The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-25
STATE MILITIA BROUGHT
 OUT INTO THE LIMELIGHT
BY HERvEY w. LAIRD.

from commanding officers to let the Huntsville crowd out. But 1t must be remembered the Huntsville boys have friends at home who have protested against their being dropped and also that the citizens of the county have been opposed to leaving the county without local military protection, and have so expressed themselves. Then there has been the fact that the city of Huntsville has some fine material for a company and the officers of the National guard have always hoped that a good company would be provided for.
 Must Know Law.
 The evidence of the officers of the Huntsville company that they had not made themselves familiar with the laws of the state governing the military, has given rise to the idea that there are possibly others in the same fix. and only wait some crisis to show the same class of ignorance. There is no use for lack of information under ordinary circum- stances, but less so in Alabama, for the reason that since Gen. R. F. Ligon was adjutant general there has been In the hands of all the company officers who chose to keep them a military code, or qualification of all the laws. constitu- tional and statute, that apply to the mill itary. Adjutant General Ligon compiled and published all the military laws and issued them to the officers at that time. Just now, too, a new book of this kind is being printed, having been compiled by the adjutant generals department within the past few weeks It will be ready for distribution within the fort night It is the firm determination of the officers of the national guard that from now on every officer will know his duties and be held to strict account if he does not keep nmself posted.
 New Idea of Service.
 The contact of the members of the national guard with the men of the regu- lar army at the Manassas maneuvers gave the latter a new idea of the import ance of the service. 1t also developed the fact that not a few of the volunteer officers are inefficient and woefully ig norant of those regulations that make the handling of men in the field prac- tical. Discussing this a day or so ago Montgomery officer recalled several in stances while at Manassas where the of ficers showed inability to fulfill the duties incident to his position.
 On one occasion it is related that one Alabam captain led his men out in the night and kept them on a long hike without sufficient food, and they were completely Jagged cut when they finally got back to camp. Another officer of the Alabama forces took his men out the same way, but he had taken the precau- tion to see that every one had his full rations before he left his camp. and to provide for the shortage that developed on the field of action.
 Glaring Weakness.
 One of the glaring weaknesses of the volunteers, according to an officer who went to Manassas, was lack of knowledge of how to take care of the men. Few knew how to look after their comforts or conveniences, and many had never considered the best means of caring for the men on the field. Another thing that was noticeable was the lack of grand stand play. No dress parades were held, and there were no ceremonies of guard mounting.
 When a guard was ordered each com pany was called upon to turn out as many men as were desired, and they were distributed by an officer authorized to do so. The main idea of the drilling and instruction seemed to be in the matter of movements Men were yankeG out at unseemly hours of the night and put tc, fighting or marching before their eyes were well opened. If their officers had been watchful they had eonugh to eat; if not the men suffered.
 Certain it is that the events of the past few months have given the military a new viey of its duty and prospects. Some of the boys were on the field at Manassas when the news came of the lynching of Naples at Huntsville. They were hardy Maine and New York regiments, and were given the laugh because of the poor show ing made by their associates at home. An officer says that the men felt greatly hu- initiated at the failure of the Huntsville force to maintain order.