Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-20

the old drill. but ] Will venture TO say that
both Company d of st. PAIL and the
Thurston Rifles of Omaha will use the new
tactics Army officers would naturally be
more conversant with the tactics now in
obsolete. This may, therefore, be quite a
FACTOR In the result of the drill
Cadets Greet Medley Zouaves.
There was a warm exchange of greeting
when the Morton Cadets marched into
camp and met their old friends, the Medley
Zouaves Of Memphis, Tenn. The Mortons
and the Neeleys were introduced at Men,
phfs In 1895 and camped side by side They
were again together at Savannah last year,
and by this time are old comrades.
At the last minute the Neeleys were ruled
out of the Savannah drill because they
were not regularly enlisted in the Tennes-
see National Guard. The situation, how
ever is different now. The Zouaves are
regularly organized and will be permitted
to drill Recently it was reported that
efforts were made to have the company
barred by some one evidently prompted by
unworthy motives. When this was called
to the attention of Captain Defrrey he
explained that his command is in good
standing in the Tennessee Guard, being
known as Company B. I'd Regiment. The
company had been out of the guard for
a short time. but on the election of Gov.
Taylor was reinstated without delay.
i have brought company to San An
tonic the like Of which Texans have never
seen before. Captain Deffrey assured me
today, and he in all proba bility confined
himself to statement of fact.
The career Of the Medley Zouaves calls to
mind the question of independent COM
panies participating in interstate drills. BY
the order of Adjutant General Mabry, as
custodian Of the Galveston semf-centenntai
champion cup. the National Fencibles. at
the time not in the District National Guard
/ were last year barred from the Savannah
interstate Grill. The opportunity present
ing itself. l inquired Of General Mabry to-
day his views in regard to so-called inde-
pendent companies.
Regarding Independent Companies.
Il do not think it good policy to allow any
organization except the regularly organ
lied troops of the states to enter these
camps" he said. The National Guard is
enlisted for certain compulsory military
service. and it needs every encouragement
to keep up the necessary interest and en-
tnusiasm ,or such voluntary enlistment.
II 1t is made the rule or policy for organi-
cations other than regularly enlisted
troops to share and reap the prizes which
certain encampments and the interstate
drill feature may offer, it would be OBJ
viously unfair to regularly enlisted troops.
Some of the states, notably Texas and,
have been told, the District of Columbia"
continued General Mabry. do but little for
their volunteer guard. and such troops
should be the only beneficiaries where
prizes are offered in competitive drill, be-
cause they need every encouragement and
the financial assistance which they may
win. Camps Of instruction are for the
purpose of mobiizing the troops and teach
ing them the practical duties of a soldier.
Discipline must be enforced and certain
military work and duties must he perform
ed. Ii organizations, FIRE from certain COM
rulsory military service, ard hot directly
under military authority Of state, can
attend camps Of instruction, with the prize
drill feature as a part of it, and compete
for the money prizes offered, the condi-
lions would hold out but little Inducements
for volunteer guard in the service as
now organized. Such money prizes as may
be awarded should go to the regularly
enlisted troops as reward for excellence.
Again General Mabry went on to say,
those quasi military companies that are
organized for show and for what money
they may win would accept the restraints
of enforced discipline and would perform
camp duties with bad grace and their pres
ence would have demoraliZing effect upon
the regular enlisted guard troops 1 pro-
tested against the entry of Independent
military companies at the Memphis and
Savannah drills and am now thoroughly
impressed with the wisdom of such a pol
Icy. These camps Of instruction and inter
state drill can be made great successes
and the volunteer guard should reap the
benefit as well as the glory
Program of the Drill.
Monday the spectators will see each cap
tain desperately clutching a few sheets of
paper. upon which is written the fate of
his command. These papers will contain
the mysterious programs of the drill and
upon the proper conception of what Is in
tended to be done everything depends. This
program is made up by the judges of the
drill, Is printed under their supervision
and the contents are made known to no
one until they are handed to the captains
of the different companies for use.
4 drill program does not contain the
orders as they are given to the companies
by the captain. On the contrary, every
thing possible is done to avoid giving him
clue as to what would be the proper
command to give. The judges figure out
requisite commands, and the position in
which a company should end its drill after
starting from given point.
The program is always full of technicali-
ties, and the more difficult points there are
in evidence, the better the program is con-
sidered. A direction may appear in the
in which it could be executed, but the
proper one will depend entirely upon the
formation and position of the company at
the time. For captain to decide at sight
just what is the right thing to do in
program of perhaps a hundred directions,
and that before large and nervous crowd
Of envious rivals, requires a man of cool
judgment and one to whom drill regula-
lions must be as familiar as the alphabet.
Capt. Shilling has demonstrated himself to
be just such an officer.
Under the rules Of the San Antonio en-
campment companies in the interstate class
are not allowed time to drill Immediately
prior to facing the judges, as has been the
case at several other big drills. The COM
pany commanders at San Antonio will be
handed the program but few moments
before reporting for the contest. Com
panies Of all classes will not be allowed to
witness drills of companies in their own
class prior to their own appearance on the
field, and they must pledge themselves not
to give or. receive any Information regard
ing the drills. The programs are returned
to the judges after every drill.
Prominence of the Sponsors.
A prominent feature OF the encampment,
and, in fact one Of the most prominent at
the present time, are the sponsors. The
pretty daughters of the regiment are very,
very nervous. They have already donned
their company's colors, and tiny streamers
of bright-colored ribbon flutter gaily in the
breeze, the pink roses of tine owners hat
meet the yellow roses of her neighbours,
while they talk things over. They are ac-
quiring quite a military style, and, as has
been the rule of drills in the past, say ''our
kOyS' or INV men, in a WaY that would