The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-08-05


Corporal ". J. Daniel. ..1O1
Private {. X. Massey ...-............... 9e
Private J. J. Massey ...................1O5
Private J. &. Daniel. 10j
COMPANY L, GREENSBORO.
Private Wallace Veach 1O2
Private f. 0. Harris .................1O9
Private K. o. Little. ..1O1
COMPANY NJ, DURHAM.
Lieut. e. F. Bennett ...........:......1O j
Corporal f. r. Higgins. 90
Sergt. T. b. Edwards ...............114
Sergt. K. &. Stone. .......................11e
WORK ON THE RANGE.
In charge of the firing line and field
on the rife range was Capt. c. J.
Smith, OF Henderson, Inspector OF
Small Arms Practice for the Third
Regiment, with Major Thomas, oil
Louisburg, who is chief range officer
for the brigade. The office of Inspector
General of Small Arms Practice for
the whole State Guard has been abol-
ished, and now each regiment has its
inspector, and the brigade has a chief
range officer. The new plan works
we'll The result was excellent at the
encampment of the Second Regiment
rs well as this one.
| Talking over things on the last day
OF the encampment, Capt. Rowell, OF
the Fifteenth L. S. Infantry, the Off
Ger detailed by the War Department
to instruct the State troops at the
| encampment here this summer, said
to this correspondent: "The officers
who have had charge of the range
have spared neither time or attention
in order to afford the regiments every
facility, and believe the troops as a
whole have taken advantage of it and
appreciated it," The range itself, he
said, was very good and concerned
very closely with the standard army
rifle range.
CONDUCT OF THE MEN.
Too much cannot be said in praise
OF the conduct of the men to and from
| their home stations, and during the
encampment itself There was not a
| hitch, not case of intoxicatiOn seen
nor an instance of INSTRUMENTATION.
There was even less of this skylark-
ing than generally considered to be
part of military life in camp. To tell
the truth, these camps nowadays are
busy places, quite the reverse of pleas
ure iunkets. By the time the average
man gets through with his duties for
the day, he is content to rest quietly
in his tent or go upon some nearby
jaunt without feeling impelled to dis
turb the face of nature in order to
give vent to his animal spirits.
Capt. Rowell gave unstinted praise
to the behaviour of the Guardsmen,
saying he was very pleasantly sur
prised to find that the men who COM
pose the Guard, coming from all walks
in life, unaccustomed to the restraints
of military discipline, came into this
camp and behaved themselves in an
orderly, decent, soldierly manner
"There have, he said, "been some in
FRACTIONS of discipline, such as tossing
men in blankets Zone instance) and
failing to observe forms of military
| courtesy, to salute or return salutes,
but | think these derelictiOns have
been the result of ignorance, which, of
course, can be remedied in the future.
The enlisted men seem on the whole
to be earnest and desire to learn, and
when they get the right idea take it
readily, but such things should be
learned at home in the armory That
is the place to teach man his duties
as sentry, the proper soldierly bearing
and courtesy. When he comes to
camp he is expected to know those
things. The time at camp should be
spent in teaching him things he can
not get at home on account of lack
of ground and facilities for rife
practice"
| USES OF THE CAMP.
AnOtherimportant use of the camp,
Capt. Rowell thinks, is to teach men
how to take care of themselves and
their equipment ami clothing. some
thing that cannot be learned except
by practical experience, although a
great deal can be done to prepare the
men by lectures on the part of the
officers, who should post themselves
by reading everything they can get
hold of i'll connection with camp and
march sanitation.
There is no doubt that one of the
most important conditions affecting
the National Guard is the lack of
interest in its welfare on the part OF
the public at large, even hostile at
titudein some instances and quarters.
Ii more citizens would visit encamp-
ments, be I these dispositions
would in al. likelihood give place to
friendly interest and helpful activity
Soldier life is no fun and pncamp-
ments are not picnics. Whoever
thinks they are need only to enlist
and do all the duties assigned to him
or try to shirk them. Nay. he need
only visit camp and see what the
boys have to do.
All who know theconditions of ou1
country know that the State Guard is
the greatest means of national de-
tense. Since the standing army is sc
small by. reason Of the fundamental
theory OF our government, the Ma
tiOnal Guard must be the main de
pendence in time of war There is due
some measure OF respect to the mel
who take the time to prepare them
selves 10 defend their country in time
OF need. in order that this greatest
means of national defense NAV be eff
fective. 1t must be remembered tina,
these piping times of peace" are the
only times when this preparation ear
be had. The time has passed when
National Guard encampments ear
be considered larks. "A good soldier
makes a good citizen. and it is the
business OF these encampments te
make good soldiers, said Capt. Row
ell
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