Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-29
WHY MEN VOLUNTEER
ONE MASTER MOTIVE MAKES THEM
TAKE UP ARMS.
THE MYSTERIOUS LOVE OF COUNTRY.
The Passion That Nobody Can De-
fine, Though All Feel It-SOme
Camp Lee.
Camp Lee.

Love Of excitement, restlessness, glory,
and that mysterious affection for the land
of ones birth, which is as old as the race
and as strong as nature herself, feeling
which none can explain, and which we
dismiss with the name Of patriotism
these are the motives which are causing
tens of thousands of Americans all over
the land to spring to arms for the de-
fence of country.
A visitor to Camp Lee may see only
men in uniforms and men without, men
lounging in tents, or executing the manual
of arms or company evolutions. the array
of white tents, the waving emblems OF
liberty, or hear the stirring calls of the
bugle and the reckless POPULARITY of camp
chatter. He may come away thinking
the scene is to him unique, something he
never saw before, something worthy TO
be classed among the sights he witnessed
at the Worlds Fair, something to be
slowed away in memory to talk about.
may be TO his children in years to come,
but of not nearly enough interest to at
when ball game is in progress.
But really, a man does not have to be
of peculiarly thoughtful turn to be much
more deeply impressed, and TO see much
more than presents itself to "eyes that see
not" 1t is not only a spectacle to inter-
est and be forgotten; it arouses memo
ries. may be, those Of a later generation
cannot tell, but il must create thoughts
striking in novelty and enthralling in
interest.
WHY IL the world Net by the ears? Why
are men in commotiOn and the land in an
uproar? Why have they left their fami-
lies and their business, and gone to live
i'm tents and sleep on the ground, and cat
fare such as many Of them never saw
before, and perform labor to which their
soft hands are so wholly unaccustomed?
They have not been compelled to do all
this. nobody has forced them to forsake
home comforts and leave loved ones for
the purpose Of risking their health and
their lives in war. They have come on
their own motion; they have given up
the dearest things OF life TO take guns
I'm their hands, and go forth to battle
against men they never saw. WhyE
The question keeps repeating itself; the
answer is always present and always
mystery. ~
Patriotism. 1t means everything-hper-
ty. life-to hundreds OF thousands In the
history of humanity IL has meant death
n glorious death. Yet IL is that which mas
turned green fields into military camps,
and is making soldiers of Virginia's ana
Americas merchants and lawyers ana
doctors and plowboys.
A group OF Cuban planters met ana re-
solved their country should be free. HOW
the resolution, born Of this mysterious
patriotiam, has set the world In an up
roar. eventually driving two great ma
tons TO arms, causing monarchs throne
10 tremble and totter, and carrying the
storm of conflict around the world TO the
farthest islands of the Orient.
Well may man stand awed as ne con-
templates the exhibitions of patriotism
wa ried az the face OF the sky, sweet and
lovely. stern and terrible.
MANY motives may have caused the
men in camp TO lay aside their peaceful
pursuits for the uniform and knapsack
q nd rife but those who mingle most with
the quiet determined volunteers invari-
ably find that deep, earnest, unquestion-