The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-09
MILITARY MATTERS; GUARD OF ALABAMA
BY D. W. McrvER.

The annual report of the Alabama National Guard to the Secretary of War has been prepared by the Adjutant General and forwarded by the Govern or to the proper department officials. for examination and settlement
 This report Is to be made on Decem- Der 31st of each year and must be for- warded by January goth; 1t Is prepared by the Adjutant General and signed by the Governor. So 1t is seen that the report is on time this year and the Alabama Guard Is proud of the fact that no other State will be ahead of their organization in making report for the last year. The report shows the con- dition of the organization in this State to be good and efficient, all the super fluous and inefficient material having been gotten rid of. There are three infantry regiments; one artillery bat tallion and one cavalry squadron, with a total of enlisted men and officers of 2,373. Of this number l,SsS are in the infantry; PA in the artillery and 221 in the cavalry. The organizations are all full except one vacancy in the 3rd regiment, caused by the mastering out of the Huntsville Company, under cir cumstances familiar to the public. One new company has been organized dur ing the year, that of Go. l, 1st Regi-
 ment at Enterprise. which takes the place of the Greenville company. The report shows also that the full allow ance from the National government for, |arming and equipping the militia was
 expended in this State, and that the
 organization in this State Is as thoroughly equipped as the regular
 army; with the exception of modern guns for the Artillery branch of the service, and prospect is bright to se- cure them at an early date.
 Some confusion has arisen as 10 the payment of the National Guard of Ala bama while at Manassas and in camp at Birmingham. The provisionakregiment commanded by Adjutant General Bran
 don as provisional colonel. was prompt ly paid in camp before the maneuvers ended by paymasters of the regular army. The officers and men who were in Camp Jelks, near Birmingham last | summer. were awarded pay by the Governor for eight days service and the | balance of the fund appropriated by Congress for that purpose and then
 available was ordered to be paid in that way. Captain J. S. Callaghan, of Co. M, 1st Regiment, Mobile. was ap- | pointed disbursing officer under the Dick Law and he has been engaged | since that time 1H eIIOrJ tO get HIS pa | pers in shape and get the matter in shape to pay out the money. The l trouble is that he did not make out but one pay roll in camp, when the law re- Quired these rolls to be made in quad rUple and after camp It has been al- | most impossible to complete the other | three rolls in accordance with the orig | inal signed in camp, for the reason that | the men are scattered to the four winds | and 1t has been found that in many in | stances, men cannot be found and rolls
 have been forwarded without their sig
 natures, thus losing their pay, Captain
 Callaghan writes the Adjutant General
 that he has the rolls about ready and
 hopes soon to be able to send out checks to the officers and men.
 Great preparation is being made for | the inaugural of President Roosevelt and Lieutenant General A. E. Chaffee, commanding the Department of the
 East, has been selected as Chief Mar | shal, and he will have control of the
 military parade on that day. A large
 number of regular troops will partici-
 pate and members of the National
 Guard from many States will be pres-
 ent, in some instances as organizations
 and others as staff officers General l Chaffee has written to Governor Gun
 ningham asking him to appoint two of-
 ficers from the Alabama National Guard
 as Aides on his staff for that occasion
 and the Governor has tended the ap-
 pointments to General l.. V. Clark of
 the line, and the other place to the
 three officers of the rank of general
 on his staff, it is to be determined
 among them which one shall go. There
 10 no fund at the disposal of the Gov
 ernor with which to pay the expenses
 of these officers and those who desire
 to avail themselves of the great honor will have to defray their own expenses
 It does not look now that Alabama will
 be represented in the parade by any or
 ganization, but it is possible that in-
 dividual representatives may attend.
 l The annual inspection by the gov | ernment and State officers of the Ala