Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-06
MAY GIVE OLD RANK.
GOVERNOR TYLER MAY RESTORE
COMMISSIONS OF VOLUNTEERS.
WHY NOT SEND HOME ALL VOLUNTEERS?
Question Raised ns to what the
Regular Army is Doing-Onc Hum
dred Recruits Sent on to the
Fourth Regiment.

Governor Tyler will probably settle the
important question of the relative rank
Of officers Of the State volunteers who en-
tered the United tSates army and those
who stayed at home by restoring to the
farm commissions of the date Of those
which they held prior to entering the ma
tional service.
The Governor has not definitely con-
cluded TO adopt this plan. 1t is very
probable that he will do so.
An officer OF the State Volunteer Artil
lery. who offered his services. but who
could not get into the national service,
said yesterday:
II think the Governor should restore to
the officers who re-enter the State the
commissions they held prior to entering
the volunteer army. This would be 4
course to which no officer now In the Nir-
ginia volunteer service, could possibly OBJ
Ject. l am aware of no law that would
prevent the Governor from doing so. 1t
would be perfectly just to all parties. and
would. l believe. bridge over large part
Of the present difficulty.
1.-THE officer of the Second Regiment
quoted in Sundays Dispatch is vastly
mistaken in saying that those who stayed
at home should be invited to resign" he
continued. "unless he has in mind those
who fatty refused to serve their country
during the war with Spain.
THESE SHOULD GET OUT.
IAN officer or enlisted man who cannot
respond to the call Of duty has no bust
ness in the volunteers, whether 1t be
from unwillingness to face the hardships
of campaign or from family or business
interests. If an officer, he should resign;
if an enlisted man, he should apply for
discharge.
'In the case of those officers who volun-
teered, but who, through no fault of their
own, were unable TO get to the front or
into camp, the. case Is very different.
They were inspired with the same prin-
cipes of fidelity to duty patriotism, and
heroism as those who went into service,
and to insinuate that they should resign
their commissions is manifest injus-
ice. The Governor has, l am sure, no
such thought and would cast no such
aspersions upon them.
1T is hard, in some respects, that a
faithful Ofhcer, who served during the
late war, should have to fall back in
rank behind those who did not serve, but
he should recollect that he has had con-
ferred upon him an honor for which his
less fortunate brother, who stayed al
home, would gladly have exchanged his
rank.
COULD NOT BE REFLECTED.
From conversation with many of the
men in various companies of the Second
and Third regiments / have formed the
opinion that quite large number Of the
company officers cannot be reelected 10
their old positions. In the case of those
who can be elected to the positions held
by them before the war / respectfully
suggest that the Governor restore TO them
their old commissions"
WHY NOT MUSTER OUT ALL?
'How many men are now enlisted In the
regular and volunteer armies of the
United States, and where are stationed
the various commands Of the two
armies? That is the question l should
like TO see Congress ask Of tina Secretary
of War" said a well-known gentleman
yesterday.
"Where are our regular soldiers? Shut
up in barracks within the United States
twirling their thumbs Why not send
them TO Cuba? Why keep 10000 volun-
teers and over In the service when the
war is ended, and the men who went TO
the front when they thought the country
needed them are anxious 10 get back 10
their business. Oh! / tell you, the Sec
rotary of War can be kept busy answering
questions if Congress does its duty"
RECRUITS FOR THE FOURTH.
About 100 men have been sent from
Richmond recently TO join the Fourth
Virginia Regiment. All these have been
taken from among the men recently mus
tered out of the Third Regiment. Two
hundred more men are needed. They can
be obtained with little trouble whom the
Second is mustered out
This will occur by Saturday night at
latest. Captain Clarence Wyatt Of Com
pany II. Fourth Regiment. who has
charge Of the recruiting detail here. has
received no orders as to what he shall
do with men enlisted after the Seventh
Corps goes to Cuba, but expects TO send
them directly TO Habana.