The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-07-10
THE MATHEWS LIGHT GUARDS.

A Short sketch of The Military Company
whose Term of SerYIce Expires on Mon.
dny-Three Years Of the "Pride, Pomp
and Circumstance OF Glorious War"
About 10 Close.
In the early spring Of 1877, about twenty
OF our best young men met in the office OF
the Secretary Of State and organized amili.
tary company, there being no organiza.
ton Of the kind, at that time, in the city,
and only three or four companies in the
State. About fifty names Lad been SO.
cured, thirty.two beingthe minimum mum.
Der required for forming company, and
many Of those who signed the roll never
turned up afterward they were missing"
from the first. The company was named
after the present popular and efficient
Governor, Henry N. Mathews. The off,
GERS elected we're: Captain, W. W. Milleri
First Lieutenant, John B. Lukens; Second
Lieutenant, W. Newt Linch; sergeants,
J. shriver Woods, Joseph Hamilton,
Charles W. Franzheim, Charles p. Bailey
and James NJ. Todd, Jr. Eight Corporals
we're also elected. DR.. R. $. Harvey was
chosen Surgeon, and Charley Wheat and
Will Delaplaine were made markers.
For several months the company was
thoroughly drilled in Upton's tactics,
meeting in room in the Capitol base
ment, and drilling on the splendid flag
pavement outside. Becoming uniforms oil
vrey, white waist and cross belts, white
epaulettes, black beaver caps and white
plumes were procured, and the company
was mustered into the service OF the State
by Col. r. NJ. Delaplaine, chief OF the Gov
efnors staff, on July 18th, 1877. Five
days after being mustered in the new.made
soldiers were startled by being ordered out
to Martinsburg to help the Sheriff oil Berke'
lev county preserve the peace that was 80
seriously disturbed by the "Railroad riots
OF IT." The company remained at Mar.
tinsburg and vicinity for eleven days, and
remained under arms for two weeks. alter
their return home.
About the middle Of August the COM
pany accepted an invitation kindly ex-
tended by Gov. Mathews, to visit White
SULPHUR Springs. They were in camp
there for two weeks with five companies
from Richmond and one from Norfolk.
Headed by Kramer's superb band, having
the largest number OF men in ranks gov
erned by the strictest discipline, and show.
ing in their evolutions the result OF earnest
and thorough drill, the Mathews Light
Guards easily carried of the honors OF az
the dress parades and reviews participated
in by the companies at theWhite Sulphur.
In February, 1878, a battalion was form
ed, Captain Miller being promoted TO Maj,
and Second Lieutenant LinCh appointed
Adiutant OF the First Battalion. The COM
pany, BY the change, became A company,
First Battalion; First Lieutenant Lukens
was promoted to Captain; Sergeant Charles
". Franzheim, First Lieutenant; Sergeant
lanes NJ. Todd. Second Lieutenant; and
Sergeant John L. Dickey was promoted tc
rnlrd Lieutenant, aud placed In command
oftwo gattling guns that were given inte
The charge oil the company.
The first West Virginia Reg wa
loon atIerward formed, OF which the NJ
L, G. was A company. Major Miller wal
promoted to Colonel OF the regiment, and
Lieutenant Franzheim was exchanged
Slth Lieutenant Linch to the position o.
Adiulant In November, 1878, Lieuten
ant Lnch resigned to take command o.
the Schmulbach Guards, lCo. b the pres
ent Sheridan Rifles, Lieutenant Todd was
promoted to First Lieutenant and Lieut.
Dickey to Second Lieutenant, the office
Of Third Lieutenant remaining vacant, az
the company did not number at that time
seventy men, and the Gattling guns were
no longer in the companys charge. :,
In May, 1879, Captain Lukens resigned
As did Lieutenant Todd, when Lieutenant
John l.. Dickey was promoted to captain
Henry II. Pendleton, First Lieutenant
Jacob E. Hornbrook. Second Lieutenant
and VIM. II. Clifton, First Sergeant. These
officers have remained unchanged unit
the present time.
It has been difficult to keep up the
proper esprit de corps that is 80 necessary
TO the vigorous life OF military company
on account OF petty iealousies constantly
arising, as they 10 in all such organiza
} tons, on account OF the difference in the
social standing OF the members; but more
than I'LL, ION account OF the slight recogni
ton paid to her citizen soldiery by the
State. II is a constant outlay to the mem
bers OF the militia, with no income. Arms
and aCcoutrements are given, but uniforms
and the current expenses OF q company
must be provided for by the individual
members. Had II not been for the courtesy
OF the Mayor and City Council the com
panies Of the city would not have had any
armory even for military and drill pur
poses. Our neighboring States Of Ohio ant
Pennsylvania make liberal and ample pro
vision for their militia, and in consequence
have large and well equipped force Q
troops ready for emergencies. Pennsyl
vania gives an appropriation Of five hun
bred dollars annually 10 each company fol
uniforms, and one hundred dollars for ar
mory rent. Not until some appropriation
be made by the State can we have reliable
militia that will be friends indeed" by
being friends in need" The Mathews
Light Guards can be congratulated thai
they have succeeded in sticking together
so that even a mere remnant remains 10 be
disbanded Monday evening.