Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-03-17
Correlation Of Army With
The National Guard
Largely Due 10 Wetk Of Sec.
Rotary Of War Dickinson.
Country Divided lato Eight Parts
With Point for Centration.

Washington, D. c., March 16.-One
of the most important orders in con-
necticn with the National Guard ever
issueG hy the War Department has
just been promulgated. 1t is the first
pronounced step in the formulation
Of the military policy of the United
States and its naturalization and
realization are largely due to the
work OF Sccl etary of War Dickinson.
Iii lis last annual report Secretary
Dickinson said: The Military sys-
tenn OF the United States contem-
plats correlation of the Regular
Arm! with the National Guard. 1t
necessarily follows that the organi
eaton of the Regular Army and the
militia in combination should be such
us to permit them to cooperate and
practice together in time of peace I'M
der conditions similar to those which
would be obtainable in time of war"
Continuing the Secretary recommended
that the CEited States should be di-
vldcd into territorial and tactical dis
tricts so that the organized militia
Of the states comprising the districts
might he conveniently combined with
the Regular Army stationed therein
into permanent brigades, divisions.
and corps for instruction and tacti-
cal organization. IN accordance with
the plan proposed by Secretary Dick
inscn the country has been divided
into eight parts each with q central
point for ccntration. The consent of
the goy,rncrs has been sought and
one division has been organized. 1t
will he known as the First Field Army
and includes the states of Maine. New
Hampshire. Vermont Massachusetts
Rhode Island. Connecticut and New
York 1t will consist of three divis-
ions each with three brigades of in
fan:rv. cavalry. field artillery. en-
gneers. signal corps. ambulance COM
panics and field hospitals.
Each regiment OF the National
Guard has been assigned to a place
in one of the three divisions, and the
Regular troops have been assigned
according to the stations. Thus the
regiment stationed at Fort Porter
Buffalo, will always be in the First
Brigade of the First Division Of the
First Field Army as long as this or
der stands. no matter what regiment
is stationed at Fort Porter.
Another departure is the designation
OF the cavalry composed of the Reg
| ular and National Guard as the Ma
tional Cavalry" and the field artil-
lcry as the National Field Artil
lery." when composed of Regular and
National Guard artillery combined.
To bring the National Guard of the
,,~to IN, irSt Einld
Army into closer relations with the
regular troops stationed in those
states the Commanding General of the
Department of the East has been
designated as the medium of communl-
cation between the headquarters OF
those states and the War Department.
He has been charged with the duty
Of informing himself as to the status
of the state forces as to organization,
equipment and training.
A feature which will appear to the
soldiers. both regulars and those of
the National Guard who form the
First Field Army. is the fact that
they will nave their own insignia in
the shape of badge in the form of
a shield with their division mineral
thereon. This will be worn on the
left side of the campaign hat or on
the left breast Immediately above the
line prescribed for other medals and
badges For division headquarters
troops. and for cavalry and field artil-
lery. the background for the division
nuncral will be red white and blue;
for troops of the first brigade it will
be red; for those Of the second bri-
gade. white: and for those of the
third brigade. blue.
Coupled with the organization of the
First Field Army is the announce
merit of the assignment OF the Coast
Artillery companies OF the National
Guard to the stations where they Will
serve in time of war. Because of the
difficulties in the way of target prac-
tice at certain forts the assignment is
in some cases Of temporary char
acter but as far as possible the COM
panies have been assigned to the bat
teries which they will handle or sup
port if war should break out On ac-
count of the present state of organi-
zation and instruction of the coast ar
tillery reserves it is considered best
that they should be linked with the
regular companies as far as practic-
able. Under the order every coast
artillery reserve company is assigned
to some fort and battery except the
Texas Corps. the 9Th and 18th COM
NAMES in California and the 9Th COM
many in the state of Washington.