The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-02-28
NATIONAL
GUARD NOTES
~-. 49, H.
How the First Regiment
Infantry May Be Called
e.. Together.
The New Major General 1:
Looking Around to Learn
What. Is Needed.
An Army Officer Who Tells of the
Necessity of Inaparting Mill
tary Knowledge.

There is, at this time, in view of pos
sible war with Spain, a great deal of war
talk in the armories of the First Regi-
ment in this city, in the armory of the
Signal Corps and in that of the cavalry,
Troop A The talk extends throughout
the Second Brigade, within the territorial
limits of which are Alameda, Contra
Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Men
docino, Marin. Napa, Santa Cruz, So
mona, Santa Clara and San Mateo coun-
ties and San Francisco. The majority of
the enlisted men, well as the officers,
are ready at moments notice to don
their uniforms and go TO the front. There
are in addition TO the regularly organized
guard in the Second Brigade limits
namely. First Regiment of Infantry. S72:
Fifth Regiment of Infantry, $50; Signal
Corps, 10, and Troop A, Cavalry As men
about 100000 men liable to military duty,
and out Of this number there could be Sc
cured in a few days more men than
would be required TO bring the two regi-
ments up TO the maximum. and there
would be material 10 form a number of
other regiments.
. In. the guard located IN this city each
company has what is known as squad
book in. which is the name of each
member. his. home address and business
address, so that in case of an emergency
call therindivtdual may be found without
delay. In each of the local organizations
there is. a system by which a certain num-
Der OF names are placed on a book which
Is IN charge OF a on-commissioned off,
Ger. whose duty ii is on an emergency call
TO start out at once and notify every man
whose name is on his list to report at the
armOry at once. BY the system each man
is called upon at his place of business and
at his home, and that system is so COM
plete that within two hours every man
IN the First Regiment will be with his
company at the armory ready to march.
In addition arrangements have been made
by which the commissary can within the
same time have all that is needed to pro-
vide the men with food and shelter, and
by the system there will not be a repe
tition OF the difficulty that presented IT
self:a Sacramento. when the regiment
was. sent to that place during the rail-
road strike.
The new major-general. John H Dick
stnson, is at this time looking around in
order to satisfactorily answer the ques
ton he has asked ~himself-"Where am !
att" Just as soon as he makes the dis
covery-and he expects TO make that in
q few days-he will put into force a great
deal Of that energy that was characteristic
OF him during the time he was brigadier
general During the week he will issue
orders for the inspection Of the various
companies Of the guard. The inspections
will commence with the companies OF the
Second Brigade; then those of the First
and after that those of the Third. These
inspections will be finished before the
close OF April, and by that time The
division commander Will have before him
the condition of the entire guard, SO that
he VIII be In a position 10 know what
changes should be made, If any are re-
QIired. He Will visit the various organ
lzatiGus and discover by personal OBJ
SerVation what is needed to place the
guard of this State at the standard that
ii should be in order to be effective in
case of need.
During the week orders for inspection
will be issued from the headquarters Of
th4e Second Brigade, in conformance with
"A ars to be issued from division head
quarters. Orders will also be issued for
seven ELECTIONS to be held. in the First
Last Saturday night Major-Genera'
Dickinson, for the first time since his
appointment, officially met the members
OF the staff, who were appointed by
Major-General James, and who, having
in accordance with custom when there is
a change Of major-general, offered their
designations, been notified that there Will
not. be any changes of the staff until
further orders He was formally intro
duCed, and during the evening ne. on be-
half of the staff, presented to his prede-
cessor IN office, who was present by invi-
tdJion, a fine silver tea service as a token
OF the esteem in which he was held by
those who were on his staff.
Captain D. A. Smith. adjutant Of the
Fifth Regiment of Infantry, has been
confined to his home for several days
By an attack Of Ia grippe.
The following extract from an essay on
The Military Department in Our Schools
and Colleges by Captain ]. Regain of
the Ninth United States, Infantry, is at
this particular time Of great value and
Importance, and its lessons are well worth
needing:
The idea, which dates back to the ancients.
OF teaching the boys and young men in schools
and colleges the rudimentary art of war. is a
most excellent one and deserves every en-
Nothing" says the inspector
general. can be more important than the in
EtIuction OF freemen in the wisest way to de-
lend their country, and In its enforcement /
lie principle, lin time of peace prepare for
finds its most intelligent application
It's purpose is patriotic, the law providing
for military instruction in colleges had It's
civil War, which clearly demonstrated the |
great Importance of giving TO the young. men |
tactics as will enable them to take active |
and efficient part in the future wars OF the
For the spread of military knowledge
throughout the land much is due tc the vet
Grams Of the Civil War. The national hag. |
srated BY the school children in every ham,
st and Village. They have taken to heart the |
words Of General Sherman: Il cannot help !
lead TO rnvEcountryInen at every opportunity. /
10 cherish all that is manly and noble In the I
military profession. because peace is ener-
.ating and no man is enough to foretell /
when soldiers may be in demand again
The policy of thus imparting military IN
Dung men to take important positions in the
narked military bearing. i. e, head erect.
With the natural swing OF the arms and legs:
low disappointing It Is to see young a men net yet
houldered These defects are now closely OBJ
erved in the schools and corrected on me
pot; one of our inspectors recently reporting
hat he found the cadets straight square
houldered. receptive and alert 49,,
The Inspector general in his report for this
ear also bears testimony to this fact. He
tates that 1.-THE students exhibited a marked
ptitude for military instruction ana evlnceo