16. Armament-Cavalry, artillery, infantry-Continued.

woodwork badly decayed and hardly serviceable; two Gatling guns, caliber .45, condition excellent; 120 sabers, good condition. Infantry: 1,800 Springfield rifles, caliber .45; about 250 in very poor condition; none in reserve.

17. Equipment-Cavalry, artillery, infantry-Character and condition of. No cavalry. Artillery: Harness old and worn, except that for Gatling guns; all well cared for; men are equipped with canteens, haversacks, knapsacks, and saber belts, all in good condition and marked according to regulations. Infantry have black belts, McKeever cartridge boxes, steel bayonet scabbards, web belts, knapsacks, haversacks, canteens, and neat ration cans, all in good condition and properly marked. One reason for the good condition of the arms, equipment, and clothing in the Minnesota National Guard is that their condition at inspection is marked and forms quite a factor in the percentage of the organization in its standing in the brigade.

18. Uniform clothing-Character and condition of.

Dress coats, helmets, overcoats, blouses, trousers, forage caps, campaign hats, leggings, and blankets, same as United States Army; all in good condition. The annual inspection money, $7 per man, is used for the purchase of uniforms, and assists in paying armory rent when the amount appropriated by town councils is not sufficient. None in reserve; obtained as needed by contract.

19. Horses owned or hired.

Horses for artillery are hired by State for annual encampment. Mounted officers procure their own mounts.

20. Ammunition—(a) Character and amount of, actually in hands of troops. (b) Amount that could be supplied on arrival at point of concentration.

21. Camp and garrison equipage-(a) Tentage, etc. (b) Mess outfits.

(a) 5 hospital tents; 200 wall tents. (b) All companies have mess outfits, which can be used in their annual camp, but would not do for the field; also, steel ranges for use in camp. No field cooking utensils except a few Dutch ovens.

22. Property accountability—Nature of. Are regulations in regard to, strictly enforced ? All officers accountable for company property are under bond for its safety and preservation. It is inspected annually by the army officer on duty with the State militia. All articles found short are charged up against the organization, and the value thereof is deducted by the adjutant-general from the inspection money due the company.

23. Subsistence-Rations-Component parts of. How furnished. How prepared. The regular prescribed rations of the Army for field service. This year in camp the troops were subsisted, each company by its own sergeant, who had charge, under the supervision of its captain. There are two large mess houses, each accommodating five companies. Each company has a kitchen. The companies, in some few instances, had a man detailed as cook, but in most cases cooks and assistants were hired. With the camp surgeon, I inspected their meals almost daily, and found the articles of food to be wholesome and well cooked. Officers messed with their companies. Field and staff officers had a mess in a building built for that purpose.

24. Pay and allowances.

Seven dollars for each officer and man present and in uniform at annual inspection at their home stations. In camp commissioned officers receive the same pay as officers of the Army of same grade; noncommissioned staff officers and first sergeants, $2.25 per day; sergeants, $2 per day; corporals, $1.75 per day; other enlisted men, $1.50 per day. Whenever called out for active duty, all enlisted men receive $2 per day; officers, same as when in camp. Subsistence is paid for out of above allowance.

25. Stores (a) Purchase of. (b) Amount required, in addition to those now on hand, to enable the command to take the field for sixty days. (c) Medical supplies.

26. Drills and ceremonies-(a) Number and nature of. (b) Proficiency in. (c) Field exercises.

(a) Drills at home stations are required by State code to be held once each week. Each man is required to attend 50 per cent of said drills in order to receive the $7 inspection money. At the annual inspection each company is required to drill in the school of the company in close order, of the company in extended order, also of the squad (under corporals), setting-up and bayonet exercises, and to attend an inspection in heavy marching order. In camp the First Infantry devoted most of its time to battalion drill from 6 to 7:30 a. m., except one morning, when, by the kindness of Colonel Page, commanding the Third United States Infantry, the companies of the First Regiment were mixed with the companies of the former-A with A, B with B, etc.-and worked for one hour under the officers of the regulars, which I think was very beneficial. The time of the Second Infantry was spent largely in regimental drill. Officers and men took interest and the regiment made rapid progress, its last drill being a great and marked improvement over the first. The Third Infantry accomplished a great amount of work, and I am satisfied that from the time they arrived in camp the men of this regiment knew much more each night when taps were sounded than they did when they fell in for reveille that morning. Colonel Shandrew applied for and obtained from Colonel Page, Third United States Infantry, a noncom missione officer for each of his companies, who instructed the companies in company drill for one hour. The company officers were present and close observers. Upon the expiration of the hour (10.30 a. m.) battalions were formed and there was drill for about three-quarters of an hour. In this latter drill companies were under their officers. I could notice an improvement each day. This regiment also had its men mixed with those of the Third United States Infantry for one company drill. The First Battalion of Artillery, under command of Maj. E. D. Libbey, was in camp from July 12 to 17. There were mounted drills mornings and afternoons of one and one-half hours each, and much interest was exhibited, and good-natured and friendly rivalry existed between the two batteries, which could not fail to produce good results. Regimental parade was held each day at sundown. (b) Excellent. (c) Field exercises. (See Appendix.) 27. Personnel and discipline.

