attached an aiguil
iette OF gold cord. The aiguillette IL not purely
decorative, as might be supposed. Its purpose
bto furnish "A cord from which pencils may be
suspended and a loop In which to rest and steady