New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-11
patrols. and manpuvres either against an I'M

! knowledge may be obtained from an eAc" nv" vi
this description. particularly where all the move
-,en.s have b.en carefully planned beforehand,
and each detail has been fully discussed by the
officers who are to be connected with H. ana whcIe
-eo,hsitions are made and everything is uohe "
precisely the way as would he 'He c"sc !,
the detachment had been ordered out TOT "c'"','
service Opcn-ar instruction has the iuTih'r az
,ar.ayo that mon can be taught to maneuvre IN
extended order In the manner which Is necessary
70 be done I'm war; bu, which II IS impossihe 10 10
within the limits Of an armory. however large.
! VALUE OF PRACTICE MARCHES.
J az has always been a matter OF regret 10 me AZ
least that ;he practice marches nave ho' "'e,'
! more generally followed. They were Ho' as
costly to the State as 1t would have been to scna
:he men to camp. the time was saved thar "ou'u
he taken Nd IN transit and the amount OF pracu'a!
military instruction ard the Incubation OF
discipline which TO be obtained from n'o'o-
ment Of this description If properly carried ou'' are
think greater than can be obtained i'o',i sumo
time devoted 70 the formal drill, which taxes up
so much Of the time In the State camps In say
inc this 7 wish however. TO be understood tha'
think the system which has been followed III '"e
State Camp at Peekskill and In most OF the o'"e,
State camps has done wonders Tor the '>i'o''
Guard Without in any way desiring 10 uop'' ''
the value Of this IT is think. the experience Oh
wow, ,cmcors who commanded volunteers during
the civil War that the FIRST long march their
| regiments made did more TO convert then 'h'o
soldiers than many weeks of previous experience
in camp. For this reason 1t has always seemed 10
me that 1t would have been great deal better H.
remembering this experience our nida for a ahe
thorites had formed the volunteers raised 10, .ns
Spanish war into sma ca rahcr than to congre
On them I'm immense camps. where the dhncuites
of SUPPLIES ana ara wsrr the number OF
grea; as TO poison the water supply ana SOIL anu
70 nroduce n typhoid epidemic.
II would suggest for example, that when troops
required 10 go TO CTeedmoof i9r r,'c rn
.lte,o glf 10 ~
Ing and bringing them back in the afternoon: they
should be taken by steamer 10 Wi'eos bn aev
preceding. marched from there TO Creodmoor win
patrols ana aGHanf rSrs sSSns o u senas and
ing through all the details OF camp OF ~, an an
day and Tetu-nrs II the afternoon This could be
arranged so that the men would leave their BUS;
practically give up only day to the duty.
IN all such movements it would be wise, In ny
5 eaeh Geach17eH f' Of the G@ard il had
| would upon all such occasions nave a sqrnu T'
50 that every man in the latter could see win
his own eyes how PROFESSIONS soierS hd march
and in the ncld. and generally how they dakT G' h
worth months Of theoretical instruction particu-
larry froin officers who only know 1t from books
THE FAULT OF POOR COOKING.
''Wh!le there is in every organization number
of men who have nped out. ard IN 80 dolns nave
learned something about cooking. yet the weak spot
in service with any organization, such as the Ma
t,onal Guard is The subject Of field cooking. do
not know that it is possible make any provision
for instruction in such cooking In ne aImoIiSs, II
IL u.s. It should be done Certainly; whcneNs1 4
regiment goes upon any excursion where the ma,
is practicable. as TO rite rang or LOT c ne
eminent ration and taught how 10 COOK H. , ~
many State camps the men cook their own , .Hi
as the men wer, worked to their fun capacity; IL
to hye h ne TT I them in COOK
ins There is a good deal to be said upon I'M, nlS
r Sad % se advised yfs by hch the vii taught
to cook In field service this knowlrdfe rs ' gaed
Dcnsable. The soldier who cannot COOK ING Ioo Dc,
which is issued to him that it is fl for MIN to
eat must inevitably become ILL., ,, . ,,o, t.
thoroughly recognized in the National Guard Of
nearly every State-l think nuch NOR 40 wa, ~ he
hghcr Army officials II This were not the case We
would not have seen our volunteers keep 10, tbo3
being instructed in shcong In paTg"na w se
General Shaftcr stated that he did. tina, when the
7ist New-York reached Tampa to embark lGr hni i
never ,er fred shot do hesitate TO assert that
this matter for which the g bs had
been previously stationed should nave oeeh as
missed from the service oo.,,-os s,cb constan,
practice that think h1t iG he can az ap ne prac
ticai value.
CHOICE OF OFFICERS.
..TbA question of whether officers in the National
Guard should bo elected appointed Is .one which
presents many difficulties. According TO the strict
military theory the election Of any kind by MIL
tary body is all wrong. Practically however there
&c much to be said in It's favor. 1t must always be
remembered that Il Is very much more dinlcul 70
be good officer in the quad than IL tns case N
but command. His men and non-comnissloned OH
GERS are always present. and Wh"n ne sIVes, IN
ne feelings or seif-osccra of his neither does
he have do anything which will atiraci refru nn
40 a3 mfg Gieer n1eeds not only to ie good ac,an.
good drllmaser and good GlscplnaIaa' pua o "a
the same time he must be flnancier ana II t,ur
deal OF a politician. In the sense or being p9Gnluc
II be is wan,inr IN the rsf MS III IN the
latter he will lose his mCn not be abls 10 Obtain
The first step in the organization OF National
Guard COMMAND is the prOcSrng OF F0oa
shand fn aso Be requTeG to pass exana
and # they competen there Is but little danger
@ what the selection will re 5esq ba |" ocers seecte
by the companies themselveS Connecting. as J DO
t troes s and siyes rise to good deal
politics. which IS not 20 be com mn th, "l viii
he able TO handle their companies better thar II
they appointed by the regmen'ai COMMANDER
EXPENSE OF EQUIPMENT.
IAN officers should. think. have an allowance
from the state to pay for their and equip
ment The expense Of these .s one which deters
many competent young men from accepting a COM
mission 7 we'll remember tina. the expense OF NY
equipment a matter OF serious consideration
New York state very wisely makes an annu ..o al
loTancs Of $50 TO each mounted o nG s ana m
should be generally initiated.
Guard IS one which needs a careful consideration
II goes without saving that no one should be al
major general unless he has nrst shown that he Is
Su%'d II Is 81 bc1 me rge To navy Ts axe
animation Of al eendidaes fo' PaGSmoGn WIN the