Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-24
ganizations the county over. but we have
got to keep moving stay there"
A Regulars Opinion.

A regular army officer. who has had cp-
portunity to watch the District guardsmcn
In the field and who was also in attendance
at the maneuvers, made some interesting
comments on the relative value of the local
command as compared, with that of other
states. uohf
Il was surprised at the amount of work
the District militiamen put in during their
last two or three encainpments." declared
this officer. and am willing to believe that
they would show up in the lead of all other
militia organizations II called into actual
service. but they are not yet ready to stop
and look back. 1t Is serious question in
my mind whether or not the District militia
could have withstood the hardships of such
campaign as that made by the national
guardsmen at the recent maneuvers.
This Is meant to be taken in the kiadiest
spirit. as believe the District to be ahead
of any others I have seen, in general ef-
f1ciency. But the fact remains that the tax
cent maneuvers was most severe and there
Is weak place in the District that should
be corrected. l do not believe that nlere
than 80 per cent. If that many, Of the bri-
soldiers by regular examining surgeon II
called out as volunteers. My observation
Is that most Of the men In the District regi-
ments are boys. who have not get reached
that stage of maturity which the rigors Of
life in the field require
now, L saw some regiments Of militia
at Thoroughfare an Manassas that were
superior to the District in this one respect,
at least do not believe that either of the
local regiments could have performed the
service that was performed by the MaSsa-
chusetts guardsmen at Thoroughfare during
the battles of the first two days. for these
physical reasons. In those regiments. or
the ones which came under my observation,
the work of the men on the march was
superb l do not believe there are many
regular regiments that could march further
vryifh !:
these troops, after they had been in the field
week. me reason, as / saw 1t. was that
every man was man and there were no
boys observed that the regiments which
nao the greatest number of StragglerS on
the march were those where the average Of
ages was low.
District Guard at Harper's Ferry.
Il never in my life saw militia go at their
work more intelligently than the District
militia did at Harpers Ferry this year and
at Leesburg last year. and do not believe
1 ever saw the work outlined for militia
done better than it was on these two occa-
sions. But on the other hand 1 never saw
militia worked SO hard as did at the ma
neuvers and l do not believe the troops
should be given SO much to do. 1t seems
to me that the physical requirements of the
District guard should be higher and an
older set of men enlisted"
A circular letter has been sent to all the
officers of the District guard calling their
attention to the value to be gained from
study Of the Journal of the United States
Infantry Association. The officers are in
formed that the commanding general is
much interested in this publication from
military standpoint and an invitation is ex-
tended Eli officers to join the association
Particulars as to membership etc, can be
learned at brigade headquarters.
A board of survey, consisting of Major
Charles H. Ourand, inspector general, Capt
Alfred p. Robbins and Cant Riggs aids
de-camp visited the Center Market Armory
Wednesday and examined the stores in the
store rooms and officially condemned such
unfit for further service These
stores will be listed and when all the for
malities have been complied with will either
be sold ct auction here or turned in to the
proper departments Of the army and sold
b. them. ,4aaE,+
Lieut.. Col. Lloyd NJ Brett has been grant
ed leave of absence, for ten days and is
making short visit to Boston, his old
home. During his absence Capt A. p Rob-
bins. atd-de-camp.r Will act as adjutant
general. .F,,r. {