Personnel is excellent; men are educated, intelligent, and physically strong, very deeply interested in their work, and many of them graduates of military schools, the larger percentage from Faribault. The men, as a rule, make efforts to enforce discipline in their ranks; but of course there are many little things which go toward making discipline of which they are ignorant, but when corrected once they do not forget it, thus showing their anxiety to do that which is right. 28. Theoretical instruction.

Officers' and noncommissioned officers' schools are held regularly, both at home stations and in camp, in drill regulations, complete, and guard duty.

29. Guard duty-How performed. Officers and noncommissioned officers well instructed. Sentinels well instructed. Any outpost duty.

Guard mount was held in the infantry twice each day, morning and evening, details for each consisting of 1 officer of the day, 2 officers of the guard, 5 noncommissioned officers of the guard, and 25 privates. There was great improvement noticed in the ceremony of guard mount in each regiment. Each day was better than the day previous. Details would come on and in place with regular step without marking time, as has been the custom in the past. Heretofore there was no regularity as to which company detail was to be the first to report to the sergeant-major. This was obviated by commencing with Company A,

29. Guard duty-Continued.

first guard mount; B next, etc.; first detail to report to-day, last to-morrow. As soon as this was thoroughly understood everything went off like clockwork. The artillery battalion had guard mount the same as in the Regular Army camp, one each day at 7.30 a. m., mounting at each 17 enlisted men, and each man in the battalion got one tour during camp. Guard duty was performed as satisfactorily as could be hoped for. It was more satisfactory in the First Regiment, as all its sentinels seemed to know or have a general idea of what was expected of them, especially as to the honors to be rendered by a sentinel on post. The Second and Third also did excellent service. In the latter regiments I estimate that about one-seventh could give all of their general orders. In the other regiment very few could repeat them as laid down in the Guard Manual, many never having seen or heard of them. There were also a good many of this class in the Second.

30. Target practice-Cavalry, artillery, and tions of troops. Any held in camp. fication.

infantry-Range and gallery-Any held at staQuantity of instruction, system, and classi

No gallery practice. Some of the companies have home ranges. Target practice was held each day in camp under the different inspectors of rifle practice. I think too much valuable time is given to the range. Same system as Army. No artillery practice.

31. Transportation-Railroad and river.

Railroads are used exclusively by State for transporting troops, agreements being made with all roads in State at 1 cent per mile. River transportation on the Mississippi.

32. Military code-Date of, etc. Do State laws provide for State troops being called into service of United States?

Date of code, April 14, 1897. No.

33. Regulations-Nature and date of.

Board of officers are now in session formulating regulations in conformity with new State code.

34. Maps Scales and character.

None.

35. Armories-Location and description.

Duluth has the largest and best in the State. Each company has two rooms for meeting and storage purposes. St. Paul drill room, 80 by 115; Minneapolis, 65 by 140. Companies have each a room in their respective armories. Faribault, Stillwater, Red Wing, and Winona have fair armories. The balance of the stations have poor accommodations for drill.

36. Arsenals-Location and description.

None.

37. Independent commands within State. None.

38. Recommendations.

None.

39. Remarks.

None.

STATEMENT OF THE CONDITION OF THE MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL GUARD IN 1897.

AUTHORITY: CAPT. R. K. EVANS, TWELFTH INFANTRY, UNITED STATES ARMY; SECOND LIEUT. H. O. WILLIAMS, ELEVENTH INFANTRY, UNITED STATES ARMY.

1. Official designation of State troops.

The Reserve Militia and the Mississippi National Guard.

2. Strength (a) Authorized. (b) Organized. (c) Per cent attending camp. (d) Liable to military duty (latest estimate).

(a) The Reserve Militia is unorganized, but the governor may organize it, at any time he sees proper, of such persons as are liable to military duty, service therein being compulsory. The National Guard consists of not less than 900 nor more than 1,800, and service therein is voluntary. (b) Generals and officers of their staff, 23; noncommissioned staff, none; cavalry, 91; artillery, 265; infantry, 1,416; special corps, none; total, 1,795. (c) 60 per cent. (d) 233,480, census 1890.

