The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-22
DEAPpOINTEDCAVAL
COZ. wICKHAM,s COMMAND CANNOT
HAVE THE RIGHT OF LINE.
rhsy Will Not Go to Washington on Inau-
guration Day-very Little Going on
1t the Rckimental Armory.

OF forming the SIccial escort 10 Mr.. CleVe'
land at his Inauguration on March 4th,
His action was Endorsed by Governor
Mckinney and the Virginia delegation in
Congress.
General NJ. r. Mcmahon, OF the United
States Army, who will be grand marshal
on that day. has Informed Colonel Wick
ham that much To- his regret he will not
be able to grant tAe request, for the rea-
son that the regular troops have always
occupied the right Of line during the pro-
oession on the day Of the inauguration.
and have acted as special escort TO the
President-eitct.
On receipt OF this information Colonel
Wickham has issued the following com
municauon TO the members of the First
regiment cavalry:
Hd'q'rs First Regiment Cavalry,
Virginia Volunteers,
Richmond, Va, Jan. q, 1898.
TO the First Regiment Cavalry, Virginia
Volunteers
The colonel commanding desires 10
make the following statement TO the
regiment In regard TO his endeavors to
pecure for them the position of special
escort to the President-elect in the in
augural parade on the 4th of March next:
Immediately after deciding that IL
u
an honor to the regiment and a source OF
pride and qualification 10 the men for us
TO occupy this position, / wrote 10 Pres
ident Cleveland enclosing as my cre-
dentials letter TO me from the Cover
nor Of this State). rendering the services
of the command and asking the Presi-
dent-eect II IL would be agreeable 10
him for us TO occupy this position, and
II he would not assist us in securing the
coveted honor. To this letter which
was written on the 18th of November,
1892, / have received no reply, and /
hope 1t never reached its destination.
Not having received any reply to this
communication. / did not exactly know
what course to pursue until shortly be-
fore Christmas 1 found out who were the
committee In charge of the inaugural
parade. Passing through Washington
on the last day of the old year. / met
several members Of the committee, who
seemed very DESTROYS that we should
occupy the coveted post Of honor. and
advised me to come back TO Washington
In a few days and discuss the matter
more fully than l then had time to do.
Accordingly. a few days afterwards 1
wrote to the Hon. George ID. Wise, re-
Questing him to see some of the men,
bers of the committee and arrange so
that / might see them on the 10th of
January.
On the 10th I returned to Washington
and, in company with Captain Wise,
whom l cannot sufficiently thank for his
kindness in the whole matter, saw Col
onel William u. Moore, who is an infiu-
entail member of the committee, and who
told me that the whole matter of as
signing the troops their positions in line
was In the hands of Grand Marshal Gem
eral Martin Il. Mcmahon, and that l
had best make my application direct to
him.
On the 18th inst ant / wrote to General
Mcmahon. making this request and en-
closing a letter to him from the Cover
nor of Virginia. indorsing my applica-
tion and one also signed by our sena-
tors and representatives In Congress TO
the same effect.
on receiving no reply to this letter.
and having seen in the New York
World of the nth, an interview with
General Mcmahon to the effect that 10
single command should have the posi-
tion as special escort. / telegraphed him
on the 18th instant, asking him to ad-
wise me II he had received my letter.
To this telegram on the 10Th / received
a reply that he had received my letter
and that his answer had been mailed
the night before. This morning 1 re-
ceived the following:
My Dear Colonel:
Your Letter of the 18th instant, accom-
panied by communications from His Ex-
cellency, Governor Mckinney, and from
the Virginia delegation In Congress. is
received.
Ii would give me great pleasure, both
for the reasons assigned by you and for
many others. If l could assign to your
regiment the post of special escort TO
the President-elect find. however. upon
consultation with the COMMITTEES here, and |
with other gel tiemen experienced in such |
matters, that precedent has established. |
and on principle. L think, what should con- |
stitute the troops who accompany the |
Prefident-elect from the White House TO |
the Capitol prior TO the Inauguration. 1t Is |
considered that the troops directly under |
the command of the President should |
alone constitute The escort. Hence at
previous inaugurations the regulars of all |
branches of the service. and the troops |
OF tho District OF Columbia, which are
under the immediate command Of the
President of the United States, have
been alone selected.
! do not think 1t proper, upon the ad
vice of the committee, to depart from
this practice.
In the march from the Capitol after
the Inauguration OF President Cleveland
the cdtumn will be formed as heretofore.
and the troops which will constitute the
first division OF the parade must neces-
sdflly Dt Ut the llbil VI the llits III lHAo |
march. however. the whole parade is re-
garded as the escort of the President
and all will follow and none precede him.
/ trust. however, that it will not make
any difference TO you and your gallant
and that you will be present
In full numbers. and | know you will
receive most hearty welcome.
Very truly. yours,
NJ r. M'MAHON.
Grand Marshal
Colonel William f. Wickham. Richmond.
Va.
II therefore appears that I have been
unsuccessful In my endeavors to obtain
for you the honorable position that we
wished 50 much TO occupy.
j can but eXTrCss my regrets at this
result, and also wish 10 thank cur friends
who have tried TO assist us in the matter.
] have decided that IL Will be mad
yisable for the regiment to SO to Wash
ngton on the 4th OF March; there are
'arious reasons for this decision. The
irst and probably the most important
s the heavy expense at which we would
De In making this trip. Did we occupy
he position Of special escort, l do not
hink that there would be any trouble
n securing all other necessary funds,
rs our people would undoubtedly be very
Had 10 help us make creditable display.
l would. however. be unwilling 70 apply
o them for assistance I'm this matter
lnless We had some special reason for
Icing so, and Of course we cannot ex-