Provisional State Guard.
--A bill is now pending before the Legislature which authorizes and directs the Governor to raise and organize a military force of not less than ten nor more than twenty thousand men, to be called ‘"The Virginia State Guard,"’ which are to be organized like corresponding corps in the U. S. Army, and to be governed by the same regulations and articles of war. The bill empowers the Governor to commission (with the advice and consent of the Senate,) a person of suitable military experience and qualification as commandant, with the title of Major General, who shall have charge of all the forces of the State while in actual service. The officers are to enlist to serve a term of years, and, as enlisted, if not previously competent, are to be ‘"placed at a school of practice, to be conducted under the orders of the Major-General-in-Chief."’ When eight companies shall have been formed, they shall constitute a battalion, and when twice that number are enrolled, they shall be called the 1st Regiment of the Virginia State Guards. Two regiments shall constitute a brigade, and two brigades a division. At the school of practice, the captains, subalterns, and sergeants of each battalion shall constitute a company, and the field officers thereof shall command the same. Eight companies, formed as aforesaid at the school of practice, shall be a battalion, and a general officer shall be the commandant thereof. If voluntary enlistment fails to procure the requisite number of men, then the Governor is authorized to draft from the militia, according to the provisions of existing laws. He is also authorized to appoint general and field officers, and officers of staff corps, as occasion therefore shall arise.The pay and allowance of officers and privates shall be the same as in the United States Army. The above bill, though reported some days since, has not yet been acted on, and therefore no opportunity has arisen from which the feelings of members on the subject may be judged.
