The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-08-01

Non-commissioned officers seem to be the best drilled Cor best loolking) men. charg- ed with no greater responsibility than their personal appearance and their pro- flciency at drill in the ranks. not even being reqiuerd to drill squads. Some sergeants had never heard of sections nor did many of them know of which sections they should be the chiefs.
 The State demands monthly forma- ton of each organization, at which at least twenty-five officers and men must be present. in order that the organization may receive it's allotment for rent of quarters. Most organizations hold drfll once a week, but report an average att tendance of less than 50 per cent. It is necessary to excuse some men, who arc employed at night or live so far from the armory, sometimes twenty miles in the country, that attendance would cause expense or the neglect of their duties on a farm Such men should be dischargeds as they needlessly fill the rolls of the companies. and they could not be assem- bled in reasonable time if the companies be called into service. The best drilled organizations are those without such country membership.
 No manuals of instruction have been issued by the State to the organizations. most of the companies having a few
 
 their arms of the service. Company commanders were urged to make requisi- tion for the manuals mentioned in Cir cular No. 22 headquarters of the army. 19O3 and it is believed the Adjutant Gen. eral will supply them as soon as they can be procured from the States allot- ment. The mounted organizations are required to furnish their own horses, those individuals who do not own horses being obliged to borrow or hire horses. Occasionally the cities have loaned horses for parade of the artillery, but mounted drills are seldom had. The artillery camped in 1902 without horses. The State should hire horses for at least one mounted drill each month and for use in camp. If this be impossible, the organizations should be equipped as in- fantry, as the cavalry is such only in name, and the artillery can not prepare for intelligent use of its proposed arrua- ment without occasional mounted forma- tions
 Assembly for Duty.
 The time reported by most company commanders as necessary for assembly of their companies in emergency is under estimated, the result of hope rather than cool Judgment. While 1t Is not doubted they could assemble a detachment in the time stated, they could not assemble as much as 80 per cent of their men in such time Even in the companies where the attendance at drill is slight. 1t Is believed almost all the men would respond as soon as they heard of their orders But though some companies have adopted ex- eellent systems for sending notice of d call to all their men. the distance from the armories of many of their residences would preclude arrival in the time re- ported. and little reliance can be placed upon the optimistic opinions of these en- thusiastlc officers.
 The company histories show the serviea of each under call of the Governor, nona of which duty has occurred within the past year. They have always responded eheerfully and promptly, each man fuf- nishing his blanket and some kind of dish
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