Evening star., 1898-08-06
STATUS OF THE MEN
Position of National Guardsmen Who
Went to the Front.
WILL THEY SUFFER FOR PATRIOTISM
Talk of the Matter Around the
Armories.
SOME RIFLE PRACTICE

| Members of the District Of Columbia Ma
! tional Guard have had plethora of talk
/ ing material during the past few days, but,
| outside of target practice, there has been
| little or no work. The talk has all been on
| the subject of the status of those officers
| of the guard who enlisted in the United
| States service and in Cuba with
| the 1st District of Columbia Volunteers.
| Until the decision of 1.-The judge advocate
! general of the army was published in The
| Star 1t was presumed by a great majority
| of the stay-at-homes that the commission
| ed officers of the guard were absent on in
| definite leaves, and that no attempt would
| be made to vacate their offices while they
are valiantly fighting for their country.
/ The publication of the fact that there Is
| movement on foot to SuperSede these off,
| GERS was a great surprise in all circles, ex-
cept among the few who directly in
| terested in the movement and are willing
| to take advantage of the patriotic absence
of their superior and brother officers to
| boost themselves into higher positions
The general feeling among the body of the
| guardsmen is resentment of such
course
| Only those who hope to benefit by an or
| der declaring vacant the commissions of
the officers of the guard now at the front
are in accord with the scheme. And they
! are vastly in the minority. Those who are
! satisfied to take their chances of earning
promotion by merit and through the regu-
! lar channels do not hesitate to denounce
what they term an unjust and uncailed for
attempt to oust the patriotic men who vol
| unteered under the first call of the Presi-
dent.
| Interest Lacking.
| While it is true the National Guard is
| more or less demoralized, the same being
| the case in every state that sent its SOL
| diers to the war, it is questionable and very
| improbable that the guard could be recruit
ed up to its former strength at this time
even though every office from the brigadfer
general commanding down was filled with
| the most efficient and capable soldiers. In
| terest will certainly not center in the guard
| again until the return of the Districts
quota in the volunteer army at the con-
clusion of the peace negotiations. Then,
when the interest is revived, the old and
| tried officers will be at home to assume
| their respective duties.
| 1t is well known that an attempt to re-
| cruit the guard up to its full quota just
| now. to the exclusion of the officers and
| men at tie front, would certainly not meet
| with success. Nor would it deserve any
| thing but fat failure. From present in
dications it is quite evident that it will not
| lie great while before the Districts vol
| unteer regiment will come marching home.
| In the meantime the affairs of the guard
can it is generally conceded, very well
| continue to exist as in the several months
| past.
! nQeT command OF IHelT OWN Officers WHO
| led them through the trying siege of San
| tiago, the guard will flourish again once all
| have returned. On the other hand, with
| new officers in front and all new material
| in the ranks it would require many months
of hard labor to develop any kind of mill
| tary organization. The men in the ranks
| hope that the Secretary of War and the
President will not turn out the men who
| volunteered at the first outbreak of hos
| tilities and left for the front with the
/ STRANGE that upon their return they would
/ find their offices awaiting them.
The subject has been widely discussed by
| all connected with or interested in the well
| fare of the District guard. All of the
| opinion that better results would be at
/ tanned if those now interested in the en-
| deaVor to oust the old officers and men
would turn their labors in directions that
would benefit the guard organization in
stead of tearing it down.
Rifle Practice.
| Rifle practice continues to be the sole
work of the militiamen now in the CITY,
and interest at the targets has held up re-
| niarkably well. Capt. Edwards of Com
| pany A, I'd Battalion realizing that this Is
about the best training that can be given
the men at present has interested himself
in target work, and has secured for the
men of his command the use of the rifle
gallery at National Guard Armory Mon
day and Friday nights. His object is to
have every man in his company complete
his score and to build it up high as pos
sible that it may not be pulled down too
far when firing commences at the range.
Averages usually take a mighty tumble at
the range, and Capt Edwards wants a
many of his men possible to qualify
sharpshooters or marksmen- Other shoot
ers are constantly in the gallery blazing
away at the targets in a businessike fash
iCn.
The rifle range at Ordway is open on
Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. and
quite number of guardsmen are taking
advantage of the free ammunition furnish
ed to increase and complete their scores.
Maj. James E. Bell. inspector general of
rifle practice, has in his possession a num-
Der of unclaimed and undelivered qualified
shooters insignia. sharpshc oters' crosses
and marksmen's badges, buttons, etc, that
he would like to turn over to their proper
owners. The insignia were won by men,
bers of the District Guard at the targets
in 1896 and 1897. Maj. Bell has been un-
able to locate the men. He is very anxious,
however, that they should have the orna-
ments soon as possible.
Among the insignia now in his posses
sion are: Sharpshooters cross, 1896, Quar-
termaster Sergeant Lamb of the 9th Bat
talon; marksmens buttons. 1896, D. c.
Bangs, G. C. Callan. W. w. Chase, Ser
geant P. ]. p. McGlnnis Eugene Melton
F. M, Burke. G. f,s E: kearney' G rai,on Thomas 81 j.
poral Gordon P. Hooker. c. W. Birdsall
and Sergeant w. E. McMulty; marksman's
pin. 1897, F: A Ranke; marksmans but
be reached through National Guard head
quarters or at the city post office.
Guard Notes.
An election has been ordered for this
evening in the second division Of the Naval
Battalion OF the District of Columbia Ma
tional Guard. The offices to be filled are
those of lieutenant, lieutenant Gunior
grade) and two ensigns. The election viii |
be held at the National Guard armory ard |
Major c. H. Ourand, inspector general, |
District Of Columbia militia. will preside. |
The second division has been recruited up |
to Its full strength, and the first division |
is almost up to the required quota. The |
naval boys are virtually in command at |
the armorv nowadays, the brass buttons |
giving away to wide-legged trousers and |
loW-neckad ed bouseS.