Evening star., 1897-04-03
THE NATIONAL GUARD
Service Medals to Be Presented While
at Camp.
DISTRICT IN rHE GRANT PARADE
Interesting Rifle Competition Of the
Engineer Corps.
DISSERTATION OF UNIFORMS

Members Of the District National Guard
in general will be interested to learn that
in all probability feature of the coming
er campment at Fort Washington in June
will be a ceremony on an elaborate scale
to mark the initial presentation Of service
medals to those officers and enlisted men
entitled to such decorations. Thanks are
due to the officers association of the I'd
Regiment for agitating the matter and for
energetically adopting such steps as are
likely to bring to pass the naturalization
of the much-desired medals.
Just one year ago General Ordway, In a
communication to the chairman Of the COM
mittee of the association appointed to Sc
cure, If possible. the adoption of service
medal, stated that he would see to it that
the medals should be paid for from the
brigade fund. The matter is to be called
to the attention of General Ordway again,
and 1t is expected that he will heartily
cor cur in the efforts of the association.
The idea Is to set apart one afternoon at
camp especially for the presentation cere-
mcny and attach to 1t such surroundings
as to render the occasion one long to be
remembered.
Going to New York.
From present indications Washington will
be most creditably represented In the pa
rade in New York city April II on the oc-
casion Of the dedication Of the Grant monu-
ment Company C, I'd Battalion. will GER
tainly 20, and CompanyA,2d Battalion; Com
pany A, 4th Battalion. and a provisional
company from the 1st Battalion are CIV
| ing the matter most serious consideration
Outside the National Guard the Nat1onal
Rifles have practically decided to partlcl-
pate in the ceremonies. -,
So far as Is now known Company c, ID
Battalion, which is to make the trip as
| the National Fencibles will leave Washing
| ton Sunday morning, April 70, and return
Wednesday morning, April 2S While IN
! New York the company Is to be Quartered
at leading hotel
| Lost, Strayed or Stolen.
Almost every one connected with the
| guard is wondering nightly as to the
! whereabouts at present of the general EN-
| cheney competition that stirred up so mucn
| interest some time ago. and which was 10
| be put in operation las soon after January
| as possible Unremitting inquiry by a
| Star reporter fails to bring to nSht any
| satisfactory clue to the missing cortpeti-
| ticn. 1t seems to have executed the dis
appearing lady act most successfully. omit
| ting, however, to gracefully put IN an ap-
pearance from the wings, after seemingly
| melting into thin air in the center OF the
| stage.
| The Craftsmanship of the controlling COM
| mittee. originally vested in Maj. winthrop
| Alexander, was, because of The poor health
| of the latter transferred to Capt. William
| Edward Horton. The day he departed for
| New York to assist the grand marshal OF
| the Grant monument parade Capt. Horton
| Informed the reporter that he was await
| ing action by First Lie1t. j. Bruce Webb
who originally suggested the competition
| Lieut.. Webb states that nothing can he
| done until Capt Horton says the word
Such is the situation. 1t is 20 be hoped
that the proposed contest will not be per
mitted to die natural death.
Suggestion as to Commissions.
The request of Major Frederick T. VII
son of the Sd Battalion that his inspector
of rifle practice and adjutant be commits
stoned as quartermaster and inspector O
rifle practice. respectively, will. it is under
stood, not be granted for the reason tina
| the colonel commanding the brigade doe
not consider 1t proper to issue secon'
commission. for another position: to az
officer. The only course left open. 1t woul'
seem, is for Lieutenant Gibson and Lieu
tenant Reichelderfer to tender their resig
| nations as Inspector Of rifle practice an
adjutant. respectively. and when such ar
accepted, be appointed to the desired po
| sitions, thus entailiEg much trouble an
delay, for which it appears no necessit
can possibly exist.
This rather unpleasant situation has call
| ed forth from several sources the sus
| gestion that officers of the District Ma
| tional Guard be commissioned as are tn
officers Of the regular army. A first lieu
| tenant then would be commissioned as frs
| lieutenant of the 1st Regiment or Of tn
I'd Regiment. as the case might be. II
could be assigned to duty at will as bat
talon adjutant, inspector of rifle practice
or quartermaster or with any compan
of the regiment.
Use of Convention Hall.
Hereafter Convention Hall will be at tn
/ Nott ord for 1ri
| purposes Monday Tuesday and Wednesda
| evenings of each week, instead of Monday
| Tuesday and Saturday evenings. as here
| tcfore The pending schedule of assign
| ment has, therefore, been altered SO as t
| provide that the Sd Battalion shall hav
the use of the hall the second and fourt
| Wednesdays of each month, and the Eng
neer Corps, Battery A, Light Artillery; tn
1st Separate Company. the I'd Separat
Company, the Sd Separate Company all
| the Ambulance Corps, the first and thlr
| Wednesdays of each month.
Regulars nt Rife Practice.
Y The use Of the rifle ranges Of the Nations
, Guard by the regular army is CROWN
;, | throughout the United States 1t was al
i nounced last week that the troops Of tt
9th United States Cavalry, stationed {
Fort Myer, would fire their scores at Orc
way, and now it is stated that arrang'
ments have been completed between tt
of New Jersey whereby the regular trooI
stationed in the vicinity Of New York wi
utilize the New Jersey National Guar
camp ground at Sea Grit Nj, for encaml
ment and rifle practice.
Engineer Corps happenings.
At its regular monthly meeting. held II
Gently, the Engineer Corps decided to hold
corps rifle competition in the gallery. IL
evening of April IA. Every member of II
organization is to participate in the co,
test, including the staff and distin guishe
o marksmen. AS many teams as possible w
a be formed, with First Lieut.. Giendie
e Young inspector of rife practice, and IL
-e , company commanders in charge. An q
" | preparation from the corps fund was vote
- to cover the cost OF ammunition and 9th
e. expenses Of the competition. The affair
At expected to prove unusually interesting.
5, Maj. Gilbert Thompson read a paper b
ftre the meeting on THE Necessity of E
ginee. Troops in the Militia" Maj. Thorn
son stated that the Massachusetts,, Obi
Michigan, Alabama and Pennsylvania mi
tia are making promising start In the {
rection Indicated
Company B. Engineer Corps, entertain
a large number Of friends at an enjoyat
smoker held in the quarters Of the col