T
38 - - THE STiyDAY QREGOMAX, PORTLAND, HAY 13, 1906.
M i M MM
1 1 1 I f 1 Ml 1 III
d FIRST BATTERY, FIELD ARTILLERY HOLDS HIGH PLACE
tSSCK ATIONG THE CITIZEN SOLDIERY OF THE COUNTRY
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.First Battcrr Field Artillery. Ore
rrni National Guard, rortland's hi
torle military omanliatlon. h bn
' fflvrn th hlirhest rcenttt ol any
rmpqy In Oregon In the annual.
Inspection, the result of vblrh have
Junt ' teen announced. It received
. ISO per cent oat of a possible 200.
Its closest competitor waft Company
K. The battery will receive equip
ment valned at fJM.OOO some time
next month. It Is now In the most
- flourishing condition In Its history.
FIRST Battery. Field Artillery, Ore
yon National Guard, is not only
first in name, but is first in effi
ciency of any of the organisations of
the Oregon militia. In the report of
Colonel James Jackson, U. S. A., who
recently made the annual Inspection,
First Battery Field Artillery, or Bat
tery A, as it is more commonly known,
la g-lven first place over all the de
partments of the Oregon National
Guard. Last year Battery A was given
second place and Company K of Port
land first place. Colonel Jackson is
the representative of the United States
Army assigned to the Oregon National
Guard.
Battery A has not only reached the
highest state of efficiency of any of
the organisations of the Oregon ra
ttonal Guard, but it has a reputation
that is National in its extent. Military
experts consider it one of the very
best field batteries in the National
Guard, and if the officers and the men
of this splendid organisation continue
to work with as much xeal ana en
thusiasm as they have tn the past. It
la not impossible that some day Bat
tery A will be given first place over
all the &elu batteries of the militia
service. At the present time it holds
the eleventh place in the 'National
Guard, and this in itself is a glorious
tribute to the officers and men. Many
of the crack field batteries of the Na
tional Guard in the East do not rank
as high as Battery A of the Oregon
National Guard, and this means that
In the judgment of the artillery ex
perts, of the United States Army they
are not as good.
Battery A compares favorably with
any of the held batteries in the whole
of the United States Army. Officers of
the Regular Army who have been
spectators at the drills of the battery
are unanimous in its praise. They
themselves admit that it would be a
credit to the Regular Army, and have
spoken only in the warmest words of
prals" of the military training1 and
discipline of both the officers and the
. men.
The personnel of the battery em
braces names of officers and men who
live in Portland. Many of them are
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J3
PLATOON or
-
ON
native Oregonians and practically all
of them have lived in fortlanu tor
years. In late years there have been
but few changes among tne omcers
and men. This is shown by the nign
state of efficiency reached by the or-
ganixation. Many recruits are a hin
drance to the training fit the officers
and the men as a whole.' The efficiency
of many of the organisations or. tne
National Guard is impaired by the
old and experienced men dropping out.
Valuable time Is lost in the training
and disciplining of recruits.
But the officers and men ot mattery
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A have taken what is really an un
common pride in their organisation.
It is said that Battery A is part, of
their lives and that they take as much
pride in it as they do in their work.
And this is not far from the truth. To
work for the betterment of the bat
tery bus become second nature to
them. The officers and men are only
raw
ofthB
E fey:
L W CAR.LL .
lICAPTAFN AND SURGEON
-.vsaers
i
too pleased to acknowledge that
they
are members of the battery which
has
made such an enviable reputation
for
itself. They know full well that
they
have reason to be proud.
Most of the members are young men
and there is an absence of the old,
grizzled veterans such as are found
in the Regular Army. Perhaps the en
A
J
'HIRAM U WELCH
CAPTAIN COMMANDING.
LEE M.
.SENIOR FIRST LIEJLTENANT
mm
mm
'A H
thusiasm
much to
tery A.
of the vounir men has
ro In brineinp laurels to
Then again the perfect
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CLARK
FRED H.
JUNIIOB FIP5T
IQ9S
CP
Of
rstandinj? be
tween the c
ad much to
e mn has h
I. is harmony
and there
fy
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fir
'.aw .
A.
.Os1tyWe
5URN5:
LIEUTENANT
'or,i FRANK I. KANDALL
'-nl Second lieutetNant
7
satlsfactic
The cffi '
gether as
i or errudaes to be paid off.
rs and tne men worK to-
one harmonious unit, and
r:
feci' .
yyjy?
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there are no factions or cliques to
as a dra&r. '
This li not intended to signify ti
the discipline of Battery A is not w
It should be. Far from it. The die
pline might be said to be as near p
feet as it can be, and could naraiy
improved upon. The officers and m
of Batterv A are soldiers.- Americ:
are said to be the best soldiers- in
world, and because Of such men
those who belong to Battery- A, t
statement bears weight. The mart
spirit is not unknown to them, but
Is not of the kind tnat is swayea o
by the rendition of military, marc:
and the cheers' of admiring crowds,
upon the field of battle or during
greatest privations it would remain
Ktroncr as ever In them. They 1'
their country, -their Oregon 'and th
Batterv A. They are determtnea i
If ever there should be a time wl
all the military forces of the conn
are called upon that no one will
oohomcii nf thf conduct of Battery
Tn fai-t thev are determined that I
tery A shall make a greater name
itself upon the battle field If !
such emergency should arise than it
in friendly contest with other" org
izations in reaching and maintain
the highest st:ige of efficiency.
Thi riiHii nf Rniterv A are a re 1
tion in those who have never seen t!
before. The wonderful speed of the vj
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iConcludcd on Page 48 )