Evening star., 1898-08-20
THE NATIONAL GUARDSMEN
REORGANIZATION of Command to Follow Re-
turn of the Volunteers.
Interest in the Naval RattaIfOn-Of.
ficers of Second DivisiOn-Newn
From the ArmOry.

Members of the National Guard remain
ing in the city are just now anxiously
awaiting the return of the 1st District Reg
iuent, and the consequent reorganization
of the guard, which will, it is said, take
place at once upon the disbardment of the
volunteer forces from Washington ard vi
cirity. 1t is expected now that the Dis
trict regiment will be mustered out of the
service within thirty days. BY the 1st of
October the arnnry over Center market
will doubtless take on its former aspect of
military life, the returning officers will as
sumo command Of their respective COM
panies. the men will all be assembled, and
hard winters campaign mapped on. for
the District guarGsmen.
Nothing more is heard of the status of
the District officers who went to the front
to the prejudice of their National Guard
commissions. and it is thought no further
steps will be taken in the matter The
signing of the protocol and the knowledge
n at the regiment would soon be home, and
that there would be 10 continued disrun
Jion Of the guard has led those interested
in the question to await the homecoming
of these officers that they may choose
as to whether or not they desire longer
service in the District militia. 1t is thought
a majority of them will. At any rate,
thorough reorganization will take place
with the return of Brig. Gen. Harres, ard
before many months have elapsed the
crack brigade will again be in fighting
trim, as it were.
The .Navvies."
Interest at home is centering in the ma
val battalion of the District Guard. Lieut..
S. G. Hopkins OF the second division and
Lieut. Gunior grade) Harry A. Shepley of
the same division have received their com
missions from the President. They are
:, 10 &c.
sued for the District naval militia. An
election in the ID Division for ensigns was
held last night at National Guard armory,
Lieut.. Hopkins presiding. Only one ensign
was elected-Mr. Robert F. Bradbury,
well-knOwn merchant of Southeast Wash
ington. Ensign Bradbury has served ten
years in the United States navy, ani is
CnnVerSant wit i 4 sailors work. from fore
double bottom. He will doubtless make Il
valuable officer. The sailor laddies could
not agree on a second ensign. and another
election will have to be held in the near
future
The naval battalion. or at least the second
division, which has been recruited up to the
/ full strength and thoroughly organized is
being uniformed Contracts have been let
for the work of providing officers and men
with the proper outfits. At present the
men will bear the expense of this clothing,
as no appropriation is as yet available. The
officers of the second division have made a
request to the Secretary of the Navy,
through the headquarters of the District of
Columbia NatiOral Guard, for seventy ma
val rifles and like number of other ord
nance equipments. 1t is hoped later to Sc
cure. in addition, a modern rapid-tire gun
for drilling purposes. At present the men
lass drills. BY easy stages they will be
brought up to be most proficient seamen.
Asks for Launches.
The division has also requested to be
given the use of several launches and other
small craft now lying at the Washington
navy yard, but not in immediate use by the
regular navy The men will probably be
given permission to take charge of at least
one steam launch a barge and a cutter
Smdll-bOat drill. for IanGing. boarding and
other purposes is a valuable bit of naval
work. When the entire battalion IS fully
organized, uniformed and equipped, which
work will probably be completed by the
first of neXt year. the men hope to be able
10 secure one of the small auxiliary craft
now in use by the navy. They would like
to have some small ship of the Hornet or
Hist type-a vessel that is modern, and on
which sail can be made The old monitors
in usa by some of the state militia are prac-
tically worthless to the young sailors, who
have little to learn on one such, with the
possible exception of hoisting signals and
scrubbing 'tween-decks. By next summer
the men hope to he taken aboard a first
class ship of the navy for a short cruise.
| This practice was inaugurated by the Navy
Department last year, but was necessarily
omitted this year on account of the navy
| having a very busy season.
The following provisional appointments
of acting petty officers in the second divi-
sion have been made: J. NJ. Ober, acting
chief maChinist: John Hogan, acting chief
master-at-arrns; John ]. Mccarthy, acting
master-at-arms, first class: ]. c. Roland,
acting yeoman. first class; J. F. Crocker,
acting boatSwain'S mate. first class. These
appointments will remain in effect until the
President shall appoint a permanent COM
mander Will probably confirm the appoint
ments as made and make them permanent.
MesSrs. s. q. Hopkins and Harry A. Shep-
ley, able Seamen, received their discharges
August 3 last. so that they might accept
the commissions to which they We're re-
Gently elected.
Recruiting is still going on in the naval
battalion and the first division will soon
be up to the required strength.
Target Practice.
Target practice at the rife gallery ana
| Ordway range continues the guardsmen
| being anxious to complete their scores for
| the year before the return of the boys OF
| the District regiment
| The following named men have been
| honorably discharged from the District of
| Columbia militia service: Color Sergeant
| Frederick b. Nichols I'd Battalion; Pri-
| vate Robert T.. Hensey Company A I'd
| Battalion; Private Samuel B. Klinedenst,
| Company A, 81 Battalion: Private Ralph
| A. Clark, Company b, I'd Battalion: Pri-
| vate Forrest H. Riordan, Company B. I'd
| Battalion.