Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-09-23
TROOP A DOES WELL.
STUART HORSE GUARD MAKE GOOD
SHOWING At INSPECTION.
COURT OF INQUIRY Is DENIED.
No Reflection Has Been Cast Upon
Lieutenant WingheId-GOvernor
Reply to Major sands-Other News
I'm Military Circles.

| in the Armory Of the troop last night,
and the result was. in many respects, a
surprise to those who have followed at
| ali closely recent events in Virginia Cav
| airy circles. The troop. commanded by
! Captain Euker, mustered thirty-one men
| out OF forty-one, rank and file, and made
] a creditable showing. The Inspector
| condition in which he found the Armory
and the equipment. 1t was especially
! clean and nice, he said, and showed that
the greatest care had been exercised in
| their preservation. Fault was found
with only one carbine, and the saddles,
sabres. and uniforms were all in first
| class condition. The greater credit is
due to the troop from the fact that much
of the equipment has been in use for
| fourteen years.
The roll-call gave the following result:
| Three officers present one officer absent
| on account of sickness; five sergeants
present. one absent under arrest; four
corporals present, one bugler present,
eighteen troopers present and eight abb
| sent Two of the absentees were out Of
| the city on business.
There have been five losses since the
| last inspection, as follows: First Ser
/ geant h. A. Martin, Sergeant j. T. An
| derson, Jr., Corporal Eugene Brauer,
| Troopers George S. Bowles and o. l..
| Brauer.
| TROOP G'S EQUIPMENT DAMAGED.
In the course Of his inspection Colonel
| Stern asked to be admitted to the room
| formerly occupied by Troop G., of the
| First Regiment Cavalry, which was dis
| banded a short time ago. The equip
| ment of the troop has been allowed to
| remain in the room and literally rot.
| The uniforms and saddle-cloths were per-
| forated by moths, and when the boxes
| and lockers containing them were opened
| they were swarmng with the In
| sects The boots and saddles were cover
| cd with green mould and the sabres were
| rusty. The carbines only had been
| cared for. Hundreds Of dollars worth
| Of the States property lies in this room
| almost ruined, and no one accepts the
| responsibility for 1t. Colonel Stern said
| he would have the order for the return
of the property traced, and the blame
| placed In the proper quarter.
| The Blues Battalion and the HowitZerS
Battery will be Inspected October 1st.
WORKING FOR NEW TROOP.
The showing Of the Stuart Horse Guard
| last night was remarkable, because 1t
| is claimed that a vigorous effort has
been made to disrupt the command, aud
| some members have been disaffected by
it, Several discharged members OF the
| troop have been endeavoring to form a
new one, and. it is said, have been work
| ing among the Stuart Horse Guard for
recruits They met with some success,
and the matter being brought TO the at
| tention of Captain Euker the four lead
| ing spirits were forbidden TO come 10
the Armory, and an order was issued
| to the janitor that none of these men
should be permitted to enter the Armory
gate or remain around the building.
Governor to Major Sands.
The effort of Major william IL. Sands
| to bring the cavalry regiment up TO
the legal standard, and his protest
| against its disbandment by the Cow
| ernor, has received official notice. Major
Sands contended that the Governor had
| no mower 10 disband or revoke commits
| sions of officers. The following reply TO
Major Sands's arguments-which were
| published in the Dispatch at the time
they were put forth-has been sent TO
brigade headquarters
| Commanding Officer First Brigade:
Sir.-The Governor and COMMANDMENTS
/ Chief has noted the endorsement on the
| General order No. 3, disbanding the First
| Regiment, Cavalry, which was sent direct
| to Major Sands formerly major of the
! Frsi Regiment, Cavalry, in the form OF
| an order. but intended for his information
| only, and explained 10 brigade headquar-
| tiers as accidentally sent in said form, and
| l..rA AIa.fa 20 HC to col 4
| headquarters with his endorsement
| l. The endorsement denies the right Of
| the Commander-in-Chief to disband the
| First Regiment of Cavalry.
2. 1t denies his right TO revoke commits
sions of field staff, and line officers OF
said regiment
IL claims that Troops G and X have
| not been ordered for inspection with
reference TO disbandment as required by
| law.
The report of the A. |. G. of date Octo-
| ber 10. 1896 shows only five troops on the
| roster of the First Regiment, cavalry
| Six being necessary as the minimum 10
! form regiment under the law, the First
! Regiment. Cavalry, has no legal existence
and ipso facto was not in existence.
While the section quoted 1913, Code of
| Virgina) only prescribes the mode OF
! form a battalion or regiment and Is silent
| as TO disbandment and revocation or COM
| missions. the natural inference can only
| be that such disbandment and such revo-
cations should be by order of the Com
! mander-in-Chief when the provisions OF
| the Code have ceased to be complied with,
| following all precedents in force in the
| National Guard or Militia OF other States,
| which in general follow the customs OF
| the regular army.
| Ii there is no regiment, there are no
| field and staff officers, and the intent ana
spirit of the law clearly Indicate a reVo-
cation of commissions.
! The case cited OF the President OF the
| United states having no power TO revoke
a commission, except by due process OF
court-martial, is foreign to the supJect,
| inasmuch as II a regiment OF the Unted
! States army should be mustered out OF
service, its officers would be supernume-
rary or detailed to other duty. They are
| not attached. except temporarily, 10 their
commands but may be ordereq 10 any
| duty, being promoted from one regiment
| 10 another, according 10 increase OF RANK
| or for other reasons.
| BY law a Virginia volunteer officer IS
| superfcially assigned 10 a particular and
| DESIGNATED command, 10 which ne mas
! been elected. Such command being by
| law out of existence. there is no provision
! for its officers except retirement, whicn
under the statute can be availed of by
anv officer having ten years service.
In addition 10 this, attention is espe-
cially directed that the field officers, and
! more particularly Major Sands, have In
| several instances strongly ADVISED the
disbandment OF the regiment.
AS TO proper legal notices not having
been given TO Troops G. and X. such mo-
! tices as expressed by the statue are In
| tended TO apply only 10 companies having
! less than the minimum number, when
| are then TO be inspected with reference
| TO disbandInent.
| The last inspection. September, 1895
| was the last appearance OF Troop q as a
troop under arms. and the repeated re-