Milford chronicle., 1903-01-16
SHOULD CARE FOR NATIONAL
GUARD.
State Should Give Financial Aid
or Abandon the Guard Alto
gether-Camp at Newark
Was a Success.

been submitted to Governor Johi
HUM. 1t is as follows:
Wilmington, Del, Dec. 81, 1902
"To His Excellency, JOHN HUM
Governor and Commander in
Chief.
Sir: l have the honor to submit
my report for two years ending
December 81, 1902.
The National Guard of Della
ware consists of one regiment ol
infantry, composed of seven com
panies, and band, to the number OF
28 officers, and 322 enlisted men.
During the past two years the men
of this regiment have been equip
ped with the complete equipment
of the infantry soldier; there is also
stored at the Safe Arsenal Camp
equipage sufficient for 500 men, and
extra equipments for so men, all
of this equipment havir g been sup
piled by the United States Govern
ment. The condition of the Ma
tional Guard has improved slightly
during the past year, largely due
to the prospect of a tour Of duty in
camp, which was held during the
month of September. The force is
ofiCered By capable men, but under
the present appropriation of $1,000
annually, it is utterly impossible to
maintain an efficient and reliable
force, for the reason that only work
in the armories can be undertaken,
together with a very limited amount
of target practice. This grows very
inonotOnOus to both officers and
men, as it does not afford them Op-
portunities Of learning the duties of
the soldier, conseq quently the mem
beiship is continually changing, as
there is no incentive for men to en-
list or re-enlist.
The enlisted strength is there
fore composed largely of young
men or little or no military train
ing. In view of the fact that the
United States Government furn-
ishes the entire equipment for the
Guard, and that it does not cost
the State penny for this purpose,
it would seem to be the duty of the
State to provide the means for its
maintenance, instruction and dis
cipline. With an adequate ap-
preparation providing tour of duty
in camp each year, it would be but
a short time before Delaware would
have a Guard which would com
pare with that of other States.
Il would therefore earnestly re-
commend that the General Assem-
bly, give the militia serious consid- =
at the coming session, and \
[ submit that, as a business pro-
it would be better to +
lbolish the organization entirely, =
md save the State the money now /
than to continue an or
,anizatiOn which experience teaches h
IS can be but indifferently trained q
nd disciplined under the present .
ppropriatiOn. {
Since the last report there have h
sen II commissions granted; Q re- +,
ignatiOns accepted, and one officer +,
ropped for desertion" -
He suggests that the State reim- :,
urse the guard for the expenditure =,
f S973 90 Of its money to put f,
ew roof on the State arsenal. Il
He refers to the visit of the Guard T
} Washington on March 1, 1901, "
nd says: The conduct of the off D
ers and men throughout the trip D
-as excellent, and they were a \
redit to the State which they rep
esented.
In accordance with G. o., No.
I, A. G. o., under date of August U
5, 1902, the First Infantry, Colonel
'heodore Townsend, commanding,
rent into camp at Newark, Della
-are, on September 6, 1902, for a u,
eriod of six days. Owing to fc
lck of funds available for this pur- lie
ose, it was necessary to limit the OF
me, and to omit some features Ii
,hich would have been of great 81
ene6t to both officers ard men. a,
his camp was purely a camp Of III
the discipline main T
aimed was excellent, and it was S
cry gratifying to note the earnest NJ
ess with which officers and men c
ike applied themselves to duty in S
leir endeavor to acquire a more fr
1tima.e knowledge of the duties r
soldier in the field. That they al
lade rapid progress was apparent til
Il the last days of the camp, and be
is to be hoped that practice of in
lis kind will be provided each e,
ear, as all who was familiar with T
lie subject agree that it is the only nj
ay to train and discipline soldiers re
,r instant and effective service. 6,
"With view to the preparation or
a bill for presentation at the TO
)ming session of the General As W
.mblv amending the present Mill re