The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-11-17
INSPECTIONS HELD LAST NIGHT.
LIGHT INFANTRY AND NAVAL RESERVES,
MAKE CREDITABLE SHOWING.
Sumptuous Barbecue at w. L. /. Ar
mory-NavaI Reserves in Their New
good Goes to Southport Assistant
Secretary's Report of n. c. Reserves

Major F. p. Hebgood, inspector gen.
eral of the State Guard, inspected both
the Wilmington Light Infantry and the
Wilmington Division Naval Reserves
last night. Beth of the companies were
found in a most satisfactory condi-
ton.
The inspection of the Light Infantry
was held on the drill grounds back of
the armory about $3.50 o'clock. The
full complement Of sixty men were in
line, under command of Captain c. H.
White, assisted by First Lieutenant
c.. s. Granger and Second Lieutenant
J.. VanB. Nets. Lieut-Co1. w. A.
Johnson, of the Second Regiment, as
sisted Major Hobgood in the inspection.
The company's guns are in excellent
condition and they are well up in their
| drill work. They are short, however, on
uniforms, some of the members having
none at all, and some of those on hand
| are badly worn. Officers of the company
say that for some reason it has been
impossible to procure uniforms from
the state, although faithful effort has
been made.
AIL6T me Inspection. d b q
| becue was served in the armory. 1t was
sent up by Captain Kenan and Is
highly appreciated by the soldier boys.
NAVAL RESERVES INSPECTION.
From the armory Major Hobgood, in
with Lieutenant Colonel h
son, Captain George L. Morton, Lieu
4 tenant McIllheny and others, went to
| the Naval Reserves armory on Prin-
cess street to inspect the Wilmington
| Division.
The inspection was in artillery drill
| and was made on Third street in front
Of the City Hall. Lieutenant A. B.
Shedding was in Second
Lieutenant HI. M. Chase vas unavoid-
ably absent. There were forty d men
in line handsomely uniformed in their
new regulation blue Jackets. They GER
tainly made a very creditable appear
ance and their drill work was good.
The brightest expectations of the
friends Of the division are being realiZ-
ed under the able Workmanship of
Mr.. Shedding and The Messenger ven
lures the prediction that the Whining
ton Division, if they have not already
lone so, will very soon far outstrip all
other divisions in the state in drill work
and general proficiency.
After the inspection Major Hobgood
spent some time in the Reserves we'll
furnished armory, admiring the extern
sive library and looking at the many
valuable relics which are exhibited, es-
pecially the trophies of the Spanish
American war presented by Lieutenant
Blue and others.
Major Hobgood will go down to
! Southport today and inspect the South
port Division. after which he will re-
turn to his home in Oxford.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY ALIENS
REPORT.
Referring to the Naval Reserves the
following special to The Raleigh Post
from their correspondent at Washing
ton will be of especial interest:
"While the official report of Assist
ant Secretary Allen, just made public,
does not show that the efficiency of the
that could be wished, still it shows i'm
provement, and is much better than
some of her sister states.
lowing to unavoidable absence Of
Captain George L.. Morton, North Car
DINA Naval Brigade, full data as to the
work and cruise of the North Carolina
Naval Militia cannot be given; but for
the general information of the bureau
it may be stated the organization has
had practice cruises on the KearSarge,
Montgomery, Amphitrite CD n
Prairie. In the case of each, with the
exception of the Prairie. the reserves
manned their own ship, the Nantucket,
| using the vessel sent by the department
as ships Of instruction only.
1.-THE New Bern division was called
upon to assist in quelling the disturb
ances at James City, N. c., and the
Wilmington division was also under
arms for forty-eight hours at same pc
riod. The Wilmington division, with
a part of the Southport division, man
ned the Nantucket during the war with
Spain from May 2, 1898, until the vessel
went out of commission.
The Elizabeth City division has been
ordered once to Edenton, N. c., and
once in their own town, to put down
negro disturbances.
The Kinston division and the VIII
mington division served in the Will
mington riot of November, 1898.
1.-THE New Bern division has been I'M
der arms several times, owing to negro
disturbances in that city.
"a signal crew from the Whining
ton division served at Carolina Beach
signal station during the war with
Spain.
"a signal crew from New Bern serv-
ed at Cape Lookout and a crew from
Elizabeth City at Hatteras during the
war with Spain.
AIiAStoh II AoAoA JoLAOi
ensign on the Nantucket, and the New
Bern division the assistant surgeon
BY the last legislature reserves were
put on brigade formation, admitting
the Windsor and Mou Olive divisions.
There are now two battalions, with
Captain George L.. Morton in command
of the. brigade. |
The report of the board of officers also
states:
Il. That the professional knowledge
Of the enlisted force is poor. |
"2. That their general physique Is
good.
"3. The marks assigned to h vari-
Gus drills are: 1
"A.-Signals, fair. |
"B.-Pistols, o..
"C.-Infantry tactics, poor. |
"D.-Sword exercise. O..
"E.-Sitting-up exercise. poor. |
"F.-Great guns, fair. |
"G.-Navigation, fair"