The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-10-24
News of the National Guard;
Gossip of Interest to MiIitian1en


Il approve the teaching. lnder proper
regulations. OF rife shooting TO our
schooIboys Of the advanced grades
This is the message sent by President
Taft from Gregory. Tex. TO Lieut.. a. 5.
Jones, secretary OF the National Rifle
Association. expressing the Presidents
approval of the matches to be held az
ta4 Congress Heights range on Saturday.
November s. in which Washington school
boys Of the colleges and universities and
members OF the National Capital Rife
and Revolver Club will participate The
rcnge has been placed at their disposal
for that day by the District National
Guard authorities, and IN addition to the
medals Of the National Rifle Association.
Taft, Gen. Robert Shaw oliver, Actlng
Secretary OF War. and others
The District National Guard authorities
are especially interested in rife work
among the high school cadets and other
scholars, as II has been found that many
OF them prove OF inestimable value to the
guard In later years as officers or mem
bers. The sentiment at militia headduar-
tiers is: Better be a good marksmRn and
be OF service in war than a fancy-dress
parader I'm times Of peace" clumsy
recruit may have many shortcomings
overlooked provided he makes good" at
the Congress Heights range when he
goes there TO shoot his score. A special
effort will be made next season 70 have
every member Of the District Guard be-
come proficient In rifle and revolver
shooting.
Two promotions OF commissioned Off
GERS have Just been made in District Ma
tional Guard. Both were first lieutenants
and are advanced 10 the grade OF cap
tain They are First Lieut. J. B. Cof-
man. Of Company !. First Infantry. and
First Lieut.. d. s Bliss. acting commits
sary OF the First Infantry. Capt COff
man is given command Of Company
and Capt. Bliss is promoted from acting
commissary 10 commissary OF the First
Infantry.
on account Of the emphatic denial made
by the War Department in an official
statement recently that the joint maneuv-
ers Of the militia and regular army would
not be discontinued. as certain papers
stated would be done as the result Of Al
legged suffering and deaths from the Mas
sachusetts war game. members OF the
District Guard are Specializing as TO
where the next maneuvers will be held.
District guardsmen- are confident that
the District troops viii he among those
participating This belief is based on
good grounds. as Mat. Gen. Leonard
Wood. L. S. A. who was chief umpire Of
the Massachusetts maneuvers. both YER
bally and in letter 10 Brig. Gen. G. II.
Harries. commanding. highly commend
al the District troops for their soIdieriy
qualities as shown in Massachusetts. Not
only was Gen. Woods letter to Gen. Har-
ries more cordial than those sent to other
commanders OF various ranks but Gen.
Woods comments on the District troops
were highly complimentary. He was
credited with saying Just before he left
Massachusetts that should Il be decided
TO hold maneuvers next year he would
recommend that the District troops be
among those chosen.
However, as the general orders con-
trolling the education OF the National
Guard IN connection with the regular
army in joint camps and maneuvers d.
reefs tndt these snail only be held on al
ternate years. il IS probable that this viii
be rightly adhered 10 and no maneuvers
held until 1911 II was owing 70 Gen.
Woods interest IN the District troops
that the rumOr got started that the next
maneuvers would be held in the vicinity
Of Washington, with the Capital as the
defensive point and the District troops as
part OF the defenders Gen. Wood S re-
port on the Massachusetts war game is
anxiously awaited.
Rumors that Private Nathan Williams.
Of the Signal Corps OF the National Guard
OF the District. has applied for a COM
mission in that company. with the posi-
bility OF being appointed captain. reached
Philadelphia, with the result that his
friends there have sent on many inter
esting tales OF Mr. Williams exploits
during his long service in the Pennsylva-
MIA National Guard These are all Incl
dent 10 his successive promotion from a
private 20 a captain.
Possibly the most interesting occurred
while he was quartermaster of Company
G, Second Pennsylvania Infantry The
event stands as a record. Sixty-two men