3. Number, organization, and stations of brigades, regiments, battalions, and separate companies.

Division headquarters, Columbus; First Squadron of cavalry, Artesia; First Regiment of artillery, Biloxi; First Regiment of infantry, West Point; Second Regiment of infantry, Columbus; Third Regiment of infantry, Brookhaven. First Squadron of cavalry (2 troops, with full complement of commissioned officers, under command of a major): Troop A, Crawford; Troop B, Sessumsville. First Regiment of artillery (6 batteries, 1 colonel, and 2 majors): Battery A, Biloxi; B, Scranton; Light Battery E, Vicksburg: F, Pass Christian. First Regiment of infantry (band and 8 companies, colonel, lieutenant-colonel, major, adjutant, quartermaster, surgeon, and chaplain): Band and Company A, West Point; C, Aberdeen; H, Meyersville; I, Rosedale; K, Grenada; M, Oxford. Second Regiment of infantry (5 companies, 1 light battery attached; colonel, lieutenantcolonel, major, adjutant, and quartermaster): Company B, Caledonia; D, Columbus; E (A. and M. College), Starkville; light battery, Columbus; two companies not in camp. Third Regiment of infantry (11 companies, colonel, lieutenantcolonel, 3 majors, adjutant, quartermaster, and commissary): Company A, Vicksburg; B, Jackson; C, Natchez; D, Port Gibson; E, Utica; F, Fayette; G, Wesson; I, Meridian; K, Hazlehurst; M, Ellisville; O, Hickory. Authorized strength of troops, batteries, and companies, 40 men each; average organized strength, 40 men each.

4. General officers-Number and manner of appointment.

One major-general, appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, for a period of four years.

5. Brigade, regimental, and battalion field and staff—Number and manner of appointment. Division staff: 1 assistant adjutant-general, 1 inspector-general, 1 judge-advocate, 1 quartermaster, 1 commissary, 1 surgeon, all colonels; 1 ordnance officer (major), 3 aids, and 1 chaplain (captains). The major-general selects his own staff. No brigades. Regimental field and staff: 1 colonel, 1 lieutenant-colonel, 1 major (First Regiment of artillery, 2 majors; Third Regiment of infantry, 3 majors), 1 adjutant, 1 quartermaster, 1 commissary, 1 surgeon, and 1 chaplain. The staff officers are appointed by the colonel, and have the rank of captain. Majors commanding battalions appoint such staff officers as they deem necessary. Each regiment and battalion has 1 sergeant-major, 1 quartermaster

5. Brigade, regimental, and battalion field and staff-Continued.

sergeant, 1 commissary-sergeant, and 1 chief musician. Field officers are elected by the line officers of the regiment and commissioned by the governor.

6. Company officers-How selected or appointed. Examination of. Elected and commissioned by the governor for one year.

No examination.

7. Staff departments—Adjutant-general, duties of. Medical department, duties of. Other staff corps, duties of.

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One adjutant-general, a brigadier-general, who is required by law to have his "office at the seat of government, and perform all such services as pertain to his office as adjutant to the commander in chief and discharge such other duties as may be required of him by law." Medical department unorganized. An inspector-general and judge-advocate-general, with duties nominal. The adjutant-general performs all duties properly belonging to unorganized staff departments.

8. Ambulance corps and hospital corps-Organization, equipment, and efficiency. None.

9. Signal corps-Organization, equipment, and efficiency.

None.

10. Regular Army officer attached at headquarters.

Second Lieut. H. O. Williams, Eleventh United States Infantry.

11. Military or advisory board-Organization and duties.

None.

12. Encampment-Regimental, brigade, or divisional-Period of duration. Ground owned by State? If so, location. Regular troops encamped with State troops. The troops in camp were not organized either as a division or brigade. Camp was commanded by Major-General Billups. The troops comprised 3 regiments of infantry, 1 field and 2 foot batteries, and 1 troop of cavalry. The camp may be more properly regarded as by brigade. Ten days, from August 19 to 28, four miles south of Vicksburg, on the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley branch of the Illinois Central Railroad. Not owned by State. No regular troops in camp. 13. Mobilization—(a) Points of concentration for service in State. (b) Points of concentration for service out of State. (c) Time required for concentration for service in and out of State. (d) Plans for emergency. (e) Per cent that would probably turn out for sixty days' service.

14. State appropriations.

The sum of $250 is appropriated for the pay of the adjutant-general, $150 for rent of storeroom, and $1,000 for disbursement by the governor; one-half of this sum was available for encampment expenses.

15. National appropriations.

$7,763.51; expended in purchase of arms, equipments, camp equipage, etc. 16. Armament-Cavalry, artillery, infantry-Character and condition of. Cavalry: Carbines and sabers, serviceable and in fair condition. Artillery: Foot, same as infantry; field, sabers and pistols. The field battery had in camp two 3-inch rifles and one Gatling gun, caliber .45, model 1883. The artillery arms and guns were serviceable and in good condition. Infantry: Springfield rifle, caliber .45, triangular bayonets. About 5 per cent of the rifles are unserviceable from age, rust, and loss of parts. The condition varied very much in different companies; in some, the arms were in excellent condition; in others, very bad. 17. Equipment-Cavalry, artillery, infantry-Character and condition of. Cavalry: Saber belt, carbine sling, spurs, saddle, curb bridle, blanket, carbine boot, McKeever cartridge box. Artillery: Saber belt and pistol holster. Infantry: McKeever cartridge box and belt, all old. Serviceable, but lack proper care. Three companies have lately been equipped with the webbing belt.