Annual report of the Adjutant-General of the state of North Carolina for the year ... |
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Library of the University of North Carolina Endowed by the Dialectic and Philan th ropic Societies V < \-l \ wersity 0jf V/ai Case. Siaelf tJt&f /ttt i UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL 00032749143 FOR USE ONLY IN THE NORTH CAROLINA COLLECTION 28957 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL, OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, FOR THE YEAR 1878. TO THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. RALEIGH: RALEIGH NEWS, STATE PRINTER AND BINDER. 1879. .REPORT GENERAL HEADQUARTERS, 1 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. • Adjutant-General's Office, [ Raleigh, December 31, 1878. J To His Excellency, Zebulon B. Vance, Governor and Com-mander- in- Ch ief : gIE, :—In obedience to law, I have the honor of making the following report from this Department for the year 1878 : The exhibits appended hereto contain a register of the mili-tary force of the State ; an abstract of the muster rolls, a statement of the receipt and disbursement of ordnance and ordnance stores ; a statement of all the military stores issued to North Carolina by the United States since 1860 ; and the general orders promulgated during the current year. I inspected companies A, B, C, D and K, of the First Regiment ; companies E, F, H and I, of the Second Regi-ment, and companies A, D, and F, of the Fourth Battalion. With the exception of K, of the First Regiment, and D, and F, of the Fourth Battalion, the discipline and military bear-ing and appearance of these companies was excellent. I found the arms and accoutrements of all of them, generally ifi good condition. I was unable to visit and inspect the rest of the command. It is a duty that ought to be performed ; the law requires it ; but while the compensation attached to the office of Adjutant General remains at a mere nominal figure, not at all com-mensurate with the duties imposed, some of the most im-portant of these duties must necessarily be but partially per-formed, or left altogether undone. More than fifty thousand dollars worth of ordnance is now in the hands of the troops. IV ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT- GENERAL. Most of the rifles are of the very latest improved breech-loading patterns, worth eighteen dollars apiece; and i\ i the interest of the State that all due rare and oversight be e :ercised for their preservation. Aji encampment of the First and Second Regiments, the First and Second Battalions, Infantry, and the First Battal-ion, Artillery, was held at Raleigh in October, in response to an invitation from the authorities of the State Agricul-tural Society, and in obedience to the orders of your Excel-lency. The encampment began on Tuesday, the 14th, and lasted five days. Tents and all necessary camp equipage, v furnished by the United Stales, in compliance with a joint resolution of Congres iassedin June, 1878, for this e purpose. The bond for these stores \ ,200, given by your Excellency, with Maj. James W. Wilson and Col. Samuel McD. Tate as sureties, as required by the Secretary of War. The freight charges were paid by the United Sta1 so that, with the exception of a small expense for (Irel-and packing, &c., this encampment was held without exp< io the State. The Railroad and Steamboat Companies were liberal and public-spirited enough to grant free transportation to all the troops. The contingent expenses were borne by private con-tribution, the men providing their own rations. Your Excellency can bear testimony to the line appearance, soldi; rly-bearing and excellent discipline of the corps. The behavior of the men throughout the week was admirable. Regular discipline was maintained ; dress parade was held every evening ; the camp was thoroughly guarded; and all the duties imposed by your Excellency's order and the regu-lations and laws governing the State Guard, wore cheerfully performed. At the expiration of the five days the tents were struck, re-packed, and, together with the rest of the borrowed stores, were promptly returned to the United States authorities at Jefferson, hid., without loss or damage. Only two companies were disbanded during the year, namely: company K, Broad Creek Rifles, Lsl Regiment; and ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. V company A, Rowan Eifle Guard, 3rd Battalion. Their arms were surrendered and returned to the State Arsenal, in good order. A rigid enforcement of the law would result in the dis-arming and disbandment of a number of companies. I have thought it best, and have so advised your Excellency from time to time, that indulgence he shown to all companies which manifest a disposition to make due efforts to increase their numbers to the minimum standard fixed by the statute. Unassisted by the government in the purchase of uniforms, rent of armories, and other expenses, the public-spirited men who undertake to build up volunteer companies, find the task one of considerable difficulty. As long as they continue their endeavors to reach the legal standard, to bear down on them with the law would be harsh, ruinous and unwise. An important and significant court-martial was held in Wilmington on the 10th of December, under orders of Gen. M. P. Taylor, commanding the Second Brigade. The detail for the court was made up entirely of colored officers. Captain A. B. Lind, commanding company '"A" and Captain Solo-mon W. Nash, commanding company " B," 5th Battalion, (colored,) were arraigned upon charges of conduct unbecom-ing officers and gentlemen, and pr j ' - 1 to good order and military discipline. The specification was that these officers attempted to malign the character of the Lieutenant-Colonel commanding the battalion, and used language calculated to engender had feeling between the white and. colored races. Captain Lind was convicted, and Captain Nash accjuitted. The proceedings were well conducted, and the verdict de-monstrated the readiness of the colored officers to punish those of their own race who act in a manner unbecoming their official stations, or seek to stir up strife or ill-will be-tween the races. The proceedings and findings of this court furnish a hopeful Sign for the future of the colored branch of the militia, and one worthy of commendation. The State Guard has steadily increased in numbers, dis-cipline and efficiency, notwithstanding the many discourage-ments which it has encountered. Beginning in March, 1877, VI ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. with sixteen, it now numbers forty-three armed companies. During the presenl ' ven new companies were ac-cepted, and applications from several more were received. The new companies were organized with two battalions of infantry—the First and Second—with the exception of the "Kinston Rifles," assigned to the 1st Eegin as company K, in place of the Broad Creek Rifles, disbanded; and the "East Raleigh Guard." assigned to the Fourth Battalion, (colored.) So that the State Guard, to-day, consists of two white regiments of infantry, of ten companies each, completely or-ganized, armed and equipped; two battalions of infantry, (white)—one of six companies and the other of four; one battalion of light artillery, two batteries, eight guns, and two battalions of infantry, (colored)—one of six companies and the other of five. The aggregate strength of the corps, on December 31st, 1877, was fcOSi officers and men. To-day it is £,2UJ. ' 2- ' The companies are distributed among the counties aa fol-lows : New Hanover 6 Wake 5 Craven 4 Halifax 2 Anson 2 Martin I Beaufort 1 Chowan 1 Lenoir 1 Iredell 1 Cleaveland 1 Mecklenburg 5 tnberland 4 Wayne 2 Orange 2 Edsecombe 1 Pitt 1 Washington . 1 Pasquotank 1 Forsyth e 1 Lincoln 3 Warren 1 Total 45 Two of these companies are not yet armed, our supply of ordnance for the current year being exhausted. Thirty-four are white and eleven colored. The colored companies arc distributed as follows: Wake 3 Cumberland 2 Meck'enburg 1 New Hanover 2 Craven 2 Wayne I Total n ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. VII The condition of the State Guard is, in general, very good; but to improve it, to push it to a still higher degree of effi-ciency, to bring it up to that standard of strength and excel-lence which it is entirely capable of attaining, and which would render it equal to any emergency likely to arise, it is absolutely necessary that assistance be rendered—either by the State or Federal government. The expense of forming and maintaining volunteer compa-nies is heavy. Thus far the burden has been cheerfully borne by the individual members of the State Guard, assisted some-times by their friends : but how much longer they will con-tinue to bear the burden cheerfully, is a question worthy of grave consideration by those who have in keeping the welfare, safety and honor of North Carolina. These citizen-soldiers must constitute our main reliance in time of danger. When the law fails, the duty of upholding and vindicating the institutions of the country will devolve upon them: on them must the chief Executive largely depend to maintain law and order. In case of riot or insurrection, they would be the first called upon to imperil their lives in de-fence of the lives and property of the citizens of the State. They form our surest safeguard against mob violence, and the only nucleus on which to rally the military power of the State in case of war. Is it extravagant, tben, to say that all classes of citizens have an equal interest in keeping up this organization ? Is it asking too much to expect the State to share the burden of its maintenance ? Would it be wise to suffer the military spirit which animates the young men of North Carolina to become extinguished by any sordid or mistaken notion of public economy? Would it not be worse than folly for the State authorities to ignore or fail to encourage that laudable spirit of patriotism—that State pride—which stirs men in time of peace, to make preparation to serve their country in time of peril? The State Guard has been established and advanced to its present efficient condition at a cost, to its members, of abont forty thousand dollars. To keep it u , on its present basis. VIII ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. y must spend abcut ten thousand dollars a year. A part, if not the whole of this expense, should be borne by the State, The companies should be helped in the matter of armory snts and in the purchase of uniforms. They need knapsacks, canteens, overcoats, and blankets. Means should be supplied for an encampment once a year. The incidental expenses of brigade, regimental and company commanders, necessarily incurred in the proper discharge of their duties, should be paid. A code of regulations for the government of the State Guard should be made and published. These are the principal needs just now. Should nothing be done towards supplying them. I am not prepared to say that North Carolina will long have an effective force to rely on in emergencies. I am very sure that I speak the senti-ments of full three thousand young men of North Carolina now enrolled in the State Guard, when I say that all they ask is such a just and reasonable recognition of the obligations of service which they have taken upon themselves as will en-able them to keep up an organization sufficient in strength and efficiency for the needs of the State, and altogether worthy the name and fame of North Carolina. MILITIA SYSTEM. With a perfected State Guard, the Militia system of North Carolina would still be incomplete. The old Militia law is practically a dead letter. The system which it sought to establish was impracticable from the first. The plan of or-ganizing, arming and drilling all the able-bodied men of the country, was really never well adapted to the wants of our government, as experience has fully demonstrated. Our new law provides only for volunteer companies, and does not es-tablish a militia system proper. North Carolina should i tainly have a perfect militia system—one adapted to the times, the condition of affairs, and the advancement of mili-tary seience. Why. it may be asked, should we have any militia at all? We arc at peace with ourselves, our neighbors and all the world. Where is the need of military? ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. IX The answer is plain. There may arise occasions for the use of military. We may have riots or insurrection. The civil authorities might be unable, sometime, to execute the laws without the aid of soldiers. We might have war. To use the language of John Adams, " the delightful imagina-tions of universal and perpetual peace, have often amused but have never been credited by me." Burke said: "War is the matter that fills all history;" and George Washington said to Congress in 1793: "The United States ought not to indulge a persuasion that, contrary to the order of human wants, they will forever keep at a distance those painful ap-peals to arms, with which the history of every other nation abounds." The history of this country proves the wisdom of Washington's words. Since the Eevolution, the United States has been at war, or in danger of war, in 1799 with France, in 1812 with England, in 1830 with South Carolina, in 1836 with France, in 1838 with the Indians in Florida, in 1839 with England and the Canadas, in 1842 with England, in 1846 with Mexico, in 1846 with England, in 1861 the war of Secession, in 1873 the Modoc war, in 1873 with Spain, and in 1877 the Electoral difficulty; to say nothing of the troubles on the Mexican border and the continued outbreaks of In-dians in tne West. Then, there are the great riots of 1877, which, starting in West Virginia, swept like a tornado of blood and flame over Maryland and Pennsylvania, and threatened New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. In all of those States the militia were called out. In two of them the Regular Army had to be employed. The Governor of Penn-sylvania says in his message for 1878 that five times within seven years the militia of that State was callsd out to support law and order. The military power of New York had to be exercised in 1871 to put down lawless riots. The National Guard of Ohio was called on in 1876 to restore order in several counties of that State. Several times since the war the citi-zen- soldiery of New Orleans have taken the field to vindicate the rights of the people. In nearly every State of the Union disturbances of one kind or another have compelled a resort to military force. To-day a portion of the State Guard of B X ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. Kentucky is in the field operating against the lawless elements of a disturbed county. Judging, then, of the future by the past, the conviction forces itself upon us that the country is liable at all times to war, riot and insurrection. Is it not the par:, therefore, of true wisdom and statesmanship, to estab-lish such a