Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1908-09-16

p. M, after the first night, in each
regiment was excellent; in some COM
panies it was almost dramatic. Song
tents until the instant of the first
note of the trumpet call, after which
not a spark could be seen, not
whisper heard 1t was observable
that in battalions and companies in
which this perfection was reached
the commander himself was on the
spot
Ceremonies.
While daily guard mounting was
the only regular ceremony, parades
were few, and reviews occurred only
when the governor came,-it being
the general instructions of the war
department that ceremonies in the
field be reduced to the minimum-it
must be remembered that what is
done at all should be done well. In
the first infantry, especially, all GER
emonies were excellent better than
1 ever saw them in that regiment.
The escort of the color, with Com
pany l. and a new band, was as
nearly perfect as though it had been
in daily practice for months. In
every ceremony the steadiness was
commendable.
Not an Accident.
The exercise of battalion extend
ed order, with 20 rounds of ball car
tridges to the man, was the one
looked forward to with keenest inter
est if not anxiety. Every reasonable
precaution had been taken to prevent
accident, but it was skirmish run
on a scale hitherto untried in the
west, and the result was another
proof of the discipline of the ten bat
talions engaged Not a mishap oc-
Cured On the contrary, from the
thousand to the two hundred yard
point every halt and fire and advance
was accurate; the fire discipline
was complete, and the targets were
riddled.
One Bad Company.
General discipline as rule was
excellent, married only by the unsol-
dierly conduct of members of one
company of the first infantry. 1t
would not be difficult to comment Sc
verely upon this case, for the COM
pany in question had been notorious
8, in, nd
the only one conspicuous for misbe-
havior in the present. 1t was the
only company to bring with it to
camp a drunken man. 1t was the
only one to offer resistance to a pa
troll of the guard. | must again refer
to a matter that impairs the eficien-
cy of certain company ofticers-the
theory that, right or wrong, they
must uphold their men, even when
the regiment has suffered in reputa-
ton by their misdoing If company
commanders will display half the
zeal in keeping their men from get
ting into the guard house that they
do in striving to get them out OF 1t
better results will obtain. All enlist
ed men returning from town after
taps should present themselves and
their passes at the post of the guard.
In few cases they endeavored (and
in one case an officer abetted) to
pass across the sentry line. The of
ffcer should have had a finer concep-
ton of his duty, as fortunately, the
sentry had.
There was but one instance of
tent lowering during camp, a stupid
trick at best. There was little haz-
ing, and less running of the guard.
Of drinking there came only four
cases under my notice, two in the
first infantry, one in the second and
one in the third Only one case was
serious. All this with what is called
wide open town within three
quarters of a mile In retaining for
home there was the same order and
discipline as on arrival, and the rail
way service this year was better than
at any time since the enactment of
the law forbidding transportation of
troops on Sunday, when tracks are
comparatively clear and detention the
exception rather than the rule. Upon
this subject, and the enforced disad-
vante .ges OF the present system, even
an officer of the army may be permit
ted TO express the wish that repeal
or reconsideration were possible"