The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-03-20

Circular Issued Assigning
Companies to Coast
Fortications.
BENEFITS TO BE
DERIVED BY BOTH
Governors of States Request
ed to Cooperate With
War Department.
NINE COMPANIES OF INFANTRY
OF THE STATE WILL BE As
SIGNED TO FORTS PickENs AND
MeREE FOR TRAINING OF TWO
WEEKS WITH UNITED STATES
REGULARS.

Should the plans of the war depart
ment be carried out nine companies
of infantry of the Florida State Troops
win receive training with the Coast
Artillery Companies at Forts Pickens
and McRee during the summer
months. The department has issued
a circular explaining the benefits to
be derived both by the state and reg
ular troops, and the governors of the
respective states are requested to CO.
operate with the department in hay-
ing the number Of companies assigned
to the various coast Notifications par
ticipate in the summer practice of the
artillery companies
To Fort Pickens four companies
have been assigned as coast artillery
reserves and three companies as artil-
lery supports, while at Fort McRae
there will be one company of infantry
as coast artillery reserves and one
company of infantry as supports.
The Army and Navy Journal of re-
cent date contained the following ex-
planning the benefits to be derived by
such a plan:
1t is proposed to group state COM
ipanyA with each regular company as
signed to gun defense, to have the
| officers and men of the latter act as
instructors Of those Of the former, and
to encourage in every possible way
cordial af1liation between the person
mel of the linked regular and state
companies. 1t Is believed that such
an arrangement will produce train
ed reserve force among the states In
| the most expeditions and most prac-
ticable way possible.
THE field and staff officers, both
commissioned and non-commissioned,
of the state coast artillery troops
would, likewise, be linked for instruc-
ton and service purposes with the
corresponding and analogous staff
grades in the regular service
The general idea of the plan is,
therefore, that each company would be
assigned definitely to some gun or
mortar battery for instruction in peace
and service ia war, and that 1t. should
be intimately associated with a regu-
lar company assigned to the same or
adjacent battery, and mat the field
and other officers and men not con-
Eected with companies should be as
signed for instruction In peace and
service in war to stations appropriate
to their grades, as assistants or reliefs
to regular officers and men Of like
grades.
| State troops assigned to Coast Ar.
tillery work would have two distinct
classes Of duty, one IN the state, as in
fantry, and the other under the Unit
ed States, as coast artillery When
serving in the latter capacity they
would put aside. during and for the
purpose OF coast artillery service only.
all connections or relations with IN
Organization of a higher unit than the
Icompany. On returning to the state
after service at the forts they would
resume such battalion or regimentai
Organization as may be desirable in
connection with their state duties.
such troops when called into tina
service of the United States at the
coast forts would go as Independent
companies from the state arnories
Each company would go directly from
Its own state armory to the particu-
liar gun battery to which 1t Is as
isigned. Field, commissioned, and nom
commissioned staff officers would pro-
lceed as individuals directly to the
Coast Artillery stations to which they
are assigned, respectively.
THE requirements of the coast
forts as to artillery supports have
been considered and the forces re-
CURED to give an adequate defense
of the land sides Of the forts have
been determined
1T is pointed out that the regular
tCoast Artillery troops in each artillery
district have practical service ezer-
icises for a period of two weeks each
Isummer 1t Is suggested that in con-
Iuection with these summer pracucai
|exercises In each Coast Artillery dis
itrict both Coast Artillery reserves and
lCoast Artillery supports might be as
lsociated with the regular troops
i 1T Is urged that the war depart
Imert give every possible encourages
imeut to initiating and supporting the
UNEMPLOYMENT of adequate forces foe
Coast Artillery reserves and Coast
ARTILLERY supports, and to providing
for the instruction of the former and
for practical exercises Of both with
1.-The Regular Coast Artillery"
II The following are the assignments