militia system as will enable the State to exert its power effectively for the preservation of law and order when-ever occasion requires? If the State has no militia of her own to call on for the suppression of domestic violence, she will be left powerless — unless the Legislature or the Governor, when the Legislature cannot be convened, applies to the President of the United States to order the Federal army into the State. The latter alternative is not in accordance with the sentiment of our people ; it is subversive of the spirit of our institutions; and should never be resorted to, under any circumstances, until every effort of home defense has been exhausted. A government, to be worthy of the name, must possess a power back of its laws to secure their enforcement. Without material force, capable of being called promptly to its aid, in case of emergency, the executive brauch of the government is liable, at any time, to find itself utterly powerless to enforce its authority or protect its citizens from violence, as was the case with tiie Governors of West Virginia and Maryland iu July, 1877, when a few thousand unorganized strikers set the authority of those chief magistrates at defiance, and fo; them to call on the national government for aid. In the language of the Federalist, " the idea of governing at all times by the simple force of law, has no place but in the rev-eries of those political doctors whose sagacity disdains the admonitions of experimental instructions." The organic law of this land, both Federal and State, re-quires a well-regulated militia. The constitution assumes the existence of such a force in every State. For it declares that Congress shall have power to call forth the militia, and to provide for organizing, arming and disciplining it, designa-ting the President as commander-in-chief when it is called into the actual service of the United States. That instrument ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL XI also declares that a well regulated militia is necessary to the security of a free State. What says the constitution of North Carolina ? The orig-inal chart, framed in 1776, assumed the existence of a militia organization, for it declared that the Senate and House of Commons should have power to appoint the general and field officers, and appointed the Governor captain-general of the militia, with power to call them out. The militia system then in vogue originated in the earliest colonial days. In 1712 Governor Hyde called out the militia to chastise the Indians who had massacred planters on the Koanoke, Chowan, Neuse and Trent rivers. In 1754 there were 15,400 militia enrolled and organized in North Carolina, In 1775 Colonel Thomas Polk, as commandant of the militia of Mecklenburg, assembled delegates from each militia com-pany of that county, and promulgated the Declaration of In-dependence of May 20th, 1775. The Legislature of North Carolina, in 1786, in the pream-ble to the act establishing a militia, declared that " In all re-publican governments a well regulated militia is highly ne-cessary for the defence and safety thereof." The Constitution under which we live to-day, true to the ideas that prevailed with our forefathers, and in consonance with the principles embodied in the Federal Constitution, de-clares that "a well-regulated militia is necessarv to the secu-nty of a free State. It goes further and positively enjoins the establishment of a militia ; making all able-bodied citizens of the State, between the ages of 21 and 40 years, who are citi-zens of the United States, with certain exceptions, liable to duty in the militia, and declaring that "the General Assem-bly shall provide for the organizing, arming, equipping and disciplining of the militia, and for paying the same when called into active service," investing the Governor with power to call out the militia "to execute the law, suppress riots or insurrections, and to repel invasion ;" and granting the Leg-islature power " to enact laws that may be expedient for the government of the militia." The laws of Congress, section 1625, Revised Statutes, says: " Every able-bodied citizen of the respective States, resi- XII ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DAJUTANT GENERAL. dent therein, who is of the age of 18 years and under the age of 45 years, shall be enrolled in the militia." Section 1630, of the same law, declares: "The militia of each State shall be arranged into divisions, brigades, regi-ments, battalions and companies, as the Legislature of the State may direct;" and section 1636 says, " it shall be the duty of the Adjutant General in each State to make return of the militia of the State, with their arms, accoutrements and ammunition, agreeably to the provisions of the law, to the President of the United States, annually on or before the first Monday in January." And to aid the States in complying with this law, an annual appropriation of $200,000 is made "for the purpose of providing arms and equipments for the whole body of the militia." The fact that our fundamental laws enjoin the formation and maintenance of a well-regulated militia in each State, ought to be reason enough to convince us of the necessity of having such a force in North Carolina and of the duty of the law-making power in the premises. But there are other reasons why this should be done. A good militia is the only proper substitute for a regular army. If we have not the former we are sure to have the latter, with a constant tendency to its enlargement. Madison said: "As the greatest danger to liberty is from large standing armies, it is best to prevent them by an effectual provision for a good militia." And again: "As auxiliary to a regular force for a large one in time of peace, a disciplined militia forms an essential part of a republican system, it being certain that liberty cannot be safe with powerful standing armies nor in danger without them, and that without an effective militia, the danger of such armies cannot be pre-cluded." North Carolina has always been jealous of standing armies. Of the thirteen original States, this State and Pennsylvania were the only two whose State constitutions contained inter-dictions of standing armies in time of peace. The interdic-tion, contained in the Declaration of Rights made at Halifax, December 17th, 1776, was in these words: "As standing armies in time of peace are dangerous to liberty, they ought ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL XIII not to be kept up." A small standing army is now recognized as a necessity for the purposes of the general government, but if it is to be relied on to protect the States against domestic violence, and perform the duty devolved by our organic laws upon the militia, it must be increased in size. So that if we would prevent the burden and the danger of a large standing army the militia must be rendered effective. Again, a good militia system is necessary, if we would foster the military spirit of the land, and preserve among us a knowledge of military science and tactics. There is a steady advancement in the science. If we would not get behindhand we must have a force of well organized and disciplined State troops as a means of military instruction. In no other way can we have men educated to be inteligent and efficient officers, capable of taking command in emergencies. The incalculable value of a good militia was effectually demonstrated in the Northern States during the great strike of 1877. It was seen that in a State where there was no militia, the Governor was utterly powerless to suppress the violence; that in those States where the militia was poorly organized and disciplined, the chief executives had to appeal to the President of the United States for the aid of the regu-lar army; but that in those States which had well-regulated militias, backed by wise and generous laws, the peace was pre-served, the lives and property of lhe citizens protected, and the majesty of the law upheld, without the aid of the nation-al forces. These lessons were not lost upon the country. Many of the States have promptly improved their militia systems, and others are disposed to follow the example. The idea, em-phasized by the events of 1877, has taken wide hold upon the public mind that each State must rely upon itself for the maintenance of law and order within its own borders, and to this end must have a well regulated militia. Senator Coke, of Texas, crystallized the prevalent ideas on this subject in the following language, in a speech in Congress last winter: "An organized and disciplined militia in each State, pro-perly armed and equipped, will furnish a reliable home force subject to the order of the State authorities, sufficient for all XIV ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT- GENERAL emergencies, and take away all occasion or necessity for calls upon the national authority for aid. The period has arrived in the history of this country when, by reason of the increas-ed and rapidly increasing density of population, with its ac-companying facilities for combination by the dangerous ele-ments of society, when the general welfare requires that each State shall be possessed of the means for maintaining law and order and the security of life and property within its borders.'5. It may not be amiss in considering this subject to recur to the riews, opinions, warnings and suggestions of some of the fathers and founders of this Republic. Alexander Hamilton recognized a well regulated militia as " the most natural defence of a free country/' and "the guar-dian of the national security." When "Washington handed in his resignation at the close of the war, 1783, he addressed a letter to the Governor of every State, in which he said: Third. " The adoption of a proper peace establishment, in which care should be taken to place the militia throughout the Union on a regular, uniform, and efficient footing. The militia of this country must be considered as the palladium of our security and our first effectual resort in case of hos-tility." At the opening of the session, 1793, he said: ''They (the militia) may be trained to a degree of energy equal to every exigency of the United States." Again, in 170-4: " The devising and establishing of a well-regulated militia would be a genuine source of legislative honor, and a perfect title to public gratitude." Again, in 1793, he said: "If we desire to avoid insr.lt, we must be able to repel it ; if we desire to secure peace, one of the most powerful instruments of our rising prosperity, it must bo known that we are at all times ready for war." In the introduction to General Knox's report on the militia, revised by Washington, is the following : "While the human character remains unchanged, and society and governments of considerable extent are formed, a principle ever ready to execute the laws and defend the States must constantly exist. Without this vital principle, the government would be in- ANNUAL BEPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. XV vadecl or overturned and trampled upon by the bold and am-bitious. No community can be long held together, unless its arrangements are adequate to its probable exigencies." John Adams, in a letter to a French abbe who desired ma-terials for a history of the American Revolution, writes: " That there are four institutions which must be thoroughly studied and fully examined by any one who would write un-derstandingly upon the subject ; for these institutions have had a decided effect, not only in the first determination of debates in the public councils, and the earliest resolutions for forcible resistance, but also in the influence they had upon the other colonies in furnishing an example for the adoption, more or less, of the same institutions, and similar measures. These four institutions are, first, the towns; second, the churches ; third, the schools ; fourth, the militia. Here, sir, you have a slight sketch of that wisdom and council, and that skill and military bravery, which have produced the Ameri-can Revolution ; and whicn I hope will be sacredly preserved as the foundation of the liberty, happiness, and prosperity of the people." Jefferson, in his inaugural address, in 1801, said : "The only force which can be ready at every point, and competent to oppose them (the invaders) is the body of neighboring cit-izens as formed into militia. On these, collected from the parts most convenient, in numbers proportioned to the in-vading foe, it is best to rely, not only to meet the first attack, but if it threatens to be permanent, to maintain the uefense until regulars may be engaged to relieve them. These con-siderations render it important that we should, at every ses-sion, continue to amend the defects which from time to time show themselves in the laws for regulating the militia, until they are sufficiently perfect. Nor should we now, or at any time separate, until we can say we have done every thing for the militia which we could do, were an enemy at our door." In 1803, he urges the ''importance and indispensable neces-sity of vigorous exertions on the part of State Governments to carry into effect the militia system adopted by the National Legislature, in a manner best calculated to insure such a de gree of military discipline and knowledge of tactics as will XVI ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. under the auspices of a benign Providence render the militia a sure and permanent bulwark of national defense." In 1808 he affirms: '-For a people who are free, and who mean to remain so, a well organized and armed militia is their best security." Shall the counsels of the fathers of the Republic be further neglected in North Carolina? Shall the lessons of experience and the examples of other States pass unheeded? Or shall we not, rather, be true to the principles and the plan of our government, and establish an effective militia system? Whatever system we adopt should be thoroughly adapted to North Carolina, her wants, her means, and the spirit of her people, and thoroughly consonant with the fundamental law. Therefore, it should not be a mercenary body. The consti-tution of the United States provides that " no State shall, without the consent of Congress * * keep troops." The employment of a hired soldiery is contrary to the genius of our free institutions. The system should not be expensive. A costly militia establishment is unnecessary. It should not be burdensome to the people, as was the old system. Requiring the whole arms-bearing population to muster several times a year was a hardship that ought never to be revived. Nor should any new system which we may adopt require the organizing, arming, equipping and training of all the men liable to militia duty, as was attempted under the old regime. Such a project would be impracticable, and even if capable of being carried into execution it would be intolerable. I propose that the militia of North Carolina be divided into two separate and distinct classes, the active and the inactive. I