Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1908-09-16
GENERAL KING
COMMENDS GUARD
GIVES WARM PRAISE IN REPORT
OF HIS INSPECTION OF
FIELD WORK.
SAYS THE STATE MILITIA HAS
PASSED THE AMATEUR
STAGE.

General Charles KING, captain u.
S. A and Brig. Gen. w. N. G., retired,
inspector OF the Wisconsin National
guard, has made his report of this
years field inspections to Adjutant
General Boardman, and in general
highly compliments the members and
otncers of the guard. He declares
that the Wisconsin militia has appar-
emily passed from the amateur to the
professional stage of soldering. Of
tcers and men have mastered the
usually difficult and lacking element
Of courtesy Marked improvement is
noted in guard and sentry duty and
many Other points OF soldiership
1ne report is in part as follows:
Beyond Amateur Stage.
The first thing apparent to an
observer who has closely watched
each command during the past four
years, is that the Wisconsin troops
have passed from the amateur al
most to the professional stage of sol
diering. In absolute silence and eX-
cellent discipline, as rule, the en-
tire force detrained on arrival Not
a moment was lost; not a straggler
was seen. With ranks well closed
they marched to camp, stacked arms,
unslung packs, and set about pitching
tents and drawing rations as though
they had been doing it for weeks.
Masters of Discipline.
The next thing apparent was that
officers and men, both, had well nigh
mastered a matter that American
troops have ever been slow to learn
military courtesy. Only once did
encounter a deliberate exception to
the rule, and that was in town and on
the part of two men who, even though
wearing the uniform, would hardly
be mistaken at any time for soldiers.
A few errors occurred due to mlsun-
derstanding. This year the salutes
OF the rank and file seemed better
rendered than they were returned.
The salutes of the men should be &C
knowledged with precision. The sa-
lutes of many officers, especially with
the saber, could be much improved
There are still officers and enlisted
men who forget that indispensable
feature of a soldierly salute-f1rst to
take the position of the soldier. There
are still men who, having saluted,
lapse into a slouchy position when
addressing or being addressed by an
officer. There are still officers, too
many officers, who permit it.
"A third point in which marked inn
provement was noticed is guard and
sentry duty. Most men knew, could
explain, and carry out, their orders.
Only in a few companies had instruc-
ton been slack. Only once did find
sentries in conversation with each
other at the limit of their posts. The
claim made by one of them, and for
him by his captain, that he was seek
ing information as to his duty, can
not be considered. In all cases Of
doubt. the duty of the sentry is to
call for the corporal of the guard.
Once sentries are permitted to con-
verse with each other there is an end
to vigilance.
First Regiment Commended.
Beginning with the daily guard
mounting there was very much to
commend, especially in the first in
fantry. 1t is strange, however, that
after three years of positive instruc-
ton on the subject there should still
in, Th.n in a
whose supernumeraries went amiss
at guard mounting. On the other
hand, it would be hard to find any
where, details more soldierly in ap-
pearance, more thoroughly instruct
ed Ia every point in their sentry duty
than those of Companies L of the
first, G of the second and E of the
third infantry.
"One very serious fault is still
noticeable A junior officer of the
guard failed to obey his colonePs or
der to change the post Of number
seven at reveille, because, as he said,
the corporal said it didn't have to be
done until later A corporal admitted
having given a sentry instructions
contrary to those he had heard given
the entire guard, because that wasn't
the way they did it last camp. 1t is
to be hoped that this will be the
last of these occasional exhibitions of
individuality. Exact obedience to
orders is the soldiers first duty.
"A fourth point highly to be com:
mended was the formation under
arms at reveille Such is the state
of discipline and instruction in the
guard that with very few exceptions,
it was possible for companies to-
spring to ranks at the first note of
the assembly, being accurately closed
to the right and perfectly steady be
fore the last note sounded, so that
the first sergeant could at once com