The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-05-25
From a Staff Correspondent.

From a Staff Correspondent
Camp Alger, Va, May 24.-"Henry A.
Coursen, Commander Third Brigade,
First division, Second army corps" is
the way in which the Thirteenth's
popular and efficient colonel now sub
scribes himself. Major General Gra-
ham in organizing his forces today
brigaded the Eighth, Twelfth and
Thirteenth Pennsylvania and appointed
Colonel COursen as acting brigadier
general. The other Pennsylvania regi-
lnent, the Sixth, Colonel Schall COM
manding, was left unattached, and by
reason Of this Colonel Coursen came in
for the signal honor Of being selected
to the highest military position ever
held by a Scrantonian.
The appointment was a surprise to
everybody. 1t was not expected that
seniority in the National Guard service
would he a recognized factor in the
securing of the big plum. 1t was not
considered. The fact that Colonel
Coursen was a captain in the civil war
IS what won him that position. Colonel
Coryell, of the Twelfth, was Colonel
Coursen's senior in the National Guard.
hut did not serve in the Civil war.
Colonel Hoffman. of the Eighth, saw
more service in the rebellion than did
Colonel Coursen, but he was only a
private.
Major c. r. Parke, the Thlrteenth's
chief surgeon. was hOnored with the
position of brigadier surgeon. Regi-
mental Adjutant l.. c. Mates was
eral" Coursen and Lieutenant Colonel
c. C. Mates, who succeeded to the
command Of the Thirteenth, detailed
Lieutenant j. ID. Davis, of Company
+. as regimental adjutant Tomorrow
and for ten days following Major f.
w. Stillwell will have charge of the
regiment. Colonel Mates having gone
home on a furlough.
HOSPITAL CORPS CHANGES.
ments in regard to the hospital corps
will not depose any of the surgeons, as
was first announced. One surgeon will
remain with each regiment and the
other two will be assigned TO duty at
the division hospital The regimental
hospital corps will be done away with
and a single steward and orderly will
be the only force the regimental sur
geon will have at his command. A
company of 100 men selected from the
different regiments will do the hospital
work for the whole division. This will
decrease the hospital detail to about
three per cent. Of the entire command
and will make it much more effective
Three men who We're loafing about
the camp all day yesterday were taken
into custody last night and are being
held on suspicion of being spies. One
of them is a Spaniard. He gives his
name as Mariana Sato Mayor and
claims he is a Cuban refugee. He eX-
hbited a type written discharge from
the ipsurgent army, where, he says he
served as a bugler. The second, II. f
McDavets, who claims to be an Ameri-
can, showed a discharge from the
United States army. The third, w. II
Shrubs, is a German and says he only
came along to interpret for the Span,
lard. Mayor and McDavets tried tC
enlist in a Colored company. Mayor
was extremely anxious to get in. This
fact and the discovery that he coult
talk English and that he could not blow
a bugle though his alleged discharge
from the Cuban army made him out
bugler, led to the arrest being made
Private Sparks who it was last nigh
feared had contracted typhoid, is nov
pronounced out of all danger Of tn,
dread disease. 1t developed today tina
his fever was not of a typhoidal nature
1t left him almost entirely and thi
afternoon he was permitted to eat tn
hospital diet. The spring from whicl
the Thirteenth received it's water sup
ply was condemned this morning owin
to the close proximity of the stable
and sewer. The water is now boile,
before being used.
Today was extremely hot until afte
the usual afternoon shower. Battalio
drills were conducted at five O'Clock
T. j. Duffy.