The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-04-04
TIE RESERVE ARMY
OF IN, Unied state.-Ssariy 100000
NJ 1yr,ur for Active service.

Ready for Active Service
WASHINGTON. April 1.-The MILL
tary Information division OF the war de-
parlment has in preparation a publica-
ZION giving a great mass OF Information
concerning the militia OF the different
states and territories based on returns
for 1897. It Is OF particular interest At
this time In ylew or the possibility OF THIS
reserve army being called upon for ac-
tive military duty. For the sake OF
ready reference there has been prepared
a succlnct summary showing the more
important features of the operations OF
the guard. Among the facts shown are
the following.
The total authorized strength is ISL
SIS more than the organized strength,
Oklahoma hns the smallest force. 900.
and New York the largest. There are
regularly organized state hospital or
ambulance corps IN California, Georgia,
Illinois, Indiana. Maine. Massachusetts,,
Minnehota. New Hampshire. New Jer.
sey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island.
Utah, Vermont and the District OF Col
umbiI. Many OF the states have very
complete and efficient regimental hos.
pltll and ambulance corps. Signal
corps are reported MS organized in 4
number Of states. 0Glclal slnic encamp-
ments OF instruction were held In thirty
one stntcs during 1897.
The duration OF the cncampment var
led from two days In Nebraska to zen
days In the District OF Columbia, six
days being the average. Regular troops
encamped with state troops in Alabama,
California, Kansas. Michigan. Mlnne-
sofa, Tennessee. Texas and Vermont,
Seventeen states. Connecticut, Georgia,
Illinois, Maine. Massachusetts,, Minne-
sota, Montana. New Hampshire. New
York, North Dakota, Ohio, Rhode Is
land, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and
Wisconsin, are reported MS owning their
camp grounds.
As 10 the armament the conditions are:
1nfantry-All OF the states except Dela-
ware, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana and New
York are completely armed with the
Springfield rife, calibrc .45.
Cavalry-The cavalry Of all the states
is armed with the Springfield carblne,
calibre AS. except Illinois, Louisiana,
Oregon. South Carolina and New Next
co. The Illinois cavalry Is reported
Same as In regular service The
greater part OF the cavalry Is also armed
with the sabre and revolver in addition
TO the carbine.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. out Of thirty
nine states having artillery organiza-
tions have II or more Calling guns.
Many OF the states have the 81 inch B.
L. rifles; but q large proportion OF the
artillery armament is old and out Of
date.
The equipment in 1897, though in
slightly better shape than the year be-
fore. Is still far from complete. Con-
siderable improvement was shown In the
case Of the equipment. In almost all
cases the artillery harness Is old and
practically worthless. Most of the field
and staff officers in all the states own
their own mounts. There was I slight
increase in 1897 In the number of shelter
tents. The tentaSc is reported as am
pie for the entire guard In Colorado.
Connecticut. Delaware, Kansas, Nebras-
ka. New York, North Carolina, Pennsyl-
vania. Vermont. Washington. Wiscon-
sin and the District Of Columbia.
Weekly drills by company and field
exercises were held in many states and
twenty states report a regular course OF
instruction a. the home stations during
the winter months.