Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-04
WANT THEIR RANK.
OFFICERS WHO Volunteered
KICK AGAINST BEGINNING ANEW.
VOLUNTEERS THEIR SENIORS
officers of the Second VIII strongly
Oppose Being Outranked by Those
who Stayed at Home-The Question
of Pay for Uniforms.

1t is clear that the problems growing
out of the reorganization of the State mil
itary are daily becoming more difficult as
well as increasing In number.
The officers of the companies which vol
unteered for the war and their regimental
officers may give serious trouble. Their
opposition to many plans OF reorganiza-
ton is certain.
Amy method of recognizing the Vir-
ginia volunteers which allows the officers
who did not volunteer to outrank those
who did will meet with decided opposition.
WHAT SECONDS OFFICERS THINK.
An officer Of the Second Regiment in
conversation yesterday, said: Il do not
want any special reward for having vol
unteered. / think it was the duty of
every man in the State service who
could do so to volunteer. / did my duty
as l saw 1t. Now. all say Island you
will find every man in the United States
volunteers from Virginia agrees with me
that ii looks hard that we should lose our
rank because We did not stay at home
when the call came, while those who did
not respond retain theirs. Everybody
can see the justice of our contention.
II am certain that eleven Of the twelve
companies OF the Second Regiment will
apply to the Governor for permission to
re-enter the State service. provided the
commissions of their captains are not
dated so as 10 make those who stayed at
home their seniors.
"If the Governor wants to settle this
whole matter, and give us a fine State
guard, he should revoke the commissions
- oil he W n
the call for volunteers and begin ever
again. ] know a court-martial 10 neo)s-
sary to take away the commission Of IN
officer. ! believe a request made OF the
officers who did not volunteer wolii te
sufficient to have their designations forth
coming / believe that in the case OF reg
mental officers OF the First. second
Third and Fourth Regiments who did
not volunteer, they are no longer IN the
State service-they are without COM
mands. IL has been decided that an OFF,
Ger without a command Is not an officer
"You can put II down as certain that We
are going TO oppose TO the last any plan
OF reorganization which will make the offi-
GERS who stayed at home the seniors OF
those who volunteered
Governor Tyler has not yet decided as
IN what course he will pursue In this mat
ter. He Will nave " t~N~
account of the attitude Of the officers OF
Virginia. now in the Federal service. They
have IT practically in their power to pre-
vent the formation OF new military COM
panies.
OTHER SIDE OF QUESTION
The officer OF the Second referred 10
above says there are also two sides to the
question OF the justice Of the United
States reimbursing the State for the uni
forms and other quartermaster's supplies
taken by the State soldiers into the vol
unteer army. Nearly all the companies,
he saws, had uniforms purchased by popu-
lar Subscription at their home towns. He
sees no reason why these uniforms should
be charged TO the men. which would, In
effect, be making them pay for that when
was originally given them. He says ne
would not. object to having the State re-
,mbursed, but thinks the men should be
Maid for the uniforms. rather than that
they should be compelled to pay for them.