Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-10-06
Statement of C0l.WaIter H. Cor
don Respecting the Sub
jGCt of Transfers.
HAS WRITTEN WAR DEPARTMENT
Explanation of a Former Mem
Der of Co. A Regarding
Substitutes---Lieut. Alex
ander Appointed En-
listing officer.


talon, which was retained in camp,
has been much discussed among the
Delaware soldiers and in some quarters
has caused i'll feeling. What follows
was obtained in an effort to get at the
exact situation in that regard.
Col. Walter H. Gordon, commanding
the First Delaware Regiment, was seen
at the regimental headquarters in the
armory yesterday and asked to ex-
plain what was the original under
standing upon the question of trans
fers. The colonel first secured copy
of the mastering out order issued by
the commanding general of the Second
Army Corps, under date of September
22d. This order, issued by direction of
the Secretary of War, required the
selection of one battalion with its
officers, to continue in the service, the
remaining two battalions, with the
regimental headquarters, field, band
and staff, to be mustered out.
The order also set forth that if any
member of the battalion to be retained
desired to be mustered out, he could
be exchanged with man in the other
battalions who desired to remain in
the service. Such exchanges were to
be made before the battalions left Camp
Meade, and they were made, so far as
it was possible to do SO. Is.
"We gave them three or four days, ;"
said Col. Gordon, in which to effect
those transfers. Our desire was to find
out as far as possible those who de-
sired to go out"
Naturally there had to be limit to
the time allowed for such transfers, in
order to prevent delay, but for the pur-
pose of giving the men further op-
portunity on the same line, Col. Gordon
wrote a request to the War Depart
ment, through the proper channels,
asking in behalf of the men who desire
later, before the actual mastering out
and discharge of the men of these two
battalions to transfer with men who
were still in, that authority be given
him to enable those transfers to be
effected. &
To this request the colonel has as yet
received no answer. His reasons for
making it are that he believes there
are number of men going out of the
two battalions who would probably
like to remain in, but who desire a
furlough and visit home of 10, 20 or
30 days, as the case may be. At the
end of such a time the government
might be able to get men who are
anxious to be soldiers and to permit all
to go home who desire to return to
business life or have business or
family reasons that are imperative as
to their return.
By allowing such transfers, the col
onel expects to have fine body of
soldiers in tho Third battalion.
A private of the regiment, estimated
today that 150 men in the two bat
talions would be willing to continue in
the service, and that only about 80 in
tine Third Battalion desire to come
home II that be the case, it would
enable a fine body of men to be picked.
The situation as set forth by Col.
Gordon shows that the plan was to
make the transfers before leaving Camp
Meade, and that he is willing to allow
further opportunity, if permitted by the
department 1t is learned, however,
that much feeling was aroused in one
of the companies, Co. A, of which
Capt. Harry B. Garter is the COM
manding officer. The trouble is thus
set forth by former member Of the
company: .ss
MY understanding was that when
the order came to muster out two bat
talions, Col Gordon called Capt.
Carter to his headquarters and asked
him If he could hold 40 men in Co. A.
If he could, Go. A would be repro.
sented in the Third Battalion. If the
company had come home, the officers
would, too. He told Gordon that he
could get 40 men. Then he came to the
company and told the men that any Of
them who wanted to get out would
have to get substitutes
th nt1n1her pf ug ppt Gt1hctitt1tpc
and turned them over and the substi-
tutes of course were recorded in A Co.
preparatory to being transferred, and
we, at the same time, were held to re-
cruit the company up to 81 men. Then
We were told If we wanted to get out
that we would have to get another sub
stitute; that the first substitute would
not count-that they were needed to
fill up the company; that if we wanted
to go home we would have to furnish
another substitute, otherwise we would
have to stay in the service.
sit was at this time that the men
in the companies that were designated
to go home and still wanted to remain
in tho service, saw ain opportunity Of
making money out of it, 1t was then,
when we wanted to get our second sub
stitute, we had to pay, otherwise we
couldn't get them under any considera-
tion. They knew that many of our
boys would pay anything to get out,a
they had. With the exception of the
married men and one or two others, the
ones that got out had to buy their way
out; it would have been impossible TO
get out otherwise.
There were not 10 men in the COM
pany that were willing to stay from
choice. Ss
~ understand that Co. f would
have gone to Il man II thoy had taken
their officers. /"
The cost of substitutes ranged from
S15 to $50.
! Col Gordon announced to the COM
manding officers of the companies
yesterday that provision had been made
for enlisting men in tho regular army
who desire to do so. 5F-
Lieut.. Walter s. Alexander has been
appointed recruiting officer here with
temporary headquarters at the armory.
Following are the regulations as
made by Major General Miles:
''Mombers of volunteer organizations
who after muster out or discharge
therefrom enlist in tho Regular Army
will be credited with their service in
tho Volunteer Army and their enlist
mont papers will be Endorsed us di-
rected in paragraph $50 of the regula-
tions. The enlistment in Regular
Army will be for three years from date
of such enlistment without condition
regarding discharge, and will be pre-
coded by the usual medical examine
tion Mt the recruiting station. Exami-
nation forms and figure cards will be
urepared and disposcd of in accor(lanco