The Portland daily press., 1898-09-22
Gen. Greeley's High Complement To
Si!nal Corps.
SAYS THE STATE OUGHT TO BE
PROUD OF THEM,
Was First Volunteer Corps to Report anu
The Best Equipped of Any Detachment
That Reported During the War-Each
Man Thanked Personally by General.
tsPEc1AL 20 THE PREss.I

tsPECIAL 20 THE PREssI
Augusta, September 2i.-Adjutant
General Richards has received the follow
ing letter from Captain Butler OF the
Maine Signal Corps:
Camp Wykoff, September 16, 1s9S.
Gen. John T. Richards. Adjutant General
Dear Sir:-I regret to inform you tEat
Private Ezra Colcord died in the hospital
here last night His father and mother
have bsen with him for several days. All
other patients here arc doing we'll.
Officially have twenty -one men Tor duty,
but have lot one that could run one hum
dred yards without becoming exhausted.
This fact weighs heavily on my mind.
for God knows that the health OF my men
has been my first care.
We are encamped here with detach.
ment of the regular Signal Corps, which
was with us in Cuba. Gen. A. W.
Greeley called here yesterday, and after q
long talk with the officers said that he
wished the men assem- bled. as he had
something to say to them. This was done.
He then thanked the men in general for
the intelligent and efficient manner in
which Uhey had performed their duty in
Santiago, saying that it was source of
great pride to him that the Signal Corps
was the only department that had escaped
adverse criticism. Then, turning to the
Maine men, he said: You of the volun-
teers that came into the field from your
shops and desks cannot be expected to
stand the hardships of this campaign like
the reg ulars who are trained soldiers;
neither are you expected to perform the
many duties which devolVe upon you
with the same intelligence as the regulars
who have had years of constant practice
and study, but the comparison is very
fattering to you. You were the first ones
to report for duty in Washington. You
were the best equipped of any detachment
that has reported there during the war
The State of Maine ought to be proud of
in which she prepared you for the field.
And in conclusion let me say that it is
my fond hone that in civil life you will
meet with the same success which has
crowned your efforts in the service of
your country.
The General then asked me to 60 with
him to the hospital, as he wished to see
every man that could be found. went
with him to the general hospital, taking
him through the different wards where
the men were scattered (and I am a good
guide as visit them daily. He took
each man by the hand and thanked him
personally, speaking words of encourage
ment, more like father than stranger.
After leaving here he asked if there were
Coloord was in the detention hospital,
but was unconscious and not expected to
live; also that his parents were with him.
He said that if I thought that he would
not be considered as an intruder he would
like TO see him and speak to his father
and mother, and so we went there. The
poor fellow seemed much better than
when l saw him in the morning, but it
was the last rally before death. The
General took his hand, and told him who
he was. He seemed to understand what
the General said, and tried to answer.
made out distinctly the words, ''duty
General
General, those sick men will never for
get General Greeley, the Chief Signal
Officer OF the United States Army. They
will swear by him through life.
Yours respectfully,
6. W. BUTLER,
Capt. S. G. U. S. V.