The times., 1897-11-05
DISTRICT NATIONAL GUARD.
Adjutant Generals Report TO the
Secretary of War.

1
| Secretary OF War.
| The adJdtant general OF the District
National GLara ma made his annual re-
! port TO the Gas Department, in which he
says some deserved complimentary things
about the District soldiers.
| The following extracts from the report
| give it in substance:
| The authurized strength of the District
militia is 169 Officers and 3,70o enlisted
nen. The organized strength is 135 Off
GERS ana ,166 enlisted men. The at-
tendance at camp was so per cent. A..
cording To the latest estimate, $4,000
residents Of the District aIe liable to mill
tary duty.
TGe Condition of the equipment OF the
artillery aud infantry is described as good.
as is aisJ the condition OF the uniform
clothing, Notwithstanding a majority ef
the osercoats, bIouses and trousers are II
an obsolete pattern.
Speaking of the eHcampment at Fort
Washington, he says.
lie udny rUutine y. uaty WAS a bout the
| same as Is usually pfesori~ee ana followed
py q SnItii.sf t'O,-y s.JJ.,a III tic regular
service. N. e-Ners.sss s.ese preferably con
IhIea % Sdcn Iieia e1.rrcIses auRf ceremonies
aS GOV iiu mo- .. nLu ia Ghe dfinOry, wnIcn
included company anu DauIaIion drills Ia
eAteii,--,i Ot,.S., otes&nuu ana feghd-its.I
drills, guard duty texterior and interior
guartiSb ana brigade parade.
Inc Improvement mace each day from
the InStraction receiver was quite marked,
ana the last days OF the eucampment de-
yeioped precision anu miIiIary discipline
Woftgy oil more experienced JToops- The
effect OF the training was especially shown
iii the Iield maneuyers, the Commands be-
n
| all times fhe fire discipline. too, was par
tieularly conmendable.
Aiy oDsefvaIl0ns Impressed me with the
very general disposition oI Willingness on
the part OF DotH Officers anu enlisted men
IN tine performance or ali military auties,
which was cnaracIerlZed by u zeaiousness
ana military spirit tnat might be ell pat
| tefneu after by professional soldiers, " nen
IT Is cOIsioereu tnat the National Guard or
tne DIstrlcu receive no COmpensaJ ION Wnen
called out, and tnaU tneir service Is per
toTmed purely from a lOve or military and
esprit, taey certainly deserve W ell ana uenu
coruiai recognition from the pe0pIe.
In Gnis same connection Capt. II. l.
Slocunl, OF tine nitea states Cavalry, Us:
The commanding general0rdered that Jne
exterior guard be mounted daily, 10 consist,
50 far as possible, of a company entire, anu
that nunber OF detached posts ne 50
lOcaJeu on the exterior nnes az would best
suoserve the purpose Of this guard and In
addition give the benefits oI instruction III
outpost DUTY.
These detached posts covered front OF
some three miles. about One-hair or whICn
was along the river dye, ne ceSsitatinS great
vigilance at night. Otner posts projected
Important Government WORKS from inJrtl-
sion by unauthorized persons. There was
also established a system or visiting pa
trois, both night and day, under officers or
non-cOmmissIoned officers of the guard
forming the guard, ali hands thus getting
instruction.
The WORK of the exterior guard was
we'll done. All the companies had their
tour of such duty, and much interest was
shown by those concerned. IL cannot be
expected that this, one OF Jne most impor.
tant duties of the soldier, should be per
formed with the efficiency or the prOfeS-
sional soldier, but all errors observed by
u- We're on The safe side. The desire 10 be
vigilant and carry out orders sometimes led
TO unnecessary exercise or authority on the
part of the sentiueis, which questions were
easily adjusted and explained. l had no
occasion 70 repTiuIand for deliberate. lie egIecC
OF duty or an Indifference to the grave
responsibilities of a sentinel.
TIE Commanding general also ordered
the establishing of an interior camp guard.
mounted daily, each company in turn,
whose duty it was TO preserve order and
was equally Wen performed. The most
serious work devolyiug on the guard was
the harmonious handling of tie many
| hundred eNcursionists W no visited the camp
daily.
Tue discipline of the command, as OBJ
served by me, was, ON the whole, ex-
cellent. There Were a few cases of '-un-
Willingness sent 10 the guard-house, prin-
clpaily alleged sickness and inability 10
drill; but the strong desire 70 know W hat
was right and to do it, founded on per
sonal pride, interest and organization esprit,
Iaorc than made up for the few minor
shortcomings.
The remarks Of Capt. Constantine Chase,
of the Fourth Artillery, are.
l know very well from personal obser-
vation that many OF its members are put
TO expense in endea vuring 20 perform
their duty toward the public defense by
giving personal service in an Institution
tnat is designed TO uphold the ma lesty OF
| the law. THe principle of weIi-orga nized
militia is well recognized, and If men are
| induced To enter it they must be encour-
aged by the legislative branch or the Gov
eminent. The appropriations for the d. c.
~ q. appear to be inadequate. This is a
| vital matter which should be attended To,
for l respectfully submit that this body of
men are earnest and honest in their efforts
and can be trusted,