The Jersey City news., 1898-07-16
MANY EAGER TO ENLIST.
Captain Gerardin Fills Up the
New Company With Sur
prising CELEBRITY.

Adjutant Benjamin Gerardin of the
Fourth New Jersey Volunteers had no
difficulty last night in recruiting the men
needed at Sea Girt to complete the regi-
ment. His instructions from Governor
Voorhees, and Colonel Smith yesterday
morning were to open a recruiting station
in the armory of the Fourth Regiment,
National Guard, and to enroll 200 recruits
to form new company and to fill the
companies already in camp at Sea Girt.
1t was supposed that the work of recruit
ing would take some little time A sur
prise was in store for Adjutant Gerardin
and the officers who assisted him In the
work of recruiting.
Captain Charles H. Springsted, IN
spector of Rifle Practice of the Fourth
Regiment, Natioral Guard, has been
appointed to the command of the new
company. and First Lieutenant Harry fl.
Bowly, Battalion Adjutant of the Fourth
Regiment, National Guard, is TO be
First Lieutenant The Second Lieutenant
will be T. B. Gaddis Second Lieutenant
of CompanyF of the Fourth Militia.
Adjutant Gerardin, Captain Springsted
and Lieutenant Bowly were on hand at
eight o'clock and promptly at that hour
opened the recruiting Office. Long before
eight o'clock stalwart young fellows who
desired to enlist began to crowd around
the doors of the armory. The recruiting
officers were instructed to use their own
judgment in the selection of the men,
taking only such men as they believed
would pass the physical examination. The
men will be examined at Sea Girt. Those
who fail to pass will be sent home at the
expense Of the State. AS soon as Adjutant
Gerardin announced that the recruiting
office was open there was a rush Of ap-
plicants. The men were enrolled as fast
as Lieutenant Bowly, who acted as clerk.
could record their names Each man be-
fore being enrolled was critically inspected
by Adjutant Gerardin. Many were re-
jected. The original orders were to enroll
200 men. One hundred and sixty-eight de-
sirable men had been enrolled when
Colonel Smith telegraphed that only 160
men would be needed. 1t was ten o'clock
when Adjutant Gerardin closed the books.
having secured all the men needed. There
were fully two hundred applicants turned
away Each man as he was received was
handed card of identification signed by
Adjutant Gerardin and was instructed to
be at the Pennsylvania Depot this morn
ing in time to catch the 9:23 o'clock train
for Sea Girt. Their cards of Identification
would serve them in lieu of railroad fare.
Nearly all of the men recruited were at
the depot at the appointed time. Three
cars were added to the regular train for
their accommodation.
Captain Springsted and Lieutenant
Bowly were on hand early to see that they
were properly cared for. Many of the
men were accompanied by their friends
Dozens of young women were at the depot
to bid their soldier friends good-by. There
were the usual affecting farewell scenes
of kissing and crying, but there was on
the whole little excitement. Few persons
outside of the Immediately friends Of the
recruits knew at what hour the start
was to be made and as the men assembled
at the depot there was no street demon
stration or parade to attract a crowd.