| Show THE SOLDIER IN SERVICE ersay read before the national guard of utah ulah at the executive offices salt sall lake city march eja GENTLEMEN at the request of my friend and comrade who under the orders of his government is engaged in giving the benefit of his experience study and talent to the organization and equipment of the national guard of utah I 1 have consented ti to read to you a compilation of my own thoughts and experiences in the military profession lor for the purpose firstos fir instruction second of diversity third and chiefly to increase your interest in the character er you assume as national guardsmen guardsman guards men in in contradistinction to your duties as civilians I 1 recognize how hard it is for you who have your daily duties in civil life to give the time and attention necessary for the proper study of a profession fes sion the employment ot of which involves the most serious and momentous results viz the care as well as the destruction truc tion of human life but you must remember that the days of the militia play soldier are over and the national guards guardsman manis is but little removed from the regular contingent that the duties you assume when mustered in are not as in former times solely tor for parade and show but for the stern and often perilous duty which your name implies to guard the nation fine appearance and military precision were the sole ambition of the militiaman you must be measured by your love ot of country as well as a technical kno knowledge ledge of your profession noble indeed is the character of the true guardsman binding himself as he does to lay aside whenever called his private interests for the public weal for his reward he may get thi the respect aid support oi of his fellow citizens he gets little else your io love ve ot of country should come to you intuitively the technical knowledge of your profession must be obtained from those who have made it their sole occupation hence it is that I 1 cheerfully come to the assistance of my brother officer in giving you the benefit of my esperie experience nce obtained after a lifetime life time of study and practice what I 1 shall have to say to you will be of a more general character than wish were I 1 about to deliver a course of lectures I 1 would particularize particular az i e more taking up each of the many subjects involved and try to digest each thoroughly before laying it aside all that I 1 can hope to do under present circumstances cum stances is to awaken in your minds thoughts that may lead to research beyond the territorial act ci eating cheating you or the drill regulations by technical knowledge I 1 mean the methods and means adopted in actual military service i i i e against an enemy to know ones tactics to make an ex cellena showing on parade or drill to attain proficiency as a marksman to train and exercise so as to perfect to the highest degree the physical man to subordinate the mind to absolute obedience to superiors regardless of your personal estimate of them go to make up the true soldier it is the inspiration as it were of the instrument by which the operation is to be performed it is the initial step how to use the weapons and perform the operation is the real end to be desired while all should know the means and methods of milt mili tary opera operations ons it is essentially necessary S that 0 officers c r and noncommissioned commissioned non OY officers cers should be familiar with them in all of our military operations the use to which our knowledge can be put the practical exercise of the teachings ol of camp and school are too little thought ot of I 1 will venture to say that the average guardsman will go to a regular military garrison and select as the most able officer in it the one who can put up the finest drill whose command exhibits the greatest proficiency and best appearance whose familiarity with all that pertains to camp administration is noticeable above his fellows he may be right but on the other hand it is possible he may have selected the very last man who should be trusted with serious military operations what are the means and methods I 1 could not tell you in the short time allowed me for a lecture of this kind A mere summary of the different heads is all anat is possible each ot of them is a subject tor for one or more lectures to properly elaborate it I 1 shall use them merely in illustration and leave it lor for you to develop their lull full meaning and use by future study first let me ask how and when the national guard is likely to be employed the use of military force to sustain the government and enforce the mandates of its judicial pow erwill only be resorted to when the civil authority is unequal to tho task heretofore in our country such occasions have been rare but as our foreign and dissatisfied native population increases they will become more frequent up to this time the mere existence or presence of military force has been sufficient menace to the enemies of law and order to prevent any combination or concerted action of sufficient magnitude to overcome the civil authorities yet at times we find agitators of commanding ability and extraordinary magnetism who enslave their followers dethrone their reason enthuse them with anarchistic and socialistic ideas to such a degree that law order property all that government exists to protect is endangered As I 1 said the existence or presence of military force ha aa f been sufficient to hold these in check the agitators have been able to stir the multitudes to the verge of action but they have always lacked the one essential organization to wield them when brought together not organization to bring them together but organization to wield them they realize this deficiency as well as we and we may expect in the future they wll endeavor to overcome it happily it is a greater task than they imagine and belore before aney could accomplish much that would be useful to them we in our capacity as trained military men could disperse them it is with occasions of this kind that we can expect chiefly to be occupied and it is the manner in which we meet the occasion that will bring to us the commendation or condemnation of the public that will secure to us the sympathy and operation cooperation co of our fellow citizens who now are too apt to look slightingly and derisively upon us but this misconception of the true mission of the military art is not confined to the civilian we ourselves are apt to misconceive though in a different way its objects its methods its accomplishments not infrequently we hear t the e young graduate from west point complain that at the academy he was never taught the practical elements of his profession theoretical knowledge is is at his fingers end on arriving at his post ot of duty he has an idea that his collegiate training should fit him for the immediate application of it at times he feels humiliated in seeing an old sergeant better qualified than he in the details of practical work he is apt then to ariti cise the course at the academy I 1 do not agree with such true military education cannot be completed in a collegiate course any more than can perfection in any of the arts or sciences it is divided into three periods the theoretical at the academy the details of administration at the garrison the application of both in the field or active service it is this latter period that is so often neglected many there are who go through the routine of organization and drill successfully who perform all the duties incident to their position in garrison with skill and intelligence who challenge com comparison in everything every thing that think they have achieved all that is required it is only the primer to what is to come we will admit as a premise that all these qualifications exist then let us formulate what will be required in the third period of our military education for this purpose let us assume that any one of us is called out with our command a company a battalion a regiment or a brigade to quell an insurrection to oppose an organized opposition or to protect threatened property what would we do we will be informed that disturbance exists that the laws are being defied that property is being destroyed or held by a lawless organization and we are to proceed to the locality and overcome it that is all the information we get gel how many ot of us will assume the responsibility or are equipped with the knowledge necessary to execute it naturally the first person to discuss is the commanding officer I 1 do not assume to dictate conduct or rules of action for those whose rank is is greater than we can reasonably aspire to but for those of my own rank or my juniors to whom will be entrusted most ot of the ppe operations rations we may expect to be actors in in still I 1 will assert that perfection in the rules I 1 lay down for minor min action will prepare one tor for the requirements of a larger and move more extensive field the rhe thorough commanding officer should be proficient in all the details of his profession as learned in the school and garrison to know what his command requires what it can do and to instruct those to whom the details are assigned generally he should not be hampered with their execution but he must know their necessity the proper methods for procuring casing and accounting for them in order that bare engaging in any operation he may be assured that his command is properly equipped for the work assigned it he should be dispassionate secretive distrustful dispassionate lest those under him suspect over anxiety or timidity secretive lest his plans become the subject of criticism and opposition among his subordinates distrustful lest he be imposed upon by exaggerated reports and led into rash unwise or undigested action he should be prompt energetic ac watchful and resolute no quality is more disastrous to a military commander than indecision he should learn at the outset what he is expected to do and then decide what he will do under every and all circumstances to this end he will determine as far as practicable what contingencies may arise he should endeavor never to be taken at a disadvantage and never in any emergency show the least hesitation or surprise thus he will impress his command with the idea that he is equal to the undertaking and remove from their minds that most serious and unfortunate sentiment want of confidence it a command has confidence in its leader the limit of achievement IS is vastly increased his first duty is to learn what to do and to what limit he may go to accomplish it this opens up a subject that all officers ought to ble be familiar with before attempting any operations what officers may do with their commands under the law I 1 will not attempt to elucidate it at this time for two reasons first it is too extensive for the scope of this essay second I 1 hope to 10 be able to induce captain allen alien ot of my regiment to read to you his essay on law given this year before the officers lyceum at fort fon douglas a hobt complete and comprehensive treatise trea iise leaving you in no doubt as to your pr arc roga tives your duties to your country your command and to yourself the commanders next duty is is to con sider what force he is given to accomplish his task wit hand the length ol of time he may be engaged in its execution thus he will give directions as to the necessary supplies subsistence arms ammunition clothing equipage medical stores transportation each ot of these headings may require special attention tion his mode ot of transportation may determine the kind ot of subsistence the possibilities of action the amount ot of ammunition the locality of his operations the kind and quality ot of clot clothing ning and conditions and changes his merical ical supplies acs it his transportation is overland by wagon the fertility ol of the country he passes through is an important consideration in determine determining i g the amount and naturi nature ot of forage he will take all these things the commanding officer must attend to lor for he alone wilt will be held responsible for the wants of his command it will not do to say 1 I 1 have an adjutant quartermaster or medical officer who should have attended to all these wants the commanding officer must know before he starts on an expedition tion that they have been attended to and should have all the chiefs ot of departments and subordinate commanders report to him what they have in the way ol of supplies that he may have personal knowledge that nothing is wanting in the incipiency ot of his undertaking he can then dismiss these important elements ironi his mind and be un in the serious work belore before him he can leave the care and dis distribution tri of his supplies more generally to the chiefs of the depart departments merits to which they belong the commander knowing that he is is thoroughly equipped what is his next I 1 care I 1 1 1 at atthe the very outset he should make all his bis dispositions lur for belf defense and use every means to obtain information I 1 do not mean by this that he be should start out on the defensive delen sive but that he shoula so dispose his command that there will be the minimum chance of sur surprise pr ise or taking at a disadvantage when he reach s his objective he should assume the offensive at once it is a military axiom in the offensive is strength he will lose no opportunity to gain information of his objective for by it he must be at all times guided there are two kinds of operations that will probably demand our attention one when the objective is on the reat lines of travel railroads steam goats oats etc the second where it is inland from these and must be reached by marches the first is the most likely to engage us let us consider the methods of getting on the field of operations and those to be adopted when we get there in operations against mobs kit it is not well to determine beforehand that violence must be resorted to on meeting it but it is absolutely essential that timely preparation be made to meet violence with violence in civil disturbances unlike actual it is best that violence should be initiated in some form by the mob but a quick and not uncertain response should be made after the first olow is struck there i should ben be no 0 parley no compromise in military operations until you have asserted yourself to such an extent that you can treat as the conqueror who has something to give nothing to ask the se self fd defense etense I 1 referred to is at gained by several methods known to jie military art each a subject as I 1 have said more than sufficient for one lecture advance guards outa st sty S pickets patrols reconnaissance screens rearguards rear guards flankers spies orientation scouting all these e enter into security and information the proper use of these would take months to demonstrate yet a knowledge of each is essential for our purpose tonight I 1 will only allude to the best and most necessary methods for the small operations we are liable to encounter in all operations the careful commander will make his bis dispositions tor for offense at a sufficient distance from his opponent to allow him to form for attack without molestation develop without contusion assault without uncertainty on railroad or steamboat order and promptness are most essential compartments part ments should be assigned to each organization or unit and they should proceed to occupy them independently ol of each other regular details by roster should then be quickly made to load and unload baggage all should be done with system and celerity but without confusion ably under the supervision of an officer but always under either an officer or non commis signed officer A guard should ply ably a be on duty with a command its size and composition will depend on the existing conditions condition sand and be regulated by the commanding |
