Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-09
NEWS OF THE LOCAL
NATIONAL GUARDSMEN

Sergt Brandon promises home-cookins and
pure food.
I'm going to fatten you fellows on BAN
Quet rations said Brandy last drill night.
The battery will carry its usual supply of
certain ammunition, but 1t has been agreed
that the officers shall not know Of 1t. This
ammunition will also be carefully concealed
from the top sergeant Information as to
the place of concealment could no doubt
be had by applying to Halloran, Barnes.
Swami. Harris. Everett or Shannon
On its march to camp the battery will
carry four pieces and two caissons, with
three teamS--lead, swing and wheel-to each
carriage. In camp there will be instruction
in the use Of the tangent and telescope
sight, the gunners quadrant and in range
finding There is to be target practice with
shell and shrapnel. mounted and dismount-
ed revolver practice and exercises In horse
manship. The formaiities of drill are to be
curtailed much possible. and service
conditions simulated When the battery re-
turns to Washington it will be prepared to
receive the new field pieces, caissons and
harness which the War Department will
issue.
The battery is recruiting up to $50 men.
Many ex-batterymep who have served an
enlistment, or longer. are rallying to the
guidon and some recruits, properly vouched
for are coming in. Young men who want
to take on the artillery always get a
glad hand at the battery armory because
most Of the boys there recall the long ago
when even they didn't know the difference
between a trail handspike and the pole. OF
course, there are in the battery few men
who never were recruits-who were born in
uniform andsnursed on gun fiask-but the
battery ought not to be blamed for that. 1t
cannot help it. There are some near-Na-
poleons in every military outfit. On the
whole. it is stated, recruits In the battery
have very easy time.
Friday night being stormy and the turf
soggy the battery did, not go to the White
Lot for drill. Instead, after roll calls,
classes were formed for instruction in the
tangent sight-the sight by which the Rock
Island fieldpece is laid. Groups of men
were instructed in setting the sight for d.
rect and indirect fire with shell and shrap-
mel, the elevation of the piece in degrees
and minutes for high-angle fire. the cutting
Of fuses. the setting off Of the detection
scale and the of the spirit level for cor
recting the difference in gun wheel levels
Each man was not only carefully quizzed,
but required to set the sight on firing data
given by the instructor. The mechanism of
fuses and the structure of shrapnel were
gone into. The instructors were Vogt. Nc
Dermott, Powell, Richmond, Chandler,
Barnes and Shannon.
After two hours work the battery was
dismissed. and then held it's regular Friday
session at the Sign of the Silver Pitcher.
Capt Fox presided, and those who
swered Scotch" light" dark and the
same" as their names were called. were
Leuts. Nevils and Lands, and Brandon,
Long Vogt, Powell, Richmond McDermott.
Chandler. Barnes. CluXton, Bonnet Smith.
Everett and a few others OF the old
Guard The subjects discussed were of
general interest to the National Guard of
the District. but reporters were not ad
mitted, and no information was given out.
1t is known. however. that in the course
of the evening new armory was built for
the battery, the National Guard was re-
organized, a number of officers We're
duced to the ranks and commissions were
given to several privateS. At the close of
the meeting only the owl cars We're running.
The following National Guard and other
organizations are now affiliated with the
National Rifle Association:
Second class-1st Regiment. infantry,
Minnesota National Guard; ID Regiment,
infantry, National Guard Of Missouri. 9TH
Regiment infantry, National Guard OF
Georgia.
Third class-Harvard Rife and Pistol
Club. Massachusetts Institute of Technoi-
ogy Rife Club. Seattle Rifle and Revolver
Association South Providence Rifle and