Evening star., 1898-05-21
WORDS OF WARNING.
National Guard Lacks Many Things
to Prepare II for Service.
From IAslfa,a Weekly

National Guard Lacks Many Things
to Prepare Ii for Service.
From Leslies Weekly.
So far as uniforms are concerned, the
guard is fairly we'll supplied, following
faithfully the regular army service uniform
but with some deviation in many states
and overcoats are fairly well distributed.
The Merriam pack has been adopted large
ly in the east and few western states
but elsewhere the old-fashioned knapsack
is still in use, perfectly useless part of
modern soldiers kit Blankets and ponchos
are not known in many of the states,
neither are suitable canteens. haversacks
and camp utensils. Tents are not sufficient
In many states to house their own guard,
SO TO speak, under one roof and camp equip
age is unknown. Some of the guard are
properly supplied with the right kind of
Understanding - wooden shirts or socks
necessary for continuous field service--but
the question of footgear has been totally
ignored in every guard organization in the
Union No feet. no horse" says the turf-
man. Well, NO feet, no soldier" The
shoe which may do fair service on parade
or Tor a weeks camping is utterly worth
less for marching over q broken country
wet or dry. So that before any portion OF
the guard can form a marching force they
must De reshod. man for man. In Germany
SO much Is thought Of the soldiers feet
that chiropodist Is attached to each com
pany Few Of the officers in any of the
states are provided with revolvers, field
glasses, naVersacks. the Merriam pack
cdnteens, blankets OF ponchos
owing to the parsimony of Congress and
general spirit of hostility previously ex-
lstlns IN that body to anything and eyery-
tnlns pertaining to military affairs, the reg
liars and the volunteer guard are now
armed with at least two different kinds
OF weapons. The army uses the Krag-Jor-
genson magazine-gun, and the guard the
last model Of Springfield breechloading
rifle There is no time here to discuss
which Is the better weapon. but this dif
terence, both as to style and caliber would
be fatal In actual warfare. The Krag-Jor-
genson has an effective range OF more than
twice that Of the Springfield arm. and
were brigade to become engaged com
posed as it is proposed of two regiments of
the volunteers and one of regulars, the lat
ter could not be supported by the fire OF
the former until after the regulars had ad-
Vanced SO that the guard could reach its
effective range.
In eleven states there is no artillery at
all. And in most of the others the guns are
worthless for anything more than salutes.
30 far the government mas distributed but
forty-two of the 23-inch caliber field pieces.
and none of these guns has ever been used
at target practice. so that the gunnars have
need of complete instruction in handling
their pieces. which, If not provided for
would, in actual warfare, result in q Sc
rious drain upon the ammunition train and
10 damage would be done to the enemy
The harness is old and probably useless
and the horses or mules are not regularly
trained for the artillery. Louisiana has
nominally ten batteries of artillery but In
reality all these men are drilled as in
fantry, and there Is not a modern high
power field gun in the states possession
In a few instances some of ths infantry
regiments possess a Calling gun or two
but there is nothing approaching an eff
1ectlve machine or rapid-tire-gun organiza-
ton in any of the states. Owing TO the
topography of Cuba cavalry is most es-
sential branch of the service. 1t has be-
come regular army maxim that II takes
twice as long to develop a cavalryman as a
man in any other branch Of the service
The horse has to be trained as well as the
man A majority Of the statss have at
least one troop of cavalry, but too often
these have been swell social bodies and
their preparedness for war is questionable
Consolidated into squadrons or regiments
and ninety days drilling in camp would
convert these cavalry troops into a superb
body of men. splendidly horsed and well
equipped; as in all instances the troopers
being men of considerable means, possess
kit and horse flesh that arc the best that
money can procure. OF course the vital
reason why the states are so weak in these
two important branches Of the service is
the great cost Of equipping and maintaining
them