The times., 1898-09-10

when President Mckinley signed the
declaration of war with Spain Feeling
ran high in the District at the many acts
of brutality and treachery-seh-ithe part of
the Spanish officials and soldiery, and
the men of the First Regiment, many of
them members of the National Guard,
flocked to the armories and patriotically
and enthusiastically rendered their serv-
ices to the Government
On April % the District National Guard
was assembled, and on the following day
when the President called for coo vol
unteers Gen. Harries rendered the serv
ice of the entire Guard, it thus being
one of the very first military organiza-
tions to respond to the call. During
the afternoon of April % the District Ma
tional Guard received an order from the
War Department calling the organiza-
ton into active service.
Acting on that order, on April %. the
Guard was ordered out for duty by Gen.
Harries. Guardsmen who were In the
Government departments the navy yard
and those employed by private parties Sc
cured leaves OF absence, while some
gave up their positions. At that time the
| Guard consisted of two regiments. the
First Separate Battalion (colored) and
foot battery. forming one brigade. A
portion of the National Guard. under
orders TO go into camp in the Sol
diers' Home grounds. marched TO the
gates of that picturesque enclosure, but
being refused admittance by the Home
authorities the detachment disappointed
and chagrined. marched back to their
armories.
There is a small chapter of unwritten
history connected with the resembling of
the order calling out the District Ma
uonal Guard, which has just come to
light Secretary of the Navy Long called
upon Secretary Alger and was informed
that 1t had been determined to utilize the
entire force of District militia in the
war with Spain. Secretary Long demur-
red and stated that many of the militia
men were employed in the gun factory at
the Washington navy yard and that the
order calling them out to serve as volun-
teers had partially paralyzed the impor-
tant work of that very important insti-
tuition at time when their services were
sorely needed for the manufacture of ord
nance.
Similar complaints were made by the
heads of other executive departments AS
many OF their clerks were enrolled in the
| Guard, the secretaries stated that their
absence would seriously interfere with
the work of the departments. Upon these
representations the order was counter
manded, and the 1.4G0 District Guards
men, who had reported for duty with
| alacrity, were informed that they would
not be mustered into the service of their
country
On April q the Secretary of War an
ncunced that the quota of troops from
| the District of Columbia would be one
| battalion of four companies of infantry.
Adjutant General Heyl was selected to
muster in the battalion at once
On the following day, April Is General
| Harries and the District Commissioners
succeeded In having the quota of troops
from the District increased to one regi-
| ment.
General Harries made the announce
| ment on May that the new regiment
was not a National Guard organization
! but volunteer regiment and recruits
| could therefore be selected from sources
| outside of the ranks of the Guard Re
| cruiting then began in earnest and many
! young men who had never been connect
ed with the National Guard enlisted for
service at the front with the First Regi-
ment.
Wednesday, May T. found the recruit
| ing officer still hard at work. Secretary
Alger informed Col Harries that a por-
ton of the regiment would be ordered
| into camp on the following Monday.
| On May 6, a report was in circulation
| that the regiment would be encamped at
| Fort Washington, or on the Potomac,
near the fort. 1t was stated that the
| District Regiment would number 972 Of
ficers and enlisted men-twelve com
| panies, at the minimum strength of n
men 10 each company. IT was shown by
| Major Bell that in mastering in a regi-
ment of infantry the District of Column
bia had furnished in response to the
| Presidents call for volunteers, a larger
compare tive quota than any State or
| Territory.
On May 10, the mastering In of the regi-
! ment began. The surgeons objected to a
| large number of men from the different
companies of the National Guard and it
| became necessary to seek for recruits
| elsewhere than in the ranks of the guard.
| Col Harries assumed formal command of
| the regiment and it was announced that
! the first company, Capt. Simonson COM
| manding, was ready to be mustered into
| the service of the United Ctates.
| On May 10, Adjt. Gen. Corbin issued the
| formal order that the District of Column
| bia should furnish one regiment of in
| fantry of twelve companies, of Il enlisted
| men each, and that the regiment would
go into camp in Virginia. near Dunn
| Loring. On the same afternoon Capt.
| Otto Simonson's company was mustered
| in and went into camp in the National
On May IL, three companies were mus
tered in and slept on their arms I'm the
| armory. They were Company A, Emmet
Guard, Capt Harry Walsh; Company B.
Capt w. T. II. King, and the Morton
| Cadets, Capt. G. Fred Hodgs0n. These
with Company F, Capt Simonson al
ready in the service, were formed into q
battalion, under the command of Major
NJ. Emmett Urell. 1t was discovered thai
| there was decided mixture of clothine
in the battalion. Some men had infantry
trousers and others were equipped with
those of the cavalry and artillery. A
report was current that the four com
| panies would go into camp in the Smith.
sonian Grounds.
On May 13, the First Battalion Major
| Urell commanding was ordered to camp
near Woodburn Manor Fairfax County.
Virginia. Company L. Capt. England,
mustered in.
On May 16. Company B. Capt King,
was selected as color company, and a
regimental flag was placed in its keep
ing by delegation of ladies, headed by
Mrs. w. T. II. King, wife of the cap
tain, and Mrs. John Houston.
On May IL, Company E, Capt Graham.
reached camp.
On May Is the remaining companies ar
rived in camp and completed the regi-
mental formation. The last company to
reach camp was that commanded by
Capt. Charles Domer, the Fencibles, Com
pany c, of the regiment The fine ap-
| pearance of the men of this company
ELECTED favorable comment Col Harries
assumed command of the regiment, which
| was ordered to leave for Camp Thomas
near Chickamauga on Saturday May o.
| May N.-The regiment was presented
] with beantifui stand of c0lorc bu fbe