would have the active militia a select corps, composed en-tirely of volunteers, organized upon the plan of the regular army, made thoroughly efficient, restricted to a moderate size, say five thousand (5,000) men, and subject to be called on first on all occasions for military service. The inactive militia to be enrolled, but to be liable to no active duty in time of peace, except when called out by the ANNUAL REPORT OF THEADJUTANT-GENERAL. XVII Governor "to execute the law, suppress riots or insurrection, and to repel invasion, " as directed by our Constitution ; and not to be organized, armed, equipped or disciplined, except when ordered into actual service. All the active militia to be embodied in the State Guard, and the inactive to be designated the Reserve Militia. To aid the school fund auy person liable to duty in the militia might be exempted from enrolment upon the payment of one dollar, annually; the fund so raised to go to the school fund of the county, as directed by the Constitution, Article IX, section 5. The active militia, or State Guard, should be perfectly or-ganized, upon snch principles as will best fit it, for service in case of need. The races should be kept separate throughout the organization. Thecompanes, troops, batteries, battalions, regiments and brigades should be organized in accordance with the regula-tions of the United States army, and drilled by the prescribed tactics. They should be supplied with the best ordnance, and equip-ments of the best improved patterns. The men should have all the equipments complete for active, continuous and independent service. When put into the field they should not be forced to undergo greater privations than soldiers of the regular army. It is important that the men become familiar with the use of the improved firearms, and be good marksmen. The value of the soldier, in battle, under the latest modes of warfare, is determined more by his marksmanship, perhaps, than any thing else. Plenty of ammunition for target practice should be furnished. The corps should be well drilled and disciplined. To this end frequent drills should be required; suitable armories should be furnished by the State or by the counties in which the companies are located ; books of tactics should be sup-plied; only competent officers should be commissioned ; and penal laws should be framed so as to enable officers to control their men more readily. For instance, the civil power should aid in the execution of the sentences of courts-martial, the c XVIII ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. collection of fines, &c, where necessary; and certain offences against good order and discipline should be made misde-meanors punishable in the civil courts. Many of the States have penal laws of this kind in support of their military. The State Guard should be practiced in field and camp duty, and afforded opportunity lor regimental or battalion drill. To this eud, annual encampments should be held. The expenses of maintaining this corps should be borne in part, if not in whole, by the government; and the individual members of it should be exempted from some of the burdens of the government, as I have before shown. In short, such a body should be cherished by the State as an honored and honorable institution, and nothing should be left undone to render it efficient and permanent. When it becomes necessary to call out the Reserve Militia, I would have the Governor direct his order to the sheriff of the county to assemble the enrolled men of his county by proclamation or summons, and draft as many thereof, or ac-cept as many volunteers, as the order of the commander-in-chief requires ; the forces so obtained to be organized upon the same plan as the State Guard ; and I would invest the Governor with power to appoint at least one officer in each company, and one field officer in each regiment or battalion, from the most deserving and capable men of the State Guard. The enrolment of the inactive militia should be made an-nually by the assessors at the time they are engaged in list-ing the taxes. Very simple machinery would be necessary to accomplish this. For the government of the militia, in active service, it would be well to have the Articles of War declared in force in this State, in time of war, riot or insurrection, or invasion. The army regulations ought also to be declared in force, as far as applicable to our militia system, the commander-in-chief to be the judge of their applicability. To advance the State Guard to a maximum of five thousand men, arms should be obtained more rapidly from the general government. To this end I would suggest that our Senators and Representatives in Congress be requested to urge an in-crease of the annual appropriation from $200,000 to $1,000,000. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. XIX North Carolina's quota of the present appropriation (14,- 797.85,) is sufficient for the arming and equipping of only four companies of infantry each year. I would also suggest that the attention of our Congressmen be called to the fact that an act of Congress, entitled ; 'an act making appropriations for the support of the army for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1876, and for other purposes,' ratified March 3d, 1875, provided that so much of the appro- 1 nation for arming and equipping the militia, between the 1st of January, 1861, and the 9th of April, 1865, under the act of April 23d, 1808, "as would have been used for the purchase of arms to be distributed to the several States that were in rebellion, shall be covered into the Treasury of the United States;" that under this act a charge was raised against the quota due the State of North Caroliua of $23,622,25; that the Chief of Ordnance, in his annual report for 1877, has re-commended that further legislation be asked of Congress with the view of removing the injustice done our State, along with two or three others, by its enactment; and that the restitution of this lapsed quota is very desirable. In conclusion, permit me to express to your Excellency my thanks for the readiness you have at all times shown to aid and strengthen me in the performance of my duties. The entire' State Guard will join me in saying that you have made it possible for North Carolina to have a military organization of which she may feel proud, and on which she may safely rely in the hour of need, and that you have made it possible for suitable legislation for the encouragement and maintenance of the State Guard and establishment of a complete militia system for North Carolina. I have the honor to be, Very respectfully, Your obedient servant, JOHNSTONE JONES, Adjutant General. APPENDICES ACCOMPANYING THE :r/e:fo:r/t OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. APPENDICES ACCOMPANYING THIS REPORT. A. Register of the Military Force of the State. B. Abstract of Muster Rolls for the year 1878. C. Statement of the Receipt and Disbursement of Ord-nance and Ordnance Stores. D. Statement of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores issued by the United States from 1860 to 1877 to the State of North Carolina. E. General Orders issued during the year 1878. ( A ) REGISTER OF THE JV1ILITA.RY force OF THE STATE..OF NORTH CAROLINA. COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF : GOVERNOR ZEBULON B. VANCE. Staff of the Commander-in-Chief: NAME. 2 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. Register of Military Force—Continued. Company Officers: NAME OF COMP V. A. Cape Fear Light Artillery. B. Raleigh Light Artillery. W. M. Russ. NAME OF OFFICER. Walter G. MacRae. Richard W. Price.. James Corbett Eugene A. Maffltt. RANK. Captain. 1st Lt, 2d Jr. 2d " DATE OP KANK. Jan. 10th, 1878 May 2^1, 1st Lt . May 20th, 1878, Raleigh RESIDENCE. Wilmington. FIRST BRIGADE. Brigadier General Basil 0. Manly STAFF : NAMES. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. 3 Register of Military Force—Continued. Company Officers : XAMEOFCOMFY A. Raleigh Light Infantry. B. Newbern Grays. C. JBlm City Rifle men. D. i ioldsboro Rifles. E. >rai g Guards. Edgecombe Guards. G. Washington Light Infantry H. Hamilton Guards. I. Albemarle Rifles. K. Kinston Rifles. NAME OF OFFICER. Francis H. Cameron. Donald W. Bain John R. Ferrall JohnT. Pullen Frank M. Agostme.. (4reen Bryan J. Frontis Ives Wm. A. Downing Wm.J. Street Edward R. Page Frank W. Hancock.. Samuel R. Street Wm. H. II. Cobb.... T. Howard Bain Wm. T. Hollowed.... Edward T. Hudson . . Benehan Cameron... A.J. Gordon W. Anderson E. Rosemond , JohnL. Bridgers, Jr Exum Lewis Henry K. Nash, Jr. R.J. Porter D. N. Bogart Chas. F. Warren... Edward Long RANK. N. H. Sebrell M. I. House W. H. Everett Abner Brown Henry G. Lewis Stuart L. Johnson. .. Edgar 14. Latham John W. Newbry Richard II. Lewis Henry Tull G. E. Miller W. F. Stanley Captain, 1st Lt. d Jr. 2d •' Captain. 1st Lt 2d Jr. 2d " Captain. 1st Lt. 2d Jr. 2d " Captain. 1st Lt. 2d •' Jr. 2d •' Captain. 1st Lt. 2d Jr. 2d " Captain. 1st Lt. 2d Jr. 2d " Captain. 1st Lt 2d path: of rank. Dec. 17, 1878, Aug. 3rd, 187?, k .i tt <t ic M Oec. 20, 18J7, Jan. 4, 1878, Sept. 20th, " Jan. i, " Keb'y 1st, •' 44 (( 44 Aug. 12, •i i. « May 16, Feb'y 25, 1877, RESIDENCE. Raleigh. Newbern, Captain. 1st Lt 2d Jr. 2d " ( laptain. 1st Lt. a Jr. 2d " iptain. 1st Lt. 2d Jr 2d " Jan. 21st, 1878, 44 41 Aug*. ID, Jan. 31st, 6| 44 ( (4 44 (< It Sept. 23rd, " Sept 8, Dec. 6. 1*74 3877 A.ug. Vu\ Vug. 25, 187a, Goldsboro. ci 44 44 Hillsboro. 44 tt 11 Tarhoro. <* Washington. it it Hamilton. • 1 I; Plymouth. 44 11 Kinston. FIRST BATTALION OF INFANTRY. FIELD AND STAFF: NA^lE. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. Register of Militar • I Company NAME ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT- GENERAL. 5 Register of Military Force—Continued. Oompaf y Officers : 1 6 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. Register of Military Force—Continued. Company Officers : NAME OP COMP'T. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. Register of Military Force��Continued. Company Officers : NAMEOFCOMP'Y 8 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL (B) ABSTRA C T OP MUSTEK ROLLS FOR THE YEAR 1878. FIRST BATTALION OF ARTILLERY. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL 9 Abstract of Muster Rolls—Continued. FIRST BATTALION OF INFANTRY. 10 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. RECAPITULATION BY DISTRICTS. FIRST DISTRICT. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT- GENERAL. - — * S Mii^S - OS -. — . " w. S" n- oc 12 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL oo W 9 Eh 09 PO •pjo^s' s.adOiyo •SJdUllJJ UOI-PU^ 'JjpA^OjJ 'saSpiJjJ'B;") uTjg o .to-Osioc o • t- -r • p; -? cc :c w .© . t — •CO OS IK) 's.\-p!.u.iL',) n^a O C ' •SUdO'JUWO •spaoAVg o \M •sSuiis-uno •ssitiia ;i<jg ;slbav sjiaaisiUAV •J8lHt!t) r I •ireuig 'saxog gSpij^JUO 'saxog oSpi.tjaur) '19 'POM '8S T«0 •si, poro 'sr ii-'j •89. 'PON '05 'I«0 .o •» '99. 'P°M 'OS T«J ft w OD OJ § o •+-< : c •+j . to •3 : >> • • u • ;-g^B : :gga 3«.M-S<B>2>3!.HJ!PSP.' SflS'iR ,e ^ 4) K ^^^ : S3 • :S : . (O . : 2 : :£ oi •^ >» oS • «> £ .^— ™M u^ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. 13 14 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. (D) STATEMENT OF ORDNANCE AND ORDNANCE STORES THE STATE OF Dr. The State of North Carolina in account with the i. Equipping DATE OP ORDER. January 17th, I860. March 2d, 1860 February 4th, 1861. July 2l)th, 1870 October 12, 1871.. July 16th, 1872. November 9th, 1874. March 22(1,1875. April 17th, 1875. November 1st, 1875. December 3, 1875. January 4th, 1876. October 14th, 1876. December 7th, L876. February 23d, 1877.. STORES ISSUED. Balance 311 long range rifles, mod. 1855, 7 Ballet moulds and swage 334 Long- Range Rifles, 5010 E. B. Cartridges, cal. 574, per 1,000 $13.50 595 Spring. B. L. R. Muskets, mod. Or. Cal. 50, $22.80 15,000 Metallic Cartridges, cal. 50 15,000 Blank Cartridges, cal. 50, $20 270 Spring-. B. L. R. Muskets, mod. '68, cal. 50. $22.80 200 sets Infantry Accoutrements, $4.60, 5,00(1 Metallic Ball Cartridges, cal. :> 4 Light 12 p'dr Bronze Guns, $566 4 Pendulum Hausses, $3.25 8 Seta Art'y Harness, 2 wh., $90 8 Sets Art'y Harness, 2 lead, $85 300 Sets Infantry Accoutrements, $2 3C0 Spring-. B. L. R. Muskets, mod. '70, cal. 50, $18 4 Light 12 p'd'r Carriages and Linbers, C. and R., 82^0 4 Light 12 p'd'r Caisonsand Linbers, C. and R., S2i 8 Pole Pads, $2.50 8 pairs Pole Straps Implements and Equipments for 4 12-pounder Carriages Implements and Equipments for 4 12-pounder Caissons, $65.71 300 Gun-slings, lengthened, .60 8 N. C. O. Swords, leather scab'ds, $4.50 Apportionment from January 1st, to „April 9th, 1805, charged as per section 3 of Act of March 3, 1875— iGO Spring. B. L. R. Muskets, mod. 68, cal. 50, C. and R., $15 40 Light Arl illerv Sabres, $5 40 Art'y Sabre Belts and Plates, 51.86.. 60 N. C. O. Swords, $4.50 500 Friction Primers, per 1000$18 60 Bayonet Scabbards, leal tier, $1.15. . . 60 Cartridge Boxes and Plates, $1.23. . . 60 Cartridge Box Belts and Plates, gr'd lea., .68 60 Gun-slings, .60 6 > Waist Belts and Plates, privates, .50 60 Tompions, Spring., mod. 1808 100 Spring. Muskets, mod. 63, cal. 50, C. and R., $15....: 200 Bets Infantry Equipments, pat. 1872. $10.91 4 Waist Belt sand Plates, privates, .50 400 Bayonet Scabbards, steel, .ill 400 Gun-slings, .60 400 Cartridge Boxes, $1.23 400 Spring. B. L. Muskets, mod. cal. 50, C. and R..$15 Balance due. the. State VALUE. 2 00 I 00 7J (0 5,890 00 675 00 13,566 0f> 4 00 300 00 6,156 00 920 i'0 150 00 1 (0 13 ''0 s 00 8' 00 40 00 282 40 262 n 6 ) 23,622 25 6,000 00 200 00 270 CO 9 00 27 00 40 B0 36 o 1,500 00 200 ! '0 240 00 - (0 i 00 li.. o; ^l 101,398 30 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. 1 5 (D) ISSUED BY THE UNITED STATES FROM 1860 TO 1877 TO NORTH CAROLINA, States under the Act of April 231, 1808, for Arming and Or. tlic Militi . DATE. January 1. I860. March 2, 1866... January 1st, 1861. " 1862. " 1863. " 1864. " 1865. " 1866. " 1867. " 1868. " 1869. " 1810. " 1871., July 1st, 1871 1872. 1873. 1874. May 10th, 1875. July 1st, 1875. July 1st, 1876. APPORTIONMENT. Apportionment for year 1*60 6 Bullet Moulds, missing on o S. No. Apportionment for year 1861 1862 half 1863... i864... 1865... 1866... 1867... 1868... 1869... 1870... 1871... lfionment for year ending June 30th, 1872 Apportionment for fiscal year ending June 30th, 1873 Apportionment for fiscal year ending June 30th, 1874 Apportionment for fiscal year ending Juno 30th, 1875 Amount of apportionment from Janu ary 1, 1861, to April 9th, 1865, drawn prior to The passage of Act of March 3, 1875, allowed by decision of Secre tary of War Apportionment for fiscal year ending June 30th, 1876 Apportionment for fiscal year ending June 30th, 1877. AMOUNT. $ 5,486 00 64 00 5,915 00 5,566 74 5.759 08 5,014 53 4,970 8'» 4,970 80 4,970 80 4,970 80 4,927 82 4.927 82 4,927 82 2,463 91 4,927 82 4,797 85 4.797 85 12,343 21 4,797 85 4,797 85 3 101.398 30 (E.) GENERAL ORDERS ISSUED DURING 1878. General Orders ) GENERAL HEADQUARTERS, No. 20. \ State of North Carolina, Raleigh, Feb. 18th, 1878. The following is prescribed as the uniform for the general officers of the N. C. S. G. and the officers of their staff : FOR BRIGADIER GENERALS. Coat: A double breastsd frock coat of West Point Cadet grey cloth, the skirt to extend to three-fourths the distance from the hip joint to the bend of the knee; to have two rows of buttons on breast, e ght in each row, placed by twos; collar to be 1% inches in height, and of light blue velvet ; to hook in front at the bottom and slope thence up and backward at an angle of thirty degrees on each side, corners rounded ; cuffs of same material and color as col-lar. Skirt to be ornamented with six buttons. Troivsers: Light blue cloth, without stripe, welt or cord. Hat: (Full Dress); Black felt, looped up at the side, and bound with cord and acorns. Plume : Two black ostrich feathers. Gloves: Buff or white gauntlets or gloves. Sword and Scabbard : U. S; Regulation. Sivord-belt and Plate: U. S. Regulation for general officers. Epaulettes : Of gold, of the pattern prescribed for the D. S. Army. Spurs : Of yellow metal or gilt. Boots: To be worn when mounted; to come four inches above the bend of the knee. FOR THE STAFF OFFICERS. Coat: Of same color and pattern as that prescribed for Brigadier Generals, except that there are to be seven buttons in each row, placed at equal dist-ances; cuffs to be ornamented with two double stripes of gold braid, ruuning the length of the cuff, pointed at their upper ends, and with a small button on the point of each stripe. Pants : Of same color, to have a gold cord let in at each side seam. Hat: Same pattern as that of Brigadier Generals, but having plume of only one ostrich feather. Sword Belt: U. S. Regulation for staff officers. Shoulder Knots: U. S. Regulation, with proper insignia of rank on pad. By order of the Commander-in Chief, JOHNSTONE JONES, Adjutant-General. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. 17 Ohxeral Orders ) STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, No. 21. f Office Adjutaxt-General, Raleigh, March 22, 1878. I. The company officers of the Third Battalion, N, C. S.G.,are hereby warned to appear at Staiesville on Wednesday, the 10th day of April, 187S, for the elec-tion of a Major for said Battalion. II. Company D, Buncombe Kiflemen, having surrendered their arms and disbanded, 'will oe stricken from the rolls of the battalion. III. Each commissioned officer in the battalion is entitled to one vote, and may be represented by proxy in the election above ordered. The meeting-will be governed by the regulations prescribed in general order No. -1. By order of the Commander-in-Chief. JOHNSTONE JOMES, Adjutant-General. General Orders, { STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, No. 22 ) Office Adjutant-General, Raleigh, March 22, 1878. I. At elections held in accordance with General Orders No. 18, on January 10th, 1878, at Goldsboro and at Wadesboro, the following field officers were elected for one year: Richard D. Hancock, Colonel of the First Regiment. Charles W. Alexander, Colonel of the Second Regiment. John W. Cotten, Lieutenant Colonel of the First Regiment. John W. Gordon, Lieutenant Colonel of the Second Regiment. Halcot P. Jones. Major of the First Regiment. John G. Branca, Major of the Second Regiment. II. At elections held in accordance with General Orders No. 17, on Novem-ber 21st, 1877, at Goidsboro and at Wilmington, the following field officers were elected for one year : George L. Mabson, Lieutenant Colonel, Fifth Battalion, (col.) Abram Holliday, Major, Fifth Battalion, (col.) Allen G. Oden, Major, Fourth Battalion, (col.) III. In accordance with section 12 of the act organizing the State Guard, company commanders are required to transmit through the commanding offi-cers of their respective regiments or battalions, all reports, applications and communications to brigade or general headquarters. IV. The attention of company commanders is called to the following section of the law governing the State Guard: "Sec. 12. Each commander of a company shall make out each year a full and complete report of the number of men in his company, the number of parades in which the company shall have participated during the preceding year, also the amount of ordnance and ordnance stores received from the State and in possession of the c mpany, and transmit the same through regimental or bat-talion and brigade commanders of his military district, on or before the first day of April in each year, and if there be no such regimental or brigade com-manders in his district, he shall transmit said report direct to the Adjutant General of the State, under pain of a forfeiture of his commission and dishon-orable discharge from the State Guard." V. The attention of the command is also directed to the act above referred to, section 15, which reads as follows: "Sec. 15. If it appears to the commander-in-chief that a company of the State Guard has failed to comply with the requirements of the law iu matters of 4 18 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. uniform, equipment, numbers and dis-lpline, such company shall be disbanded by the commander-in-chief." The requirements of the law in the matters embraced within the above sec-tion ar" these: 1st. The members of each company must .-igu the enlistment rolls provided by this office. 2nd. The minimum standard of a company shall be forty-five don-commissioned officers and privates. 3rd. All commissioi ed officers, non-commissioned officers and privates, in the State Guard, shall pro-vide themselves with uniforms Complete, of their own choice and fashion, subject to such restrictions, limitations and a'terations us the commander-in-chief may order. AH companies which shall fail to comply with the law above set forth, within a reasonable time from the date of this cider, will be disarmed and disband, d. in accordance with the provisions Of section 15, chapter 272. Laws of 1876-'77. By oider of the Commander-in-Chief. JOHNSTONE JONES, Adjutant-General. General Orders, [ ' STATE OF ^ORTH CAROLINA, No. 23. J Office Adjutant -General, Raleigh, N. C, April 22d, 1878. Whereas, The Act for the establishment of the State Guard, Laws of J8;6-'?7, chapter 272, section 81, requires the State Guard to parade one day annually, in May, by company, battalion, or regiment. It is, therefore, Ordereu, That the white troops parade, each year, by com-pany, battalion, or regiment, as directed by the Brigadier General of their re-spective districts, on the 20th day of May, and the colored troops on the 27th day of May, until further orders from the Commander-in-Chief. Should the day so fixed fall upon Sundays, then the parades will take place on the Mon-days following. 1 ompany commanders will promptly forw rd, through regimental and brigade headquarters to this office special reports of the paradesabove order. ed, stating particularly the number of officers, non-commissioned officers and privates who appear in uniform. By order of the Commander-in-Chief : JOHNSTONE JONES, Adjutant-General. General Orders, ) STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, No. 24. ) Office Adjutant General, Raleigh, N. C, April 22d, 1878. The following is prescribed as the uniform of the Field and Staff officers of the First Battalion of Artillery : Coat.—A double-breasted frock coat, of West point Cadet Gray cloth, the skirt to extend to three-fourths distance from the hip-joint to the bend of the knee ; to have two rows of North Carolina buttons, seven to each row, placed at equal distances ; cuff and collar to be of red cloth. Cuff to be ornamented with two double stripes of gold braid, running the leugtli of the cuff, pointed at upper ends, and with a small North Carolina button on the point of each stripe. Collar to have double stripe of gold lace, with small North Carolina buttons at the points. Collar to be l 1 L; inches in height; to hook in front at bottom, and slope thence up and backward at an angle of thai. each side, comers rounded. Skirt of coat to be ornamented with six large North Carolina buttons. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT- GENERAL. 19 Trowsers.—Same color as coat ; to have a red cloth stripe 1\4 inches wide, and gold lace half an inch wide placed on each side of the stripe. Hat.—Black felt, looped up at the side, an 1 hound with cord and acorns. Plume of one hlack ostrich feather. Gloves.—Buff or white gauntlets or gloves. Sward and Scabbard.—U. S. Regulation. Sword-Belt and Plate.—U. S. Regulation. Shoulder Knots.—Red cloth on pad, with insignia of rank. Spurs.—Of yellow metal or gilt. By order of the Commander-in-Chief. JOHNSTONE JONES, Adjutant-General. General Orders, ) STA'rE OF NORTH CAROLINA, No. 25. J Office Adjutant General, Raleigh, N. C, April 23d, 1878. I. The Goldsboro "Vance Rifle Guard " and the " East Raleigh Guard," are hereby assigned to the Fourth Battalion (colored), and wT ill be designated by letter, as follows : Company E, Vance Rifle Guard, " F, East Raleigh Guard. II. The Company officers of the Fourth Battalion are hereby warned to ap-pear at Goldsboro, on Tuesday evening, May 7th, prox., for the election of a Lieutenant Colon il for said Battalion, in accordance with chapter 272, section 6, laws of 1876-77. III. Should a vacancy occur in the office of Major of this Battalion, at or be-fore the day above mentioned, the vacancy will be filled at the election above ordered. IV. This election will be conducted in accordance with the rules prescribed in General Orders No. 4. The results of the election must be promptly certi-fied to this office. By order of the Commander-in-Chief. JOHNSTONE JONES, Adj utant-General. General Orders j STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, No. 26. [ Office of Adjutant General, Raleigh, August 30th, 1878. 1. Target practice constituting an important part of military instruction, it is hereby declared a duty of the State Guard, and it is ordered that such at-tention be given to it by officers and men as will secure a high degree of pro-ficiency in this respect. For this purpose, and to insure as much uniformity as possible in company and regimental practice, the following rules will be observed : 2. All company and regimental practice shall be made under the supervision of their respective commanders. 3. Ammunition furnished by the State shall not be used as a means of in-struction in any other way than in the manner herein laid down. 4. Only military rifles, issued by the State of North Carolina, shall be used. 5. The targets will be six feet high, and in width, as follows : For 200 yards, 22 inches ; for 300 yards, 44 inches ; for 500 yards, 110 inches. 20 ANNUAL REPORT OF TEE ADJUTANT- GENERAL. 6. The couuting will be as follows: Miss—23 inehss ; Bull's Eye—9. Every shot in tt outside of the bull's eye will be counted by inches, and the fractional parts thereof, measuring from the outside of the bull s eye to the nearest side of the hole made by the shot, so that the best aggregate is the lowest number of inches. 7. The distance at which firings will be made shall be £00, -300 and 500 yards. eorreapi •iiding with ranges of the Id rifle. 8. The standard practice will be six rounds to each man, fired two at each distance, but uutil a company acquires experience, the commander may, in his discretion, cause the whole six shots to be fired at the first distan 9. A list will be n ' riug the name and score of 'eoch marksman, which list shall be re-arranged after each day's practice and conspicuously placed In the armory until the succeeding practice. 10. A company being drawn up in single rank for practice, a sergeant and corporal shall be detailed to take charge of the target, and to signal every shot to the scoring officer in ommandatthe firing point. The sergeant and cor-poral so detailed shall take their places, at a proper signal, in a pit or other suflicient shelter, in front of and to the left of the target, and near enough to enable them to see where every shot strikes. 11. The scoring officer designated by the commanding officer will keep a re-cord of the shots made at the different distances. 12. Sentinels will be placed at proper points to prevent persons becoming exposed to the firing, and every other precaution taken to prevent accident. 12. The practice will then commence. The men, in succession, beginning on the right of the company, will, at an order from the commander, take a posi-tion to lie indicated, in front of the company, and fire each their twoshots, un-less, however, the firing should be at the first distance, and the commander should deem it best that the entire six shots should be expended at such dis-tance. It. The aim and position of the soldier in firing will be, except as hereinafter directed, the same as laid down in the target practice in the Unfted States army tactics, to which reference is made for valuable instruction. 15. The ten members of a company making the highest scores are to be designated as the marksmen of the company, vacancies to be filled by the com-pany commander. 16. At the 500 yards distance the marksmen may, in the discretion of the commander, be allowed to select their position and aim, either by kneeling or lying on the ground, but in no case shall resort be had to an artificial rest for the rifie. 17. Missing the target with both shots at the first and second firing points shall debar firing at the third firing point. 18. Should ties occur in the greatest scores of a company, the commander shall cause those tieing to repeat their firing until the ten g] ores are ascertained. 19. The sergeant detailed to signal the shots will be provided with two small flags, one white and the other red—the staff to be long enough to signal from the pit. The white flag raised vertically by striking the staff into the ground, will indicate that the target is ready for firing, and no danger ; and the red flag, while so placed, will indicate cease firing, or danger. On no account is a shot to be fired when the red flag is up. 20. The sergeant will also be provided with two circular discs, nine inc in diameter, made of tin or wood—the staff, also, long enough to signal from the pit—one to be painted red on one side, and on the other white ; the other to be painted black and white on one side, and on the other side black. 21. When the target is hit, cease firing will be signaled. The sergeant will ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. 21 ascertain the location of the shot, and signal accordingly, and t lion raise the signal, ready for firing, when the officer in charge will give directions to com-mence firing. 22. The signals will be as follows: Bull's eye; signal, win Centre circle ; signal, red disc. Inner circle, white and black disc. Outer circle, black disc. Richochet, red flag waved twice right and left in front of the target- Outside of the outercircle, white Hag waved twice from right to left in front of the target. 23. After every two 1 1 red flag will ae raised and the shot holes oblit-erated by the corporal with pasted patches of the same color as that portion of the target hit. That being accomplished, the white Hag will be raised. 24. Companies should, so far as is practical I ground for practice •whH- m make as permanent for that purpose as possible. 23 . A booh shall be kept by each company in which shall be recorded the score of. s practice. This book to be subject to inspection at any time by the battalion or regimental commander, the brigadier general and the Adjutant-General. 26. The company commanders will make duplicate reports of each day's practice, giving the name of each man and his score, one of which shall be sent to the battalion or regimental commander, and ihe other through him. to the general of the brigade, who shall forward it with his annual report on De-cember 1st of each year to the Adjutant-General. 27. At all stated battalion or regimental encampments there will be a bat-talion or regimental target practice. 28. For this practice only the ten members from each company designated by the commanders there of, as the marksmen of their companies, shall be eligible. This selection must be made according to their respective records in the company score-book. 2J. The ten members of each company thus selected being the representa-tive marksmen of their respective companies, their score in this practice will indicate their company merit. The firing to commence with company "A," each man to fire six shots, two at each firing distance. 30. The practice to be conducted, as far as practicable, in the manner laid down in the directions for companies. 31. The soldier having the highest average score will be recognized as the chief marksman of the regiment or battalion, and shall be designated as such by name, in an order of the Adiutant-General, upon the report of his bat-talion or regimental commander, forwarded through, and with the approval of, the General of the lirigade. 32. Should a tie occur in the highest individual score in this practice the commander will cause those tieing to repeat their fire, until the greatest score is determined. 33. The target, signaling and scoring, shall be under the supervision of a commissioned and non-commissioned officer, detailed from the staff of the battalion or regiment for that purpose by the officer in command. 34. The regimental or battalion commander will make duplicate reports of the score, aggregated from the company reports to the general of the brigade, who will forward one of the duplicates to the Adjutant General with his an-nual report. 35. The score of each company and regiment will be recorded in a book to be kept in the office of the Adjutant General. 36. The necessary blanks and books for scores and reports will be furnished by the Adjutant General. 37. At the annual encampment of the State Guard there shall be a target 22 ANNUAL REPORT OF TEE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. practice, the time and place of which, and the commands required to partici-pate therein, to he prescribed by general order. 38. In this practice each company will lie represented by a team of five men, inclusive of officers ; this team to be selected by the company commander from the ten marksmen of the company. 39. Each member of this team will be allowed three shots. Distance—Two hundred yards (20 yards.) 40. At the appointed hour the practice will commence. The teams will fire in succession, beginning with Company A of the first regiment, then Company E, then Company C, and so on in alphabetical order. Next will follow the teams of the second regiment, in the same order, beginning with Company A ; then successively, in the same order, the teams of the several battalions, and finally the teams of unattached companies. For the colored troops, at their annual practice, the order of firing will be: First, the teams of the fourth bat-talion, beginning with Companj A; s-cond, the teams of the fifth battalion, in the same order; the teams of unattached companies. 41. The teams of each regiment or battalion will be under the command of an officer, not above the rank of maior, designated by tne commandant of such regiment or battalion, and assigned to that duty. 42. The entire practice will be under the general supervision of a field or staff officer, not under the rank of lieutenant colonel, designated by the Ad-jutant General, assigned to that duty and known as Inspector of the practice. He will see that the necessary targets, shelters, and scorers, are in readiness at the time prescribed for the practice ; that the several teams appear on the range at the hour appointed ; that the different teams practice without inter-ference with each other ; that the scores are properly kept and returned; that order is preserved ; that special care is taken to secure safety ; and generally that these regulations be observed, and all orders obeyed. He will require any member of a.iy team, who is intoxicated upon the range, or who by careless-ness or otherwise endangers others, to desist from firing, and will at once pre-fer charges against such offender, for action by the regimental court-martial. He will act as umqire in case of all disputed hits. 43. The commandant of the teams of each regiment or battalion will, upon arrival upon the range, report to the Inspector, and furnish a list of the teams of his command present ; and at the conclusion of the practice of his com-mand will forthwith report the scores to the Inspector, using the form pre-scribed for reports of company practice. 44. The Inspector, at the termination of the practice, will compare the scores, announce the result, and make a report of the practice to the Adjutant Gene-ral, with the names of the winners, together with such suggestions as he may see fit to make. 45. The Inspector wll appoint the scorers from among the commissioned officers of the line. The scorers should be men well acquainted with the duties of the position, and impartial. 46. The members of each team shall appear in the uniform of their company (full dress or fatigue), at all stated target practices. 47. All officers are reminded that it is a part of their duty to devote a rea-sonable amount of time to supervising and instructing their men in the prin-ciples of rifle practice. By order of the Governor and Commander-in-Chief : JOHNSTONE JONES, Adjutant Genu nil. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. 23 General Oudeks) STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, No. 27. > Office of Adjutant-General, IJaleiyh, October 1, 1878. I. The Winston Light Infantry, Roanoke Light Infantry, Albemarle Guards, Durham Light Int'antr.v, Jarvis Light Infantry, and Anderson Rifles, shall be constituted the First Battalion of Infantry, N. C. S. G.,and the companies shall be designated by letter, as follows : Company A, Wins on Light Infantry, " B, Roanoke Light Infantry, C, Albemarle Guards, " D, Durham Light Infantry, E, Tarvis Light Infantry, " F, Anderson Rifles. II. T e company officers of the First Battalion of Infantry are hereby warned to appear at Raleigh, at the Private Secretary's office, at 9 o'clock a, m., on the 16th day of October, 1878, for the election of a Lieutenant Colonel and a Major for said Battalion. III. The Third Battalion of Infantry is hereby disbanded, and will be stricken from the muster rolls. IV. The Cleaveland Guards, Southern Stars, Iredell Blues, and Lamb Light Infantry, shall constitute the Second Battalion of Infantry, N. C. S. G., and the companies shall be designated by letter, as follows : Company A, Cleaveland Guards, B. Southern Stars, C. Iredell Blues, D. Lamb Light Infantry. V. T e company officers of the Second Battalion of Infantry are hereby warned to appear at Raleigh, at the Private Secretary's office, at 930 a. m., on the 16th day of October. 1878, for the election of a Major for said Battalion. VI. Each commissioned officer in the respective Battalions wlli be entitled to one vote, and nay be represented by proxy in the elections above odered. The offl erg of each Battalion, upon assembling, will organize for business, the senior officer to preside, a Secreiary to be elected by the body. The names of the candidates for the position or positions to ae filled will then be put in nomination, and the members shall proceed to vote by ballot the votes to be received and the names of the voters recorded in the usual way. The candi lates receiving a majority of all the votes east shali then be de-clared elected, an i the result of the said elections shall be certified by the pre-siding officers and secretaries of the meetings and transmitted to the Adjutant General. The commanding officer of the First Battalion will then report to the Briga. dier General commanding the First District ; and the commandiug officer of the Second Battalion to the Brigadier General commanding the Second Dis-trict. VII. The Broad Creek Rifles, Company K, 1st Regiment of Infantry, and the Rowan Rifle Guards, Company A, 3rd Battalion of Infantry, having dis-banded, will be stricken from the muster rolls. VIII. Th: K'nston Rifles are hereby assigned to the First Regiment of In-fantry as Company K, and will report to Colonel R. D. Hancock, Newbern. IX. The atti ntion of the command is directed to the following section of the act establishing the State Guard: " Section 15. If it appears to the Commander-in-Chief that a company of the State Guard has failed to comply with the requirements of the law in matters 24 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT- GENERAL. of uniform, equipment, numbers, and discipline, such company shall be dis-banded by the < !ommander-in-Chief." The requirements of the law in the mattei embraced within the above sec-tion are thosp : 1st. The members of each company must regularly enlist as prescribed by general orders, ad. The minimum number of acompai forty-five non-commissioned officers and privates. 3d. All commissioned, and non-commissioned officers and privates shall provide themselves with uni-orms complete, of their own choir-,' and fashion, subject to such restrictions, limitations and alterations as the Commander-in-Chief may order. All companies that shall fail or negh-t to comply with the law above set forth, within ninety days from the date of this order, will be disarmed and disbanded, in accordance wilh the provisions of the act for the establishment of the North Carolina state Guard, Laws of l876-*77, chapter 272. By order of the Governor and Commander-in-Chief. JOHNSTONE JONES. Adjutant-General. General Orders > STATE OF NORTH OAROLIN JNo. 28. j Office of Adjutant General, Raleigh, October 3, 1878. I. The First and Second Regiments of Infantry, the First and Second Bat-talions of Infantry, and the First Battalion of Artillery, will go into camp at Raleigh, for Ave days, beginning- on Monday, the 14th inst. II. The troops will move from their respective headquarters on Monday, the 14th inst., (with the exceptions hereinafter mentioned) and will be trans-ported to Raleigh as follows : FIRST REGIMENT. Companies B and C, from NTewbern, over the A & N C R R and N C R R. Company D, from Goldsboro, over NCR R. Company E, from Hillsboro, over N C R R. Company F. from Tarboro, over W & W R R and N C R R. via Goldsboro. Company G, from Washington, over O D S s Lino, W & W R R., via Tarboro and N C R R. Company H, from Hamilton, over W & W R R., via Tarboro and N C R R. Company I, from Plymouth, over Albemarle S N Lino, SHIRR., and R St G R R., via Franklin, Va. Company A will join the regiment at Capitol Square, at 10 a. in., Tuesday. October 15th. Company G will leave its headquarters in time (> take the train at Tarboro, on Monday, the 14th. Company I will leave its headquarters in time to take the train at Franklin, Va., on Monday, the 14th. SECOND REGIMENT. Companies A and B, from Fayetteville, over the W R R of N O, and R & A AL. Companies C and T), from Wilmington, over W & W R R and N C R R. Companies E and F, from Charlotte, over NCR R. Company G, from Polkton, over C C Railway and R & A A L, via Hamlet. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. 25 Companies H and I, from Charlotte, over C C Railway and R & A A L. Company K, from Wadesboro, over C C Railway and R & A A L. FIRST BATTALION, 1NFANTKY. Company A, from Winston, over N C R R. Company B, from Wei don, over R & G R R. Company C, from Edenton, over Albemarle S N Line, S & R R R., and R & GRR. Company D, from Durham, over NCRK. SECOND BATTALION, INFANTRY. Company A, from Shelby, over C C Railway and R & A A L , via Hamlet. Company B, from Lincolnton, over C C Railway and R & A A L., via Hamlet. Company C, from Statesville, over WNCKR and N C R R. FIRST BATTALION, ARTILLERY. Company A, four pieces, from Wilmington, over W & W R R., and N C R R., via Goldsboro. Company B, one section, will report to Major Flanner, at Capitol Square, at 10 a. m., on Tuesday, 15th inst. III. Free transportation is furnished over all the lines mentioned in para-graph II, and embraces the officers, privates and musicians of the regiments and battalions named above, who shall have been regularly commissioned, enlisted or appointed, and who shall appear in the uniforms of their respec-tive commands. Substitutes will not be allowed. Each company is allowed two servants. IV. Each detachment will be commanded on its route by the senior officer of the line present, and will on arrival in Raleigh, report for duty to the Ad-jutant General, at the Capitol, unless otherwise directed. V. While en route for Raleigh, commanding officers are charged to see that good order is observed ; that no loaded rifles are taken aboard ; that the arms are so placed as to protect them from injury, and that bayonets are carried in the scabbards. Commissioned officers will keep with their companies Com-missioned officers will see that the coaches and cabins are neither defaced defiled nor injured by the troops. Officers will be held to a rigid accounta-bility for the conduct of their men en route to and from Raleigh. VI. All troops will appear in heavy marching order, with blankets. VII. The First and Second Battalions of Infantry will be commanded by their senior Captains, until the election ordered in General Orders No 27 shall be held. ' VIII. The encampment wiU be governed by the regulations prescribed in Circular No 1, compiled and modified from the Army Regulations to suit the purposes of the State Guard. IX. Commanding officers will, immediately upon arrival at Raleigh, report for further orders and instructions to the Adjutant General, who is charged with the execution of this order. By order of the Governor and Commander-in-Chief. JOHNSTONE JONES, Adjutant General. 26 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. General Orders, ) HEADQ'RS N. C. STATE GUARD, No. 30. ) Camp Anderson, Oct. 15, 1878. I. The First and Second Brigades will assemble on the camp ground to-mor-row (Wednesday morning) at '.•% o'clock, in full uniform, and be ready to move at ln,l; o'clock, promptly. II. The command will be reviewed by His Excellency, Governor Z. B. Vance, Commander-in-Chief, on the Fair Grounds, at 1 o'clock p. m. HI. Gen. M. P. Taylor is appointed General of the day for Wednesday. IV. Limit. Col. John W. Cotten is appointed ins] • >f t he rifle pracl i<-.- in accordance with General Orders, No. 26. V. The election for Field officers of the First and I Battalions of In-fantry, as ordered in General Orders, No. 27. is post] oned until Thursday, the 17th, at the same hour and place. By order of the Commander-in-Chief. JOHNSTONE JONES. Adiutaiit-Gcneral General Orders, ) HEADQ'RS N. C STATE GUARD, No. 32. J" Camp Anderson. Oct. 17th 1878. I. The following appointments have been made by the Governor and Com-mander- in-Chief : Dr. Peter E. Hines. Surgeon General: Dr. Robah F. Gray, Assistant Surgeon General; F. W. Kerchner, Quartermaster General. They will be obeyed and respected accordingly. II. Before leaving camp company commanders will return to the h< adquar-ters of their respective regiments, all camp kettl ;s, mess pans, axes, buckets, cups and other camp equipage issued to them. For all articles not so return-ed, they will beheld responsible. Tents will be left standing, and men are charged to do them no injury. III. General Manly will act as General of the day for to-morrow. IV. In taking- their departure from camp, and in boarding the trains, officers will see that good order is preserved, and all confusion and disorganization avoided. V. The thanks of the North Carolina State Guard are due, and are hereby tendered, Col. Thomas M. Holt for a gift of 8200, to pay the expenses of this encampment. Such generosity and public spirit are worthy of all praise. VI. The thanks of the Guard are also due the Presidents and Superinten-dents of the several Railroad and Steamship Companies for free transportation; and to Major James W. Wilson and Colonel Sam. McD. Tate, of Morganton, for signing the bond for the tents and camp equipage loaned us by the govern-ment of the the United States. By order of the Governor and Commander-in-Chief. JOHNSTONE JONES, Adjutant General. Circular \ STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. No. 2. f Office of Adjutant- GtiNtfRAii, Raleigh December 16, 1878. The general and regimental staffs and the members of the Fh-st and Second Regiments, First and Second Battalions Infantry, First Battalion Artillery, ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 27 and unattached companies of the State Guard, are requested to assemble in Raleigh, at Metropolitan Hall, on the 10th day of January, at 4 o'clock, p. m , to adopt a memorial to the General Assembly in behalf of the Btate Guard. The meeting will he organized and conducted in accordance with parlia-mentary usages. The senior officer of each company present will act as chairman of its delegation. Officers and men are requested to appear in uniform. JOHNSTONE JONES, Adjutant General. General Okdeks, \ STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, No. 33. ] Office of Adjutant- Geneb Raleigl nber 16 1878. I. The commissioned officers of the First and Second Regiments of Infantry will assemble in Raleigh on the 10th day of January, 1879, for the annual elec-tion of field officers, as required by law. II. The meeting of the officers of the First Regiment will be he!d at 3 o'clock p. m., at the Mayor's office ; the Second Regiment at the sarue hour in Metro - politan Hall. III. The election will be held in accordance with regulations heretofore published. IV. Officers will appear in uniform By order of the Commander-in-Chief. JOHNSTONE JONES, Adjutant Genei-al. Genekal Orders, \ ^TaTE OF NORTH CAROLINA. No. 34. f Office of Adjutant General, Raleigh, December- 16, 1878. I . The commissioned officers of the Fourth and Fifth Battalions, N . C . S . G. , will assemble in the city of Wilmington on the 10th day of January, lc79, for the annual election of field officers. II. The meeting will be held in a hall, in the city of Wilmington, to be here-after designated by Lieutenant Colonel Mabson, of the Fifth Battalion. III. The elections will be held in accordance with regulations heretofore published. IV. Officers will appear in uniform. V. The election of field officers of the Fourth Battalion will go into effect on the 7th day of May, 1879. VI. The election of field officers of the Fifth Battalion will take effect from November 21st, 1878. By order of the Commander-in-Chief. JOHNSTONE JONES, Adjutant General. 28. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT- GENERAL. General Orders, 1 STATK OF NORTH CAROLINA, N<>. 35. J Office Adjutant General, Raleiii), D^c. 27r.l.. 1878. I. The provision contained in section nine, General Orders No. 27, relative to the time for a compliance with section fifteen, chapter 272, Laws of 1876-''". is hereby extended to the first day of March, 1*79. By order of the Governor and Commander-in-Chief. JOHNSTONE JONES, Adjutant General. General Orders,) STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. No. 36. J Office Adjutant General, Raleiyh, Dec. 28th, 1878. I. Before a court-martial which convened in Wilmington, December 10th. 1878, pursuant, to General Orders Nos. 9 and 10, Headquarters Second Brigade, were arraigned and tried : 1. Captain Alfred B. Lind, Company "A," 5th Battalion, (colored) N. N. S. G. Charge I.—" Conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman." Charge II.—"Conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline." Finding.—"Guilty," as to both charges. 2. Captain Solomon W. Nash, Company "B," 5th Battalion, (colored) N. C. S. G. Charge I.—"Conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman." Charge II.—"Conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline." Finding.—" Not guilty." II. The foregoing proceedings and findings are approved. Captain Alfred B. Lind is dismissed the service of North Carolina ; his commission is revok-ed, and an election will be held to fill the vacancy. Upon the recommendation of the commander of the Second Brigade, the commission of Captain Solomon W. Nash is revoked, and an election will be held to supply the vacancy. By order of the Commander-in-Chief. JOHNSTONE JONES, Adjutant General
Object Description
Description
Title | Annual report of the Adjutant-General of the state of North Carolina for the year... |
Creator | North Carolina. |
Date | 1878 |
Subjects |
North Carolina. Militia--Periodicals North Carolina. Adjutant General's Dept.--Periodicals North Carolina. Militia--Finance North Carolina. Militia--Registers North Carolina. Militia--Supplies and stores African Americans--History Veterans--Registers Schools Legislation--United States Genealogy |
Place |
Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, United States North Carolina, United States |
Time Period |
(1876-1900) Gilded Age |
Description | Description based on: 1877. |
Publisher | Raleigh :Raleigh News, State Printer and Binder,1878-1920. |
Agency-Current |
North Carolina Department of Public Safety |
Rights | State Document see http://digital.ncdcr.gov/u?/p249901coll22,63754 |
Physical Characteristics | v. ;23 cm. |
Collection | University Library. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Type | text |
Language | English |
Format |
Reports |
Digital Characteristics-A | 2668 KB; 70 p. |
Digital Collection |
Ensuring Democracy through Digital Access, a North Carolina LSTA-funded grant project North Carolina Digital State Documents Collection |
Digital Format | application/pdf |
Title Replaced By | North Carolina. Adjutant General's Department.Biennial report of the Adjutant General of the state of North Carolina |
Title Replaces | North Carolina. Adjutant General's Department.Report of the Adjutant-General of North Carolina |
Audience | All |
Pres File Name-M | pubs_edp_annualreportadjutant1878.pdf |
Pres Local File Path-M | \Preservation_content\StatePubs\pubs_edp\images_master\ |
Full Text |
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00032749143
FOR USE ONLY IN
THE NORTH CAROLINA COLLECTION
28957
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
ADJUTANT-GENERAL,
OF THE
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA,
FOR THE YEAR 1878.
TO THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.
RALEIGH:
RALEIGH NEWS, STATE PRINTER AND BINDER.
1879.
.REPORT
GENERAL HEADQUARTERS, 1
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. •
Adjutant-General's Office,
[
Raleigh, December 31, 1878. J
To His Excellency, Zebulon B. Vance, Governor and Com-mander-
in- Ch ief
:
gIE, :—In obedience to law, I have the honor of making the
following report from this Department for the year 1878 :
The exhibits appended hereto contain a register of the mili-tary
force of the State ; an abstract of the muster rolls, a
statement of the receipt and disbursement of ordnance and
ordnance stores ; a statement of all the military stores issued
to North Carolina by the United States since 1860 ; and the
general orders promulgated during the current year.
I inspected companies A, B, C, D and K, of the First
Regiment ; companies E, F, H and I, of the Second Regi-ment,
and companies A, D, and F, of the Fourth Battalion.
With the exception of K, of the First Regiment, and D, and
F, of the Fourth Battalion, the discipline and military bear-ing
and appearance of these companies was excellent. I
found the arms and accoutrements of all of them, generally
ifi good condition.
I was unable to visit and inspect the rest of the command.
It is a duty that ought to be performed ; the law requires it ;
but while the compensation attached to the office of Adjutant
General remains at a mere nominal figure, not at all com-mensurate
with the duties imposed, some of the most im-portant
of these duties must necessarily be but partially per-formed,
or left altogether undone. More than fifty thousand
dollars worth of ordnance is now in the hands of the troops.
IV ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT- GENERAL.
Most of the rifles are of the very latest improved breech-loading
patterns, worth eighteen dollars apiece; and i\ i
the interest of the State that all due rare and oversight be
e :ercised for their preservation.
Aji encampment of the First and Second Regiments, the
First and Second Battalions, Infantry, and the First Battal-ion,
Artillery, was held at Raleigh in October, in response to
an invitation from the authorities of the State Agricul-tural
Society, and in obedience to the orders of your Excel-lency.
The encampment began on Tuesday, the 14th, and
lasted five days. Tents and all necessary camp equipage, v
furnished by the United Stales, in compliance with a joint
resolution of Congres iassedin June, 1878, for this e
purpose. The bond for these stores \ ,200, given by
your Excellency, with Maj. James W. Wilson and Col.
Samuel McD. Tate as sureties, as required by the Secretary
of War. The freight charges were paid by the United Sta1
so that, with the exception of a small expense for (Irel-and
packing, &c., this encampment was held without exp<
io the State.
The Railroad and Steamboat Companies were liberal and
public-spirited enough to grant free transportation to all the
troops. The contingent expenses were borne by private con-tribution,
the men providing their own rations.
Your Excellency can bear testimony to the line appearance,
soldi; rly-bearing and excellent discipline of the corps. The
behavior of the men throughout the week was admirable.
Regular discipline was maintained ; dress parade was held
every evening ; the camp was thoroughly guarded; and all
the duties imposed by your Excellency's order and the regu-lations
and laws governing the State Guard, wore cheerfully
performed.
At the expiration of the five days the tents were struck, re-packed,
and, together with the rest of the borrowed stores,
were promptly returned to the United States authorities at
Jefferson, hid., without loss or damage.
Only two companies were disbanded during the year,
namely: company K, Broad Creek Rifles, Lsl Regiment; and
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. V
company A, Rowan Eifle Guard, 3rd Battalion. Their arms
were surrendered and returned to the State Arsenal, in good
order.
A rigid enforcement of the law would result in the dis-arming
and disbandment of a number of companies. I have
thought it best, and have so advised your Excellency from
time to time, that indulgence he shown to all companies
which manifest a disposition to make due efforts to increase
their numbers to the minimum standard fixed by the statute.
Unassisted by the government in the purchase of uniforms,
rent of armories, and other expenses, the public-spirited men
who undertake to build up volunteer companies, find the task
one of considerable difficulty. As long as they continue
their endeavors to reach the legal standard, to bear down on
them with the law would be harsh, ruinous and unwise.
An important and significant court-martial was held in
Wilmington on the 10th of December, under orders of Gen.
M. P. Taylor, commanding the Second Brigade. The detail
for the court was made up entirely of colored officers. Captain
A. B. Lind, commanding company '"A" and Captain Solo-mon
W. Nash, commanding company " B," 5th Battalion,
(colored,) were arraigned upon charges of conduct unbecom-ing
officers and gentlemen, and pr j
' - 1 to good order and
military discipline. The specification was that these officers
attempted to malign the character of the Lieutenant-Colonel
commanding the battalion, and used language calculated to
engender had feeling between the white and. colored races.
Captain Lind was convicted, and Captain Nash accjuitted.
The proceedings were well conducted, and the verdict de-monstrated
the readiness of the colored officers to punish
those of their own race who act in a manner unbecoming
their official stations, or seek to stir up strife or ill-will be-tween
the races. The proceedings and findings of this court
furnish a hopeful Sign for the future of the colored branch of
the militia, and one worthy of commendation.
The State Guard has steadily increased in numbers, dis-cipline
and efficiency, notwithstanding the many discourage-ments
which it has encountered. Beginning in March, 1877,
VI ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL.
with sixteen, it now numbers forty-three armed companies.
During the presenl ' ven new companies were ac-cepted,
and applications from several more were received.
The new companies were organized with two battalions of
infantry—the First and Second—with the exception of the
"Kinston Rifles," assigned to the 1st Eegin as company
K, in place of the Broad Creek Rifles, disbanded; and the
"East Raleigh Guard." assigned to the Fourth Battalion,
(colored.)
So that the State Guard, to-day, consists of two white
regiments of infantry, of ten companies each, completely or-ganized,
armed and equipped; two battalions of infantry,
(white)—one of six companies and the other of four; one
battalion of light artillery, two batteries, eight guns, and
two battalions of infantry, (colored)—one of six companies
and the other of five.
The aggregate strength of the corps, on December 31st,
1877, was fcOSi officers and men. To-day it is £,2UJ. ' 2-
'
The companies are distributed among the counties aa fol-lows
:
New Hanover 6
Wake 5
Craven 4
Halifax 2
Anson 2
Martin I
Beaufort 1
Chowan 1
Lenoir 1
Iredell 1
Cleaveland 1
Mecklenburg 5
tnberland 4
Wayne 2
Orange 2
Edsecombe 1
Pitt 1
Washington . 1
Pasquotank 1
Forsyth e 1
Lincoln 3
Warren 1
Total 45
Two of these companies are not yet armed, our supply of
ordnance for the current year being exhausted. Thirty-four
are white and eleven colored. The colored companies arc
distributed as follows:
Wake 3
Cumberland 2
Meck'enburg 1
New Hanover 2
Craven 2
Wayne I
Total n
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. VII
The condition of the State Guard is, in general, very good;
but to improve it, to push it to a still higher degree of effi-ciency,
to bring it up to that standard of strength and excel-lence
which it is entirely capable of attaining, and which
would render it equal to any emergency likely to arise, it is
absolutely necessary that assistance be rendered—either by
the State or Federal government.
The expense of forming and maintaining volunteer compa-nies
is heavy. Thus far the burden has been cheerfully borne
by the individual members of the State Guard, assisted some-times
by their friends : but how much longer they will con-tinue
to bear the burden cheerfully, is a question worthy of
grave consideration by those who have in keeping the welfare,
safety and honor of North Carolina.
These citizen-soldiers must constitute our main reliance in
time of danger. When the law fails, the duty of upholding
and vindicating the institutions of the country will devolve
upon them: on them must the chief Executive largely depend
to maintain law and order. In case of riot or insurrection, they
would be the first called upon to imperil their lives in de-fence
of the lives and property of the citizens of the State.
They form our surest safeguard against mob violence, and
the only nucleus on which to rally the military power of the
State in case of war.
Is it extravagant, tben, to say that all classes of citizens
have an equal interest in keeping up this organization ? Is
it asking too much to expect the State to share the burden of
its maintenance ? Would it be wise to suffer the military
spirit which animates the young men of North Carolina to
become extinguished by any sordid or mistaken notion of
public economy? Would it not be worse than folly for the
State authorities to ignore or fail to encourage that laudable
spirit of patriotism—that State pride—which stirs men in
time of peace, to make preparation to serve their country in
time of peril?
The State Guard has been established and advanced to its
present efficient condition at a cost, to its members, of abont
forty thousand dollars. To keep it u , on its present basis.
VIII ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL.
y must spend abcut ten thousand dollars a year. A part,
if not the whole of this expense, should be borne by the State,
The companies should be helped in the matter of armory
snts and in the purchase of uniforms. They need knapsacks,
canteens, overcoats, and blankets. Means should be supplied
for an encampment once a year. The incidental expenses of
brigade, regimental and company commanders, necessarily
incurred in the proper discharge of their duties, should be
paid. A code of regulations for the government of the State
Guard should be made and published.
These are the principal needs just now. Should nothing
be done towards supplying them. I am not prepared to say
that North Carolina will long have an effective force to rely
on in emergencies. I am very sure that I speak the senti-ments
of full three thousand young men of North Carolina
now enrolled in the State Guard, when I say that all they
ask is such a just and reasonable recognition of the obligations
of service which they have taken upon themselves as will en-able
them to keep up an organization sufficient in strength
and efficiency for the needs of the State, and altogether
worthy the name and fame of North Carolina.
MILITIA SYSTEM.
With a perfected State Guard, the Militia system of North
Carolina would still be incomplete. The old Militia law is
practically a dead letter. The system which it sought to
establish was impracticable from the first. The plan of or-ganizing,
arming and drilling all the able-bodied men of the
country, was really never well adapted to the wants of our
government, as experience has fully demonstrated. Our new
law provides only for volunteer companies, and does not es-tablish
a militia system proper. North Carolina should i
tainly have a perfect militia system—one adapted to the
times, the condition of affairs, and the advancement of mili-tary
seience.
Why. it may be asked, should we have any militia at all?
We arc at peace with ourselves, our neighbors and all the
world. Where is the need of military?
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. IX
The answer is plain. There may arise occasions for the
use of military. We may have riots or insurrection. The
civil authorities might be unable, sometime, to execute the
laws without the aid of soldiers. We might have war. To
use the language of John Adams, " the delightful imagina-tions
of universal and perpetual peace, have often amused
but have never been credited by me." Burke said: "War is
the matter that fills all history;" and George Washington
said to Congress in 1793: "The United States ought not to
indulge a persuasion that, contrary to the order of human
wants, they will forever keep at a distance those painful ap-peals
to arms, with which the history of every other nation
abounds." The history of this country proves the wisdom of
Washington's words. Since the Eevolution, the United
States has been at war, or in danger of war, in 1799 with
France, in 1812 with England, in 1830 with South Carolina,
in 1836 with France, in 1838 with the Indians in Florida, in
1839 with England and the Canadas, in 1842 with England,
in 1846 with Mexico, in 1846 with England, in 1861 the war
of Secession, in 1873 the Modoc war, in 1873 with Spain, and
in 1877 the Electoral difficulty; to say nothing of the troubles
on the Mexican border and the continued outbreaks of In-dians
in tne West.
Then, there are the great riots of 1877, which, starting in
West Virginia, swept like a tornado of blood and flame over
Maryland and Pennsylvania, and threatened New Jersey,
New York, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. In all of
those States the militia were called out. In two of them the
Regular Army had to be employed. The Governor of Penn-sylvania
says in his message for 1878 that five times within
seven years the militia of that State was callsd out to support
law and order. The military power of New York had to be
exercised in 1871 to put down lawless riots. The National
Guard of Ohio was called on in 1876 to restore order in several
counties of that State. Several times since the war the citi-zen-
soldiery of New Orleans have taken the field to vindicate
the rights of the people. In nearly every State of the Union
disturbances of one kind or another have compelled a resort
to military force. To-day a portion of the State Guard of
B
X ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL.
Kentucky is in the field operating against the lawless elements
of a disturbed county. Judging, then, of the future by the
past, the conviction forces itself upon us that the country is
liable at all times to war, riot and insurrection. Is it not the
par:, therefore, of true wisdom and statesmanship, to estab-lish
such a militia system as will enable the State to exert its
power effectively for the preservation of law and order when-ever
occasion requires?
If the State has no militia of her own to call on for the
suppression of domestic violence, she will be left powerless
—
unless the Legislature or the Governor, when the Legislature
cannot be convened, applies to the President of the United
States to order the Federal army into the State. The latter
alternative is not in accordance with the sentiment of our
people ; it is subversive of the spirit of our institutions; and
should never be resorted to, under any circumstances, until
every effort of home defense has been exhausted.
A government, to be worthy of the name, must possess a
power back of its laws to secure their enforcement. Without
material force, capable of being called promptly to its aid, in
case of emergency, the executive brauch of the government is
liable, at any time, to find itself utterly powerless to enforce
its authority or protect its citizens from violence, as was the
case with tiie Governors of West Virginia and Maryland iu
July, 1877, when a few thousand unorganized strikers set the
authority of those chief magistrates at defiance, and fo;
them to call on the national government for aid. In the
language of the Federalist, " the idea of governing at all
times by the simple force of law, has no place but in the rev-eries
of those political doctors whose sagacity disdains the
admonitions of experimental instructions."
The organic law of this land, both Federal and State, re-quires
a well-regulated militia. The constitution assumes the
existence of such a force in every State. For it declares that
Congress shall have power to call forth the militia, and to
provide for organizing, arming and disciplining it, designa-ting
the President as commander-in-chief when it is called into
the actual service of the United States. That instrument
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL XI
also declares that a well regulated militia is necessary to the
security of a free State.
What says the constitution of North Carolina ? The orig-inal
chart, framed in 1776, assumed the existence of a militia
organization, for it declared that the Senate and House of
Commons should have power to appoint the general and field
officers, and appointed the Governor captain-general of the
militia, with power to call them out.
The militia system then in vogue originated in the earliest
colonial days. In 1712 Governor Hyde called out the militia
to chastise the Indians who had massacred planters on the
Koanoke, Chowan, Neuse and Trent rivers. In 1754 there
were 15,400 militia enrolled and organized in North Carolina,
In 1775 Colonel Thomas Polk, as commandant of the militia
of Mecklenburg, assembled delegates from each militia com-pany
of that county, and promulgated the Declaration of In-dependence
of May 20th, 1775.
The Legislature of North Carolina, in 1786, in the pream-ble
to the act establishing a militia, declared that " In all re-publican
governments a well regulated militia is highly ne-cessary
for the defence and safety thereof."
The Constitution under which we live to-day, true to the
ideas that prevailed with our forefathers, and in consonance
with the principles embodied in the Federal Constitution, de-clares
that "a well-regulated militia is necessarv to the secu-nty
of a free State. It goes further and positively enjoins the
establishment of a militia ; making all able-bodied citizens of
the State, between the ages of 21 and 40 years, who are citi-zens
of the United States, with certain exceptions, liable to
duty in the militia, and declaring that "the General Assem-bly
shall provide for the organizing, arming, equipping and
disciplining of the militia, and for paying the same when
called into active service," investing the Governor with power
to call out the militia "to execute the law, suppress riots or
insurrections, and to repel invasion ;" and granting the Leg-islature
power " to enact laws that may be expedient for the
government of the militia."
The laws of Congress, section 1625, Revised Statutes, says:
" Every able-bodied citizen of the respective States, resi-
XII ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DAJUTANT GENERAL.
dent therein, who is of the age of 18 years and under the age
of 45 years, shall be enrolled in the militia."
Section 1630, of the same law, declares: "The militia of
each State shall be arranged into divisions, brigades, regi-ments,
battalions and companies, as the Legislature of the
State may direct;" and section 1636 says, " it shall be the
duty of the Adjutant General in each State to make return of
the militia of the State, with their arms, accoutrements and
ammunition, agreeably to the provisions of the law, to the
President of the United States, annually on or before the first
Monday in January." And to aid the States in complying
with this law, an annual appropriation of $200,000 is made
"for the purpose of providing arms and equipments for the
whole body of the militia."
The fact that our fundamental laws enjoin the formation
and maintenance of a well-regulated militia in each State,
ought to be reason enough to convince us of the necessity of
having such a force in North Carolina and of the duty of the
law-making power in the premises. But there are other
reasons why this should be done. A good militia is the only
proper substitute for a regular army. If we have not the
former we are sure to have the latter, with a constant tendency
to its enlargement.
Madison said: "As the greatest danger to liberty is from
large standing armies, it is best to prevent them by an effectual
provision for a good militia." And again: "As auxiliary to
a regular force for a large one in time of peace, a disciplined
militia forms an essential part of a republican system, it being
certain that liberty cannot be safe with powerful standing
armies nor in danger without them, and that without an
effective militia, the danger of such armies cannot be pre-cluded."
North Carolina has always been jealous of standing armies.
Of the thirteen original States, this State and Pennsylvania
were the only two whose State constitutions contained inter-dictions
of standing armies in time of peace. The interdic-tion,
contained in the Declaration of Rights made at Halifax,
December 17th, 1776, was in these words: "As standing
armies in time of peace are dangerous to liberty, they ought
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL XIII
not to be kept up." A small standing army is now recognized
as a necessity for the purposes of the general government, but
if it is to be relied on to protect the States against domestic
violence, and perform the duty devolved by our organic laws
upon the militia, it must be increased in size. So that if we
would prevent the burden and the danger of a large standing
army the militia must be rendered effective.
Again, a good militia system is necessary, if we would foster
the military spirit of the land, and preserve among us a
knowledge of military science and tactics. There is a steady
advancement in the science. If we would not get behindhand
we must have a force of well organized and disciplined State
troops as a means of military instruction. In no other way
can we have men educated to be inteligent and efficient officers,
capable of taking command in emergencies.
The incalculable value of a good militia was effectually
demonstrated in the Northern States during the great strike
of 1877. It was seen that in a State where there was no
militia, the Governor was utterly powerless to suppress the
violence; that in those States where the militia was poorly
organized and disciplined, the chief executives had to appeal
to the President of the United States for the aid of the regu-lar
army; but that in those States which had well-regulated
militias, backed by wise and generous laws, the peace was pre-served,
the lives and property of lhe citizens protected, and
the majesty of the law upheld, without the aid of the nation-al
forces.
These lessons were not lost upon the country. Many of
the States have promptly improved their militia systems, and
others are disposed to follow the example. The idea, em-phasized
by the events of 1877, has taken wide hold upon the
public mind that each State must rely upon itself for the
maintenance of law and order within its own borders, and to
this end must have a well regulated militia. Senator Coke,
of Texas, crystallized the prevalent ideas on this subject in
the following language, in a speech in Congress last winter:
"An organized and disciplined militia in each State, pro-perly
armed and equipped, will furnish a reliable home force
subject to the order of the State authorities, sufficient for all
XIV ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT- GENERAL
emergencies, and take away all occasion or necessity for calls
upon the national authority for aid. The period has arrived
in the history of this country when, by reason of the increas-ed
and rapidly increasing density of population, with its ac-companying
facilities for combination by the dangerous ele-ments
of society, when the general welfare requires that each
State shall be possessed of the means for maintaining law and
order and the security of life and property within its borders.'5.
It may not be amiss in considering this subject to recur to
the riews, opinions, warnings and suggestions of some of the
fathers and founders of this Republic.
Alexander Hamilton recognized a well regulated militia as
" the most natural defence of a free country/' and "the guar-dian
of the national security."
When "Washington handed in his resignation at the close of
the war, 1783, he addressed a letter to the Governor of every
State, in which he said:
Third. " The adoption of a proper peace establishment, in
which care should be taken to place the militia throughout
the Union on a regular, uniform, and efficient footing. The
militia of this country must be considered as the palladium
of our security and our first effectual resort in case of hos-tility."
At the opening of the session, 1793, he said: ''They (the
militia) may be trained to a degree of energy equal to every
exigency of the United States."
Again, in 170-4: " The devising and establishing of a well-regulated
militia would be a genuine source of legislative
honor, and a perfect title to public gratitude."
Again, in 1793, he said: "If we desire to avoid insr.lt, we
must be able to repel it ; if we desire to secure peace, one of
the most powerful instruments of our rising prosperity, it
must bo known that we are at all times ready for war."
In the introduction to General Knox's report on the militia,
revised by Washington, is the following : "While the human
character remains unchanged, and society and governments
of considerable extent are formed, a principle ever ready to
execute the laws and defend the States must constantly exist.
Without this vital principle, the government would be in-
ANNUAL BEPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. XV
vadecl or overturned and trampled upon by the bold and am-bitious.
No community can be long held together, unless its
arrangements are adequate to its probable exigencies."
John Adams, in a letter to a French abbe who desired ma-terials
for a history of the American Revolution, writes:
" That there are four institutions which must be thoroughly
studied and fully examined by any one who would write un-derstandingly
upon the subject ; for these institutions have
had a decided effect, not only in the first determination of
debates in the public councils, and the earliest resolutions for
forcible resistance, but also in the influence they had upon
the other colonies in furnishing an example for the adoption,
more or less, of the same institutions, and similar measures.
These four institutions are, first, the towns; second, the
churches ; third, the schools ; fourth, the militia. Here, sir,
you have a slight sketch of that wisdom and council, and that
skill and military bravery, which have produced the Ameri-can
Revolution ; and whicn I hope will be sacredly preserved
as the foundation of the liberty, happiness, and prosperity of
the people."
Jefferson, in his inaugural address, in 1801, said : "The
only force which can be ready at every point, and competent
to oppose them (the invaders) is the body of neighboring cit-izens
as formed into militia. On these, collected from the
parts most convenient, in numbers proportioned to the in-vading
foe, it is best to rely, not only to meet the first attack,
but if it threatens to be permanent, to maintain the uefense
until regulars may be engaged to relieve them. These con-siderations
render it important that we should, at every ses-sion,
continue to amend the defects which from time to time
show themselves in the laws for regulating the militia, until
they are sufficiently perfect. Nor should we now, or at any
time separate, until we can say we have done every thing for
the militia which we could do, were an enemy at our door."
In 1803, he urges the ''importance and indispensable neces-sity
of vigorous exertions on the part of State Governments
to carry into effect the militia system adopted by the National
Legislature, in a manner best calculated to insure such a de
gree of military discipline and knowledge of tactics as will
XVI ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL.
under the auspices of a benign Providence render the militia
a sure and permanent bulwark of national defense."
In 1808 he affirms: '-For a people who are free, and who
mean to remain so, a well organized and armed militia is their
best security."
Shall the counsels of the fathers of the Republic be further
neglected in North Carolina? Shall the lessons of experience
and the examples of other States pass unheeded? Or shall
we not, rather, be true to the principles and the plan of our
government, and establish an effective militia system?
Whatever system we adopt should be thoroughly adapted
to North Carolina, her wants, her means, and the spirit of
her people, and thoroughly consonant with the fundamental
law.
Therefore, it should not be a mercenary body. The consti-tution
of the United States provides that " no State shall,
without the consent of Congress * * keep troops." The
employment of a hired soldiery is contrary to the genius of
our free institutions.
The system should not be expensive. A costly militia
establishment is unnecessary.
It should not be burdensome to the people, as was the old
system. Requiring the whole arms-bearing population to
muster several times a year was a hardship that ought never
to be revived.
Nor should any new system which we may adopt require
the organizing, arming, equipping and training of all the
men liable to militia duty, as was attempted under the old
regime. Such a project would be impracticable, and even if
capable of being carried into execution it would be intolerable.
I propose that the militia of North Carolina be divided into
two separate and distinct classes, the active and the inactive.
I would have the active militia a select corps, composed en-tirely
of volunteers, organized upon the plan of the regular
army, made thoroughly efficient, restricted to a moderate size,
say five thousand (5,000) men, and subject to be called on
first on all occasions for military service.
The inactive militia to be enrolled, but to be liable to no
active duty in time of peace, except when called out by the
ANNUAL REPORT OF THEADJUTANT-GENERAL. XVII
Governor "to execute the law, suppress riots or insurrection,
and to repel invasion, " as directed by our Constitution ; and
not to be organized, armed, equipped or disciplined, except
when ordered into actual service.
All the active militia to be embodied in the State Guard,
and the inactive to be designated the Reserve Militia.
To aid the school fund auy person liable to duty in the
militia might be exempted from enrolment upon the payment
of one dollar, annually; the fund so raised to go to the school
fund of the county, as directed by the Constitution, Article
IX, section 5.
The active militia, or State Guard, should be perfectly or-ganized,
upon snch principles as will best fit it, for service in
case of need. The races should be kept separate throughout
the organization.
Thecompanes, troops, batteries, battalions, regiments and
brigades should be organized in accordance with the regula-tions
of the United States army, and drilled by the prescribed
tactics.
They should be supplied with the best ordnance, and equip-ments
of the best improved patterns.
The men should have all the equipments complete for active,
continuous and independent service. When put into the field
they should not be forced to undergo greater privations than
soldiers of the regular army.
It is important that the men become familiar with the use
of the improved firearms, and be good marksmen. The value
of the soldier, in battle, under the latest modes of warfare, is
determined more by his marksmanship, perhaps, than any
thing else. Plenty of ammunition for target practice should
be furnished.
The corps should be well drilled and disciplined. To this
end frequent drills should be required; suitable armories
should be furnished by the State or by the counties in which
the companies are located ; books of tactics should be sup-plied;
only competent officers should be commissioned ; and
penal laws should be framed so as to enable officers to control
their men more readily. For instance, the civil power should
aid in the execution of the sentences of courts-martial, the
c
XVIII ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL.
collection of fines, &c, where necessary; and certain offences
against good order and discipline should be made misde-meanors
punishable in the civil courts. Many of the States
have penal laws of this kind in support of their military.
The State Guard should be practiced in field and camp
duty, and afforded opportunity lor regimental or battalion
drill. To this eud, annual encampments should be held.
The expenses of maintaining this corps should be borne in
part, if not in whole, by the government; and the individual
members of it should be exempted from some of the burdens
of the government, as I have before shown. In short, such a
body should be cherished by the State as an honored and
honorable institution, and nothing should be left undone to
render it efficient and permanent.
When it becomes necessary to call out the Reserve Militia,
I would have the Governor direct his order to the sheriff of
the county to assemble the enrolled men of his county by
proclamation or summons, and draft as many thereof, or ac-cept
as many volunteers, as the order of the commander-in-chief
requires ; the forces so obtained to be organized upon
the same plan as the State Guard ; and I would invest the
Governor with power to appoint at least one officer in each
company, and one field officer in each regiment or battalion,
from the most deserving and capable men of the State Guard.
The enrolment of the inactive militia should be made an-nually
by the assessors at the time they are engaged in list-ing
the taxes. Very simple machinery would be necessary to
accomplish this.
For the government of the militia, in active service, it
would be well to have the Articles of War declared in force
in this State, in time of war, riot or insurrection, or invasion.
The army regulations ought also to be declared in force, as far
as applicable to our militia system, the commander-in-chief
to be the judge of their applicability.
To advance the State Guard to a maximum of five thousand
men, arms should be obtained more rapidly from the general
government. To this end I would suggest that our Senators
and Representatives in Congress be requested to urge an in-crease
of the annual appropriation from $200,000 to $1,000,000.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. XIX
North Carolina's quota of the present appropriation (14,-
797.85,) is sufficient for the arming and equipping of only
four companies of infantry each year.
I would also suggest that the attention of our Congressmen
be called to the fact that an act of Congress, entitled ; 'an act
making appropriations for the support of the army for the
fiscal year ending June 30th, 1876, and for other purposes,'
ratified March 3d, 1875, provided that so much of the appro-
1 nation for arming and equipping the militia, between the
1st of January, 1861, and the 9th of April, 1865, under the
act of April 23d, 1808, "as would have been used for the
purchase of arms to be distributed to the several States that
were in rebellion, shall be covered into the Treasury of the
United States;" that under this act a charge was raised against
the quota due the State of North Caroliua of $23,622,25; that
the Chief of Ordnance, in his annual report for 1877, has re-commended
that further legislation be asked of Congress with
the view of removing the injustice done our State, along with
two or three others, by its enactment; and that the restitution
of this lapsed quota is very desirable.
In conclusion, permit me to express to your Excellency my
thanks for the readiness you have at all times shown to aid
and strengthen me in the performance of my duties. The
entire' State Guard will join me in saying that you have made
it possible for North Carolina to have a military organization
of which she may feel proud, and on which she may safely rely
in the hour of need, and that you have made it possible for
suitable legislation for the encouragement and maintenance
of the State Guard and establishment of a complete militia
system for North Carolina.
I have the honor to be,
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
JOHNSTONE JONES,
Adjutant General.
APPENDICES
ACCOMPANYING THE
:r/e:fo:r/t
OF THE
ADJUTANT-GENERAL.
APPENDICES ACCOMPANYING THIS REPORT.
A. Register of the Military Force of the State.
B. Abstract of Muster Rolls for the year 1878.
C. Statement of the Receipt and Disbursement of Ord-nance
and Ordnance Stores.
D. Statement of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores issued
by the United States from 1860 to 1877 to the State of North
Carolina.
E. General Orders issued during the year 1878.
( A )
REGISTER
OF THE
JV1ILITA.RY force
OF THE
STATE..OF NORTH CAROLINA.
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
:
GOVERNOR ZEBULON B. VANCE.
Staff of the Commander-in-Chief:
NAME.
2 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL.
Register of Military Force—Continued.
Company Officers:
NAME OF COMP V.
A.
Cape Fear Light
Artillery.
B.
Raleigh Light
Artillery. W. M. Russ.
NAME OF OFFICER.
Walter G. MacRae.
Richard W. Price..
James Corbett
Eugene A. Maffltt.
RANK.
Captain.
1st Lt,
2d
Jr. 2d "
DATE OP KANK.
Jan. 10th, 1878
May 2^1,
1st Lt . May 20th, 1878, Raleigh
RESIDENCE.
Wilmington.
FIRST BRIGADE.
Brigadier General Basil 0. Manly
STAFF
:
NAMES.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. 3
Register of Military Force—Continued.
Company Officers :
XAMEOFCOMFY
A.
Raleigh Light
Infantry.
B.
Newbern
Grays.
C.
JBlm City Rifle
men.
D.
i ioldsboro
Rifles.
E.
>rai g Guards.
Edgecombe
Guards.
G.
Washington
Light Infantry
H.
Hamilton
Guards.
I.
Albemarle
Rifles.
K.
Kinston
Rifles.
NAME OF OFFICER.
Francis H. Cameron.
Donald W. Bain
John R. Ferrall
JohnT. Pullen
Frank M. Agostme..
(4reen Bryan
J. Frontis Ives
Wm. A. Downing
Wm.J. Street
Edward R. Page
Frank W. Hancock..
Samuel R. Street Wm. H. II. Cobb....
T. Howard Bain
Wm. T. Hollowed....
Edward T. Hudson .
.
Benehan Cameron...
A.J. Gordon
W. Anderson
E. Rosemond , JohnL. Bridgers, Jr
Exum Lewis
Henry K. Nash, Jr.
R.J. Porter
D. N. Bogart
Chas. F. Warren...
Edward Long
RANK.
N. H. Sebrell
M. I. House
W. H. Everett
Abner Brown
Henry G. Lewis
Stuart L. Johnson. ..
Edgar 14. Latham
John W. Newbry
Richard II. Lewis
Henry Tull
G. E. Miller
W. F. Stanley
Captain,
1st Lt.
d
Jr. 2d •'
Captain.
1st Lt
2d
Jr. 2d "
Captain.
1st Lt.
2d
Jr. 2d "
Captain.
1st Lt.
2d •'
Jr. 2d •'
Captain.
1st Lt.
2d
Jr. 2d "
Captain.
1st Lt.
2d
Jr. 2d "
Captain.
1st Lt
2d
path: of rank.
Dec. 17, 1878,
Aug. 3rd, 187?, k .i tt
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OCLC Number-Original | (OCoLC)8613329 |