The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-12
The Thirteenth Regiment.

An effective answer has been given
by the men of G. Company, Thirteenth
regiment, to the various reports that
spirit bordering on mutiny exists
among the Pennsylvania volunteer
troops remaining in the service at
Camp Meade. AS noted elsewhere, an
overwhelming majority of the mem
bership of that company have passed
resolutions setting forth that having
enlisted for two years they are not
only ready but also willing to serve for
as much of that period as may be de-
sired in furtherance of the plans OF
the commander-in-chie We have no
doubt that these resolutions will be
cordially endorsed by every soldier in
the Thirteenth as they must be by all
who appreciate the military qualities
of courage, obedience and steadfast-
ness I'm fulfilling a voluntary obligation
to the government.
Making evey reasonable allowance
for the natural reaction in the spirit of
the volunteer troops who have not had
battle assignments consequent upon
the signing of the peace protocol, and
appreciating also the feelings of those
at home who are eager for the soldier
boys return. the fact remains, as the
men of G Company have opportunely
pointed out, that it is not for the in
dividual soldier to decide when the
term of his usefulness has expired.
That responsibility rests with the
president of the United States, who
would be recreant to his highest obli-
cations if he did not retain at his COM
mand, until peace is finally concluded
and ratified, sufficient military force
to guard against any eventualities.
The soldier who recognizes no other
motive of service than the wish to par
ticipate in actual fighting is only in
part soldier fighting is in point of
time the briefest of the soldiers duties.
Patriotism and honest fulfiment of the
oath of enlistment call for the spirit of
acquiescence in the tanner duties of
camp reserves not less than for in
trepidity and heroism on the battle
line. 1t cannot yet be safely assumed
that there will be no more fighting
with Spain. That country is onD the
verge of revolution. Any day may
bring about an upheaval in Spanish
administration which may leave to this
country no alternative than to COM
plete the execution of it's just demands
at the point of the bayonet; and we
should be in pretty predicament if by
premature dispersal of our armed forces
we should have to organize a volunteer
army over again.
We can assure the men of G Com
pany and of all other companies en-
listed from this community that the
people of Scranton, eager as they are
to have the Thirteenth back again, will
stand by them to a man so long as
duty keeps them in their country's
uniform. No real friend of the regi-
ment wants to see i'm it a disinclination
to face the requirements of the gov
ernment or feeling of resentment be-
cause other regiments have already
been released. On the contrary, it is
confidently assumed that the spirit of
G Company is the spirit of every COM
pany representing Pennsylvania in the
volunteer army-the spirit of loyal and
manly acceptance of the eXigencies of
war; That the Thirteenth should be
kept in service while certain colleague
regiments have been mustered out is
a proof that it has stood on a footing
of military merit instead of political
pull and for this it deserves congratu-
lation. Every fair and proper effort to
secure its release having for the pres
ent failed, the right thing to do is to
accept the situation in the true Ameri-
can spirit and to see to it that the boys
in camp get the good treatment that
they deserve.