Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-12-01
IOWA NATIONAL GUARD
Adjutant General Byers' Biennial
Report Filed With the Gov
ernor Today.
Many Recommendations For In.
creasiDg Efficiency Of the Guard
Are Made.
Detailed Review of the Services. OF
Iowa Troops in the

| Des Moines. Dec. 1.-Adjt. Gen. Byers
today submitted to the governor his BIZ
ennial report, covering the period end
ing November 80, 1899. 1t is one of the.
largest reports made to the governor
from this Office since the civil war, and.
contains much of historical interest
relative to the part Iowa troops took
lin the Spanish-American and Philip
pine wars. In addition there are some
recommendations that will be of par.
ticular interest to the members of the
guard, among which are those that the
detection of officers be abolished and
4 that they be appointed. that the guard
be made a partof the national military
forces in fact as we'll as name, some
4 Recommendation With reference to the
reorganization, a accommodation that
a new arsenal be built in Des Moines
and another that a permanent camp
i ground. with permanent improvements,
be provided for the troops, and one that
officers of the regular army be detailed
to service with regiments and com
panies with a view of promoting their
efficiency and several others of almost
l.equal Importance.
k''yA4S
of the guard January /. 1898, before the
loutbreal of hostilties with Spain, was
4 as follows:
Generals and general staff ...... so
Infantry field, staff and company. col
Total commissioned. IS. ~. 81
4 Enlisted men,
n Eapaya1 ctaff =
Infantry. 49,. .... ..i.... .......2 .O65
Hospital corpse. ............. "a
Total...... -. ..i...... ia
The annual inspection of 1898 was in
Interrupted by the spanish-American
War and not completed. A the time
d for inspection in 1899 but four of the
companies had been re-organized.
The report says that the war abol-
ished the guard and that after consul
tation with the governor it decided te
reject applications for reorganization
and the places We're kept vacant for the
men then in the federal service.
No encampments We're held in 1898 or
. account of the war.
In 1899 the re-organized Fiftieth en-
cainpeu at Lear Lake from July IL t
July ~. The f'lfty-second encampe6
from August 10 to ~ Each regiment
was composed. OF twelve companies alsS
panc. Troop A encamped with tbs
, t'lfty-second.
The expenditures for two years Were
!. as folioWs
! ls9s-Annual appropriation ...s55,200.0
Expenditures. !. -. HOOP o.
Balance. ...... S41, 19S. 0i
lS99-Annual appropriation -. 90, 2000,
: Expenditures. j. ]. 80. 81 1000:
Balances. So. 49,. IS 4,0999
Total unexpended in two
years. 49,. ....>....s..... s45 .297 81
!, All uniforms and equipage, excep
dress coats, helmets and some blanke
bags We're taken by the guard into III.
volunteer service and all in kind wt4r.
! returned by the government as good a.
better, but none of the quartermaster'
stores, including tentage. uniforms. etc.
I, have been replaced, so that it was nee
essary to purchase eauiIsage and rem
tentage for the 1899 camps The guar,
lis now uniformed except as to dres
| uniforms and furnished with Spring
field rifles and ranges cooking utensils
! etc, at the rate of seventy-two men /.
1.-THE company Blankets, etc, are mad
. in Iowa mills, according to United
States regulations
. April 2S, 1898, an order was issued Il
prepare the guard for the Spanish war
: All members having family ties pre-
venting enlistment and all under .
2 years were discharged. Orders were is
sued to enlist men up to forty-five me-
c and to form reserve squads.
The report then quotes the Unite,
!, States calls for troops and recites tn
preparations made for assembling then
i at Des Mones. The troops were form
ally notified to assemble in Dese Moline
ii April %. Then follows a recital of tn
correspondence had that resulted in Sc
: curing four regiments instead of thre
Regiments from Iowa. The regiment
4 were mustered into the service as fol
lows: