Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-10-07
THE NEW MILITARY.

w hlle the reorganization oftbe State
military is ecgagirg the serious atten-
;ion OF the Governor and the Adjuiant.
General, nothing of definite nature
mas been agreed upon.
The Que point upon which Governor
Tyler's mind is fully made up is that
heIe shall be only as many companies
State troops as can be kept at high
degree of efficiency, and maintained at
something like their maximum
,trength.
There must not be too many organ
zations," he said to Dispatch report
r at the Mansion last night. Il am
determined that the companies we have
in the future shall be crack organizs-
tious, and that there shall not be as
many as we formerly had. l had for
some time previous TO the war thought
we had too many military companies.
Oar experience in getting the Virginia
troops ready, in response TO the Presi
,iemt's call, demonstrated that my view
vas correct. Our troops were miser-
\ " equipped, and none of mpanies
al their maximum strergth, the
isst fact owing to our having
make our small State mill
ary appropriation 81 such long way,
.ud the SECOND due 20 there being too
uany companies in proportion to popu-
alton. 1t is also true that men will
aot enlist in the State service so readily
a they would do were our troops bet
er equipped, aud were We atle to pay
the men Tor two or three weeks spent
in camp every summer.
81 have been devoting great deal Of
thought to this whole sutject," con
tinued the Governor, "but l have not
formulated any plans, and will not uu-
til the Virgin ia regiments are mustere'
cut, and Colonel Nalle is back in the
office of the Adjutsnt General. l feel
sure he and Colonel Stern will evolve
plaus which will give US greatly i'm
proved State guard
The question as to whether the or
sau,z .lous which went into the ma
tIonal service will re-enter the State
service is naturally one Of great inter
est in connection with the reorganiz4
,on Of the Virginia military. 1t Is
thought that every one Of them will
volunteer 20 do so, but only a few of
them have as yet made requ ; 10 he
taken back into the State service. |
Is probable that Governor Tyler will
rake back those which volunteered
first, until enough to form two req
ments have been organized, as it l.
understood that he is rather OF the
opinion that there should be onl J about
this number iu the State.
OF course, in selecting the companies
to be taken back into service, he will
be il nuenced by considerations Of lo-
cality, his object being to have the vol
unteer troops distributed throughout
the State as much as possible. This
was not the case before the war. 10
Norfolk and Portsmouth, for inst ance,
there were six military companies,
" hile there was not one in the South
west west of Salem. 1t is therefore
probable that Company d, Of the Sec
ond regiment, which was organized in
Wytheville at the beginning of the war,
will be mustered into the State service
should its members desire to re-enlist.
The other new company-Company l.,
Third regiment, from Lynchburg-will
probably not retain its organization,
owing to the fact that Lynchburg has
TWO old companies, and both OF these
will probably desire to keep up their
existence.
But nothing regarding the future OF
the State Guard is settled. Beyond
the fact that all State troops were mus
tered out of the State service by their
enlistment in the service of the United
States, little can be stated definitely
1t is realized national legislation
on the subject is going 10 have
an important bearing upon the fu-
ture of all State military. 1t is re-
earded as we'll assured that Congress
will make more liber appropriations
for the maintenance OF volunteer or
CARNATIONS than formerly, and it is also
thought quite probable tnat the organ
izaliou OF the regular army will be
changed, So as to give 10 each regiment
something of the character OF State
organization. That is, it will bear the
name of some State, and will be recruit
ed there. This is the German system,
and has lat4ly been adopted in Eng
I.1d. Should it become the system OF
Americe, also, OF course, the Importance
of State guards, save rs reserve force,
would be considerably mocihed.
One other thing that seems certain Is
that the State militis laws will be ove's
hauled and modernized by the neAt
legislature. They are far behiud the
times, and it is regarded as well as
sured that an effort will be MADE 10
bring them up to date. The otganlzf,,
tion of the Virginia militia is in sever'
respects different from that ofapy other.
It is thought by military men that 1t
should be made TO conform IS nearly as
nossible to the organization OF the reg,s e
lar army Richmond Dispatch
WE GIVE NO REWARDS.
An offer of this kind is the meanest OF de-
..,.;ous nur nIsu is 70 give every one