The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-26
DISAPPOINTED GUARDsMBN.
New York MfiitfHmen May Decline 70
Enlist as Indfy iduaIs

We" f"rk "int1hmen May Decline to
Enlist as Indfy iduaIs.
New York. April 2e.-"New York's
quota, twelve regiments and two troops
Of cavalry"
This was the news that licked In over
the wires from Washington yesterday
and told the National Guard Of this city
what would be expected Of them and
their organizations. IL set the men hur-
rying to their armories last night. and
IL kept the officers who were on hand
busy answering questions
Never since the opening days of 81
have the Guardsmen Of this city been
through such a day. II one man wanted
to know what was in the wind. every one
OF the 5000 men In this city and the 3OO
in Brooklyn wanted to know what was up.
Must re-enlist as Individuals was
the next bit Of news that came over the
wires from Washington. And then was
started the foment Of opposition that
! may end in open revolt
Politics. said every one. and politics
they really believed il 10 be.
Crowds gathered at the armories
Every company room had its cOterie of
| soldiers, all eagerly discussing the ques-
ton. Politics they all agreed il was The
| Government. everybody felt. was trying
| 10 put aside in a breath the work Of
years. and after 50 many men had spent
the best part Of their lives tn working W
| the efficiency OF the National Guard,
| those in power were 70 undo II in the
/ twinkling Of an eye.
Scores OF officers n0cked TO see Gen.
Roe and protest about It. But Gen. Roe.
| they discovered. was not in town. He
had gone TO Albany to DO what he could
to keep the politicians hanos OF the
National Guard and 10 Try 20 stop. before
| IL Was too late. the MISTAKE OF o. that
cost lives and money.
4 IL was late in the day when the word
/ from W ashingtOn came calling Tor each
State to furnish its quota according to
population. With the dispatch came the
announcement that Regular Army on
GERS would be In charge Of the recruiting
| and that the men Of the National Guard
would have 10 re-eniist individually. The
officers faces fell when the import o. the
news was understood.
II must be a mistake. The officials al
Washington could not be 50 foolish Ac-
cOrding 10 the National Guard officers.
they had decided. for the sake Of poll
tics and the distribution Of patronage in
the shape Of appointments as brigadiers
and major generals. 10 throw away the
drill and training Of years and form new
organizations from new individual units.
In one moment the esprit de corps.
that indehnabIe something that keeps
men shoulder to shoulder till the death
and sends men forward to the charge n
the face of a murderOus fire. of every
organization in the State had been de-
str0yed. IL what officers and men alike
said could be believed.
can Mckinley be so foOIish?" was
heard ON every lip.
Then the order % mobilize at the State
camps was discussed. New Workers un-
der that order, would have to go to
Peekskin. There are over 1900 men in
State militia. PeekskiH camp viii just
hold the Seventh Regiment in time OF
peace with its L072 men. There is room
enough for perhaps as many more IL
tents are pitched on one Of the parades.
II the other is occupied where win the
men manuever?
But not man would criticise MS su-
periors openly and for publication. Gen.
Roe il was said. had some 10 Albany
20 make an appeal for preserving the IN
tegrity of the commands under him. and
many believed that ne had failed Cen
Tillinghast was roundly berated for tell
ing the authorities az Washington Just
what was the trouble.
1T is my duty 10 obey orders" said
Col Leonard. OF the Twelfth. when ask
ed about the disintegration 0f the Ma
tionaI Guard. but he intimated pretty
strongly that Il w0Uld be disastefuI 20
him and his men.
Fully half Of the men Of the Seventh
were at their armory. SiNty-siXJh Street
and Park Avenue. Adjt. Weaver said
that orders had come for the men
The company rooms were filed with
groups. exCitedly discussing the news and
waiting for orders. 4 few recruits were
drilling but they proved 90 be- only men
who were elected Ions before the war be-
gan.
The Sixtv-uin,h Reeiment Arno-y was
crowded last night with "a likely looking
lot Of young men. fresh from the work
shous and factories an over town Re
CruIts were drilling an over the a-mOrv
floor and some Of the companies were
holding meetings
This regiment Will 60 solid 10 10 is or
dered. said col Duffy The men will
obey the orders Of their ~Gp-riors-'
But here. just as iu the other reEi-
meuts. the feeling was that many OF the
men would refuse to enlist IS individuals.
The armory % the Twelfth was "a lively
place. The entire drill floor was taken up
by squads Of recruits. all drilling as hard
as they knew how. for col. Leonard Is
anxious To present his regiment with a full
roster when the time comes. Pretty nearly
every member dropped iu during the ev-
ening and the general opinion was that
something was wrong az Albany or else
the order would have come during the
day.
we are waiting just as We have been
for a week said Adit- Hart az the ar
mory OF the Tweuty-second. We are re- .-
cruited up TO within ld1 Of the regiments
limit. and most of the applicants for en-
listment are hO10rably discharged mem
beers who are anxious 10 see active serV-
ice we have little work 10 do. The Twen-
ty-seCond is all ready and waiting for the
word.
The Se,-artv-frst EeC{r,epf Arr,ory vvas
ablaze with light half the night. and most
of the men were there because they
wanted to hear what was in the air.
Upstairs was the headquarters Of the
Fifth Brigade. and there Gen Smith was
overrun with callers. Most OF them were
officers from the other regiments in his
command. the Seventh. Twenty-first and
Sixty-ninth. but he hadn't "a word for
any Of them. There were no orders, he
said. and all he could do 10 wait
Downstairs there was distinguished lot
of artillery men. They had been told that
their orders to move were coming yester-
day. and their wagons were packed and
their guns ready TO be moved. But no
orders came. and then the announcement
twelve regiments of infantry. and two
cavalry troops.
Bicycle Corps.