The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-03-30
GUARD CHANGES.
Plans for Reorganization
Gradually Assuming
Definite Shape.
GENERAL STRIKERS REPORT
Tells the Story Of the States
Part In the Late
War.

Plans for the reorganization of the Ma
| tional Guard of this State are gradually
assuming definite shape, and 1T is expect
ed that before the middle of next month
the details of the work will have been
submitted to Governor Voorhees, for his
approval. The proposition of General Ed
ward A. Campbell, of the First Regiment,
to the effect that the efficiency of the
| Guard would be increased by the abolition
of the dress uniforms and other ginger
bread" trappings, including the clumsy
helmets, appears to w found favor in
the eyes of the men in charge of the plan
| of reorganization, and the probabilities
are that the new Guard will be attired in
! the business-like uniform of the Volunteer
army. So certain of G"ubernatorial APP
proval for this part of the work are the
men in control that it is stated positively
that $500 blue flannel shirts, similar to
| these worn by the Jersey soldiers while in
| the field, have been partially contracted
| for. or. at least, that bids for furnishing
| the garments have been solicited.
General Campbell was probably the first
of the New Jersey officers to raise his
voice against the gorgeous dress suits OF
/ the Guardsmen, and to call attention 10
the TACT Inal WLell Tile tiOOPS 2
into the flied the "ginger-bread' ~trappings
were discarded as useless. The Newark
officer. was emphatic in his d~isapproval OF
the 1nery. and in the planning for the re-
organization of the Guard set his face res
olutely against any further investment in
dress uniforms.
1t is now whispered that the suggestion
of the Newark colonel has taken root ana
that the new Guard will be dressed IN
clothing k that worn by the volunteers.
That means that the citizen soldiers Will
be furnished with the natty hat-toppea,
visored fatigue caps, as well as the SER
viceable fatigue hats, blue shirts, leggias.
blouses, web cartridge belts and the
whole outfit of the Volunteer forces.
In connection with the reorganization OF
the Guard. the details of the report of the
| Acknowledgement, issued last week, are
more than interesting. The report is for
| the year ending October 81 last, and Is
| addressed to "His Excellency, David Y.
| watkins. Speaker of the House of As
sembly, acting Governor and commander
in-chief.'
1.-THE strength of the National Guard"
saws Acknowledgement Stryker, in his re-
port, "is 1865 officers and 4,1S0 enlisted men,
an increase during the year of ten officers
and $50 enlisted men. This force is still
organized into sixty companies OF infan-
try, two gatling gun companies ana W
troops of cavalry. No companies or
troops have been organized or
curing the war. At the outbreak OF the
Spanish-Ameriean war a large proper
ton of the officers and men of the Ma
tional Guard volunteered for service and
fully two-thirds of the entire force en-
tered the United States service. All these
men were continued on our rolls as abb
sent with leave and upon their muster
out of the service will return to their re-
spective commands with the ranks pre-
viously held by them. The Two compan-
les of cadets, located respectively at Bor-
dentown and Plainfield, are still attached
to the National Guard and assigned to
the Second Brigade
OF the Naval Reserve General Stryker
says that ''by reason of its service in
the United States Navy 1t is in the same
condition as the National Guard just re-
ferred to.'
There were commissions issued to sew
enty-one National Guard officers and
nineteen Naval Reserve officers during
the year, of which the report treats.
Seven National Guard officers nave been
placed on the retired list, and twenty
seven designations have been accepted,
while one officer of the Guard has an
swered the last roll call and one COM
mission has been declared void. In the
Naval Reserve four designations nave
been accepted, two officers have been
placed on the retired list, n one COM
mission has been declared void.
An interesting statement is given in
detail of the Preparations for the part
New Jersey was to play in the Spanish
American war. The orders received from
Washington for the enrolling of the men,
the conferences of the military authors
ties of the State in reference to the ar
rangements, and the final designation of
the National Guard commands that were
to make up the quota from this State
are given in the report, together with
general orders issued by Governor Voor-
bees and Major General Joseph w.
Plume, constituting the State camp
grounds at Sea Girt, as a military post,
under the command of General Plume.
Monday afternoon, May 2, at one
o'clock, says the report, Companies A,
C and G., Sixth Regiment, National
Guard, and Company E, Seventh Regi-
ment, which were to be attached to the
Third Regiment, marched into camp. At
three O'Clock the First Regiment, head
quarters, Newark, and the Third Regi-
ment. headquarters, Elizabeth, arrived at
Sea Girt. Al four o'clock of the same
afternoon the Second Regiment, head
quarters, Paterson, reported in camp, and
twenty-five minutes thereafter Major
General Plume had the camp colors
heisted and Camp Voorhees, was formally
established"
The arrival of Captain William G.
Butler, Third Infantry, United States
mastering officer for New Jersey, and
Captain William C. G. Gorgas, Assistant
Surgeon, United States Army, as medical
officer of the post. for the examination
of the recruits are told of in the report.
ION May &" says the report, sthe Gov
ernor officially offered to the United
States Government the camp ground at
Sea Girt and the adjoining property as
a military post, stating that it was suf-
ficient encampment for twenty thousand
troops. The offer was accepted.
Company B, First Regiment. was the
first company mustered into the service
of the United States for the war, by Cap
tain Ruttler. on Nav 6 and the mastering