The evening times., 1898-09-03
RETURN OF THE HEROES
Col. Harries Will BE Allowed
to Set the Day.
PLANS FOR A RECEPTION
A Special Committee Confers with
Adsutnnt General CGrBin on Ihc
the District XOIuntcers-The Re
suit of the Meeting.

trict of Columbia Volunteer Regiment
has been left to Col Harries. command
ing officer of the regiment, and to Gen.
Wheeler
The announcement TO this effect was
officially made to a Times reporter this
afternoon, Immediately after special
committee, consisting of Major Sylvester,
Mr.. Harry i. West, and Mir. Theodore
Noyes, had conferred with Adjt Gen
Corbin about the matter.
This special committee was appointed
at the meeting of the general commit
tee on arrangements for the reception
Of the volunteers last night. The COM
mittee called on the adjutant general
shortly after / O'Clock and was in con-
ference with him for almost an hour.
during which time the manner of the pro-
posed reception and the general coRdi-
ton of the troops Were discussed.
The committee emerged from the adju-
tant generals room a few minutes before
2 o'clock, and reluctantly made known
the result of the call.
Major Sylvester said: There is really
nothing new. The matter mas been left
in the hands OF Col Harries and the
commanding general at Montauk Point.
Mr. West said: The District boys viii
return at the desire of Col. Harries.
Mr. Noyes said nothing.
AdjutanJ General Corbin WAS next seen
by the reporter and in reply 70 a direct
query as to the return OF the District
troops, he said:
i do NOT know when they Will return
The order for their muster out was is
sued today. The matter OF their return
has been left entirely in the hands Of
Col. l. arries and the commanding general
at Camp Wikoff, who is Gen. Wheeler.
The recommendation Of Col. Harries TO
Gen. Wheeler and the recommendation OF
Gen. Wheeler to the War Department will
certainly be agreeable TO The War De
partmcHt, as the matter has been left in
their hands and il is not thought that
they VIII direct the regiment 10 return un-
Ill II is iit 10 make the journey. / have
80 informed the committee which called
10 see me this morning.
Whether Colone. Harries wiz have the
regiment return next Friday is not
known with certainty.
Tie text Of the telegram sent last
meUt is as follows:
Commanding General Camp Wikoff,
MoEtauk. Long Island:
With view To furlOugh for sixty days
after arrival at State rendezvous and
muster out at expiration thereof Secre-
1ary Of War directs that you prepare the
District Of Columbia United States Vol
uuteer Infantry. in accordance with the
regulations Of General Orders No. l2f.
amended n Genera Z
orders No l30 and send the organization
10 the armOry. Washington. y. g., where
the commanding officer OF the organiza-
1ion viii comply with such further re-
Quirements as are prescribed by above
general orders.
THE quartermastcr'S department vii
/, furnish transportation and the subsist.
4 ence department the necessary travel anC
: held ralions and coffee money.
Telegraph date Of departure and route
AT earliest moment to the adju;ant gen.
eral of the army, commanding officers o1
I the District Regimen, and United State:
mastering Office at State rendezvous
Acknowledge receipt,
"'HEISTAND.
Assistant Aajutant."
The meeting Of the committee on ar.
rangemeuts for the reception Of the Dis.
rrict Volunteers, held at the Ebbitt
House last night proved that the enthus
iasm ot the citizens of Washington ