The Savannah morning news., 1904-01-31
FIRST REGIMENTS
YEARS WORK
~ MONTHS OF PROGRESS.
ro,. G. A. GoRDON's REPORT To
THE ADJUTANT GENERAL.

nall Cartridges BE SuppIiedi Also
ntauIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Adj
,.,;,istratiOn should he Restored.
statement Made That "Red Tape"
,,uitates Against Efficiency OF
II service.
rA. G. A. Gordon has forwarded to
T. Nh, Adiutant General his report Of the
+ 77irsf Regiment of Infantry for the
,,ear beginning Sept. l, 1902, and end
4 ing Dec. 81. 1908.
Fl The report shows that the command
is in good condition despite several
Fl disadvantages. Col. Gordon makes a
h number of recommendations, which il
n sdopted WILL he believes, tend to the
still greater benefit Of the military of
the state.
h The special features of each quarter
/ are pointed out and these show a
E steadv progress in the plan to increase
n the efficiency of the regiment, In the
4 last quarter of 1902 school of in
II struction for officers and non-com-
I nissioned officers was established. This
E has been continued and it's effective
ness increased. At the close of 1902
4 the annual report of the inspector of
4 rifle practice showed improvement on
4 all lines.
During the first quarter of 1908 the
L rchool of instruction for officers and
| non-c commissioned officers was thor
1 oughly established and held once a
| month, and the Savannah companies
| of the regiment received instruction,
! theoretical and practical, in the school
of the soldier. the school of the com
1 pany, the school of the battalion, ex-
| tended order, advance and rear guard,
outpost duty and scouting. marches,
| battle exercises and guard duty,
Hattie Exercises.
Feb. 90 a practice march and battle
exercises took place and the regiment
was reviewed by Gov. Terrell. The
battle exercises were in no sense spec
1 tacular, but were made to conform As
| closely as possible to the condition of
actual warfare. The opposing forces
were commanded by Majors E. S Ell
\ lott and W. +. Coney. Cavalry, con-
1 sisting of volunteers from Troop A,
First Regiment, Georgia State Troops,
L was attached to both forces and took
part in the exercises, both mounted and
dismounted. A detachment of the ma
nal reserves with a Hotchkiss gun also
i took part.
on the offensive and thu defensive. The
men were instructed in the method of
4 taking cover and were compelled to OBJ
serve this precdution. Whistle signals
were used and megaphones, to some ex-
\ tent, and both proved a success. The
fire discipline was excellent. The re-
Z suits obtained were satisfactory and
the exercises were of great benefit 10
the regiment
"a Beginning with March 16, one COM
pany week performed guard duty,
each man being individually instructed
IN the duties of the sentinel On March
n q Company A, Statesboro Volunteers
was mustered into service at States
I boro During the second quarter a reg
mental competitive individual prize
4 drill was held.
In Camp Terrell.
OF chief interest during the third
quarter was the stay in Camp Terrell.
near Augusta, July to Is. Eighteen
ofhcers of the regiment submitted re-
ports and from these and his own OBJ
4 servations and opinions Col. Gordon
states that the United States officers
1 were efficient and courteous. and their
assistance invaluable; that the men
| look much interest in the instruction
/ mat was impaired to them, and great
| Improvement was made during the
| week of the encampment; that the
| presence of one company from the
sixteenth Infantry was also valuable
/ ana the behavior of the enlisted men
II eIlclted commentator.
IL The uncertainty concerning the date
l OF the encampment resulted in a small
attendance, because many of the en-
llSted men were unable to arrange
thelr holidays so as to be present. The
large size OF the camp required either
very many sentinels, or very long
posts, and many details for guard
I duty, and other camp duties, reduced
the strength of the regiment.
The site of the camp was an ideal
one; the cleanliness of the kitchens
ana SINKS and company streets was ad-
Htaple' there was no shade, the
nights We're cool, there was a good
Dreeze' and an excellent drill ground
Inc absence of flies was a favorable
1 feature, and resulted from the thor
ough policing of the kitchens and
sinks. Hospital facilities were totally
/ inadequate.
The camp being only a temporary
one the Following defects may be
noted: The sinks We're badly built
ana nimsy. the commssary buildings
were small and poorly constructed,
| ana there were no guard houses. Bath
| Houses We're also poorly constructed,
| ana the flow of water was insufficient.
SNtcnehs' TOO, We're poorly built, in
| idct' the entire camp showed evidences
| vi having been hastily prepared, The
| Idtlohs We're good and the health of
'he men was excellent.
Camps Good Features.
| sine most commendable features of
the camp We're the cheerfulness of the
s s.e, ana onlcers under trying circum-
9Sailees and their willingness to work.
1 Ilafo ana unaccustomed work was
performed with exemplary promptitude
ana with enthusiasm. Guard mounting
vas rapidly and accurately executed,
@iu the regiment improved daily in all
rms OF military exercises. The nom
onIiiiilssloned staff, both regimental
oIo battalion, performed their duties
most Satisfactory manner and
Oontrlputed materially TO the success
me encampment."
II CoA Gordon recommends that the
our or duty be for ten days, and
nat the officers and enlisted men re-
i've adequate compensation for their
tendance. Also that at least one ex-
| peIlenced regular officer be detailed
~, III me sole purpose of instructing
| me officers and men of the state troops
IN guard duty.
Jams from the First Infantry took
| pdIt In the interstate shoot and the
I'ate shoot. held at Savannah during
usust On Sept. . special orders
e re issued from the Adjutant Gen.
NJ Office transferring Company F,
| a.. ~. infantry, Waycross Rifles, to