The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-18
HOLDING A COMMISSION.
THE DUTIEs Of OFFICERS IN TIM
NATIONAL GUARD OF THIS STATE.

rathor be n d%runi.major than almost anything
else in the world, EXCEPT, perhaps, a clown in the
circus. But without meaning to suggest that
tho drum.major is not all that the small boy
thought he was-for he is, and more, too-it may
be permitted TO observe that there are others"
"Who Is II :" asked tho English Bishop stern'
ly Of the new footboy, "who Is IL before whom
wo NIL bow-be'oro whom even l am but 40 .
worm In the dust T. And tho boy replied:
THE missus. m lord"
So oven tho drum-major has n "missus," fig
urativoly. even II not actually. In other words,
thcro are really persons In the regiment who are
"bigcr men than old" G. b., or =, H.. or what
cvor the drum.maJor's name may be. Again ID
should DO said, that no offence Is meant to any
d~rum.major. because 1t ts not nice to make q
drnm.lnajor angry.
These "biger mem are the officers OF the regi-
ment, the gorgeous ones that ride, and the less
splendid oncs who walk. In every regiment
ming with the lowest even unto the highcst:
Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, Captain,
the duties of The ofacors Increase in wpeoInetricMi
progression, except for the First Lieutenant and
the Lieutcnant-Colonel; that Is. almost any posi-.
tioE is about twice AS arduous as the rank next
A good many men would like 10 enter tho
National Guard II they could do 30 through the
not through tho hawse:holc, and some such mon
aforementioned stern windows. But as a rule
they do not make very good officers, and tho
II IL G'ltllG ItSS anu NSs. FOhlc TtRl-
ments, however, arc still Differed, largely by
men elected from civil liie;' and still others
regiments. This plan ID better than the tirsti
but both plans pllp - are weak in practice The Ma
regular army; it requires more tact and skill
to handle a company IN the National g uard than
ready-made Officers likely to come to grief. AS
a rule they know nothing Of INC men whom they
Of the traditions of their new regiment; SO that
positions already difficult to fill are more diff
cult than ever, and things go wrong that with
would have gone right. Besides, If II regiment
gets in the way OF choosing its officers from
other regiments, ii will find great difficulty In
getting good men into its ranks. Good men.
who have the proper ambition, won't enlist in n
for Its officers; and it Is safe to say that as a
rule the men who leave one regiment to got
another, as officers are not OF the best material
Of the first regiment. There are exceptions of
course. but the rule is as has been said.
SO every man who wants to carry a sword
should enlist rs a private first: he may lose o
little time. but when he gets his commission
than II ho had come in ready; made. There
are almost always changes needed, In roach
The grade OF Second Lieutenant is the lowest
among commissioned officers. and next above
OF these officers are the same. and are not laid
down specifically Mt any great length in the
regulations. The First Lieutenant is OF higher
rank. takes ComInand of the company when
the Captain is absent, and. other things being
equal. is promoted Captain Of the company
tenants perform such duties as the Captain may
direct. except on drill and parade and on guard.
when each First Lieutenant has his place. each
Second Lieutenant his. 1t may be remarked in
passing that in battle formation the Second
as he is Of least value; and further. that an army
officer Of high rank said of the battle formation
that the first two battalions of a regiment would
be wiped out in action. and the third might win
The Captain. with the two Lieutenants, are
J.. &c officers, because their position Is in the line
called line OF battle, not in the field.
The Captain should be the father Of his com,
is doubly, perhaps trebly, hard, if he's a ready
made Captain. OF course. the difficulty grows
man who has begun as ready.rnade officer be:
comes % 81 In nt time as If he had :. started q, L, as an enlisted
things makes them difioui t. nfS' 'ns ne""eS' 0
The duties OF Q Captain are laid down in reg,u-
lations at some length. He has his place in drill.
sometimes as instructor, sometimes as INSTRUCT
cd. After drill he has certain reports TO sign,
G Setn IN re .!ths bn"r to IN INKS Ike. his work ks as laid
a week. But it is the work not laid down In tho
book that takes time, and. requires, patience and
the drill night should be spent by the Captain at
the aTmory; and the most successful Captains
armory doing the work that requires no report
and is not in the book. but counts in the morale
Of the company; and shows there. too. A Cap
he's got to pr pro " around ike ikseD a roaring in devil.
The Captain haste set the example TO his men.
and give the tone to his company. Every sue.
hobby" Which the Captain encourages. Il
must be a military hobby. too; no company ever
or theatre parties, by, its beautiful company
| room, or even by its " silent drill" The hobby
s @4ss a9 S OF fhnts Sort %t A ana { 1Ss; @ Captain S5syGa'n %u 81
direct it. coax it when necessary, and see that 10
S SoSbr m run b away wa ha with t thn a runaway
Victor Hugo's 'Nincty-Eight," that got loose
on a ship in n gale.
companies to look after: and on the way he looks
after them depends whether the i've companies
are proud to be in his battalion or are resigned.
than his interest in the battalion; still. he must
know why, this ono is losing men and that one
seems to be standing still, why the other seems
Interfere n erSs aU 100 q" openly enils.fbs but he se cSn heip the The mp ns Of.
ficers vastly by a suggestion here and a warning
not the ,fnl responsibility Of the battalion on
his shoulders, because the regimental organizes
"A battalion which Is part OF a regiment Is simply
a sn tnG!1fh1 unit Th not mi, i s rePsnnnsibI Sn ID complete 20 o { or, Or,
Commanding officer, the Colonel OF the regiment.
But between the Major and the Colonel comes
race. He has no particular place In drill or at
ceremonies, and no particular duties so long az
the LH,Shsr rs a cSlonsi ta 1tas; a snS @H1GnI In s othSi:
words. he is a regimental yice.president. Col.
n nSMai m Masn L ls SG% .Gml' Ru, Ct H fss mWsift oti FsE!:
and so relieved himself of much work, though OF
no responsibility. The plan worked well, for
Col. Dowd could not give 80 much Of his time at
no knew, was necessary. and Lieut., Col. Butt
could and did give all that was needed.
The most difficult place in the regiment Is that
q Colonel. the highest in the organization.
Everything said about n Captaincy applies to
the colOnecy. AS the Colonel is 80 will the on.
GERS be; IL he takes an active interest In tho
gimen the officers will do the same. OF
course, both ho and they ought TO do 30 anyways
but Il his interest is only perIunctory, theirs 10
likely to be the same. Or II theirs isn't, they
find their way made harder than 1t should DO.
for the men OF a regiment are quick to learn
what the 'Old man " does or does not, and II he
takes no interest in his duties. the men follow
his example despite the best company off,
GERS, and all through the regiment there
IS q loss Of esprit du corps and a feeling Of up
hillness' about tho ordinary work. or course
the Colonel isn't expected 10 interfere contin-
naliy IN company matters, any more than tho
Know What rnes on in arr en- 3ut me is erpeGted 10
those Officers pre-or rather, II he. does know 10
will be all the better for the regiment and tho
better known his face is among the men the better
y Will be for the regiment. Most regiments have
"hcadquarters-night' every week; the Sew
cnth has one every month. Probably, however,