Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-11-24

|
city on furlough Of 30 days, and as
strong pressure is to be brought to bear
upon President Mckinley and the War
Department officials, it is likely that
the battalion will be retained in the
service.
There are three very good reasons for
this action-if the order Is not re-
scinded Delaware will be the only State
In the Union without representation in
the volunteer army; about 70 per cent
of the members Of the battalion are ex-
ceedingly anxious to remain in the SER
vice, and Gen. Nelson A. Cole, COM
mander Of the Third brigade of the
Second division of the Second army
corps, is DESTROYS that the battalion
should be sent hack to him, as he con-
siders it one of the best bodies of men
in the volunteer army.
Many of best citizens Of the State
have expressed regret that there is q
possibility of the State being without
representation in the. army, and some
have manifested willingness to assist
as best they can in any move that will
keep Delaware on a footing with her |
sister States in the present contin- |
gency.
Gen. Coles interest is highly appre-
ciated by the men, who see in it the |
value he places on Delaware soldiers. |
He has done more to have the men re-
tanned in the service than any other
person having any influence with the
government, and more than was ex-
pected or could have been hoped for.
As matter of fact, he will be very
much disappointed if the battalion is
mustered out.
The order for the battalion to come
to Wilmington for the purpose of being
mustered out was received at Camp
Meade on the afternoon of November
Sd. Nearly every member was sur
prised, but none of them more SO than
Gen. Cole, who, when appraised of the
contents Of the order, conferred with
the Delaware officers and granted their
request to be allowed to have petit
tion expressing desire to remain in
the service circulated among the mem
bers Of the battalion for signatures. He
not only approved Of the plan, but con-
sented to allow Lieut. T. Edward
Brown of Co G, go to Washington with
the petition as soon as it could be
passed around among the men, his OBJ
ject being to show the authorities at
Washington that he wanted the battal-
ion retained and to give them an oppor-
tunity to see Just how the men felt
about the matter.
On the morning Of November Sd 237
men answered to roll call. The entire
membership was 306, but 80 men and
officers had gone to Columbia, s. g.,
to make arrangements for the troops
there, orders Having been received
authorizing such step, and several
others were out Of camp for various
reasons.
= As soon as the consent of Gen. Cole
was obtained the petition was prepared
and in less than two hours all of the
men available were seen and 1853 ap
pended their signatures, requesting that
they be permitted to remain in the SER
vice. As matter of fact, it was moi
possible to see all Of the 237 men who
had responded to roll call in the morn
ing as some were in other parts Of the
camp on detached duty, and it is esti
mated that at least 20 more signatures
could have been obtained, while it ha
since been learned that with one or tw,
exceptions, all of the men who were il
the South arranging for new quarter
would have signed the petition If the
had had an opportunity to do SO.
Immediately after the petition ha,
been signed by the men who could b
seen it was taken Washington b.
Lieut.. Brown, but as President Nc
Kinley and nearly all of the officials i
the War Department and other infiuer
tial persons had left the Capitol &c
their respective States, for the purpos
of being home on election day, /
order to vote, it was impossible to sc
the persons with whom verbal stat
ment would have had any effect, an
nothing could be done by the lieutei
ant but leave the petition at the Wa
Department, where it is now on ill
Fearing that the officials in the depar
ment have lost sight of it, the matt,
will again be brought to their attel
tion in day or two and pressure wi
be brought to bear upon them whicl
it is expected, will result in offici
notice being taken Of it..
Prominent army officers under who
the Delaware soldiers have served W
undoubtedly advise the War Depar
ment officials of the value placed up,
the battalion and point out that b
fact that it is fine body of men h
been demonstrated repeatedly, in tn
it has been drawn upon time and aga
for men for the signal corps, hospii
corps, details for headquarters, an
in fact, wherever level headed soldit
were needed.
The government had intended to Ike
the battalion in the service, as prior
the mastering out order, an order h
been issued assigning it to the Seco
division of the Second army corps a
directing il to proceed to the Sout
from which place it would have be
sent, in all probability, to Hawai-
When this order came the men W
pleased. They had enlisted to sci
their country and were glad to KIN
that they were to be assigned to gar
son duty, that they could be of so
service to the country, and, when Il
were ordered home, with few exc
tions, there was general Disappointing
1t will be great calamity to most
the men if they are mustered out.
rule they will be without empl
ment, and, worse than all, with,
money. Some left good positions,
pecting to serve the full two years, {
very few can get back to their wo
before the expiration of that time
least. The majority will be depend
upon relatives, friends or the public
They were recently ordered to prov
themselves with winter clothing
drew from the government overcoi
blankets and other necessary artic
each mans outlay being between
and 800 This clothing was drs
after the First and Second battali
were ordered mustered out, and
had been determined at that time
the Third battalion was also to be
dered out, it would not have /
necessary to draw the clothing and
men would have received the yaiu
money, as was the case with the