Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-05-02
THE VIRGINIA TROOPS.

First Lieutenant D. G. Shanks, OF the
U. S. Infantry, vino has
been the c~ommandant of the corps of
cadets at the Polytechnic Institute at
Blacksburg, has been detailed by the
federal government to muster in the
Virginia volunteers to relieve First Lieu
tenant Richard G. Croxton, First It.
fsntry, who has been appointed quar-
termaster and commissary of Camp Lee
and will look after quartering and sus.
tanning the troops while in camp. He
will also have to look after t%ransporta-
ton. Each of these officers will accom-
pany one of the Virginia regiments
when ordered out to war.
Lieutenant CroXton is 81 years old.
He was born in Essex county and is a
son of Judge Thomas Croxton. He
was appointed to the Military Academy
ST West Point, where he graduated in
1856. He was then assigned to the
Fifth Infantry Regiment, which was
stationed in Dakota. In 1898 he was
promoted to first lieutenant and trans.
ferred to the First Infantry, which was
then stationed in California, but is now
with the division of the regulars at
New Orleans. In September, 1897, he
was detailed by the War Department to
report to the Governor of Virginia for
duty with the Virginia Volunteers, and
has since been on duty in Richmond
with the adju.ant generals office.
Lieutenant Shanks called OIL the
Governor Saturday night, accompanied
by Assistant Inspector General Stern.
Lieutenant Shanks will be commits
| stoned major of volunteers by the Gov
ernor, probably in the Third Regiment.
| He is q native of Salem, and his wife is
| there at present.
| Captain Cecil, of the Twelfth H.
| fantry, has been detailed to serve with
the Virginia troops, as Governor Tyler
was informed by President Mckinley
on Saturday. Captain Cecil bears the
Oldest commission of any officer from
| Virginia now in the U. S. army. He is
q native of Giles county and is said 10
be a fne officer. He will be assigned
to the Second Regiment with the rank
of major. Lieutenant Shanks and
Lieutenant Croxton will have similar
rank in the Third and Fourth regi-
ments, respectively.
| An officer who has been detailed to
, muster in the Virginia volunteers, Lieu.
| tenant Shanks, must be satisfied that
the entire number of companies deaig-
| mated for the Virginia brigade are
| either present or on the way to the
-. place of mobilization and that their or
ganization is complete, before ne COM
mences to muster them in. Field and
staff officers of a regiment may
be mustered into service if the organi-
zation of a regiment has been COM
pleted. A colonel and chaplain are
mustered in when al active regiment
has been organized, q lieutenant-colo-
mel is mustered in with six companies
and a major with four companies.
During the organization of a volun-
teer regiment, an adjutant, quarter
master, and, when necessary, medical
officers may be mustered in 10 aid ID
the recruiting of the regiment, and for
all other business.
When the volunteers are mustered
into the service they are minutely ex-
amined by medical officers of the army,
when practicable, 10 ascertain the
physical qualifications of the volun-
teers. Their age is not to be less than
eighteen nor more than forty-five
years. Those who have passed the ex-
animation in a satisfactory manner are
then administered the oath Of allegi-
ance by the mustering-in officer in &C.
cordance with section , OF the article of
war. The oath is as follows:
"All and each Of you do solemnly
swear or affirm that you will bear true
faith and allegiance to the United
States of America, and that you will
serve them honestly and faithfully
against all enemies, and that you will
obey the orders Of the President Of the
United States and the orders of the off,
GERS appointed over sou, according to
the rules OF the articles of war"
After the oath has been taken the
mustering-in officer causes the officers
and men to subscribe the same by sign
ing their names in the appropriate
column of the muster-in roll.
The number of companies f0r the
three Virginia regiments has been COM
pleted by the assignment Of COMPANY
I, at Franklin, southampton county,
to the Fourth Regiment, Col. Hodge
commanding. This company will re.
tain its regular designation, and Com
pany B, of the Blues, which had been
assigned as Company l, of the Fourth,
becomes Company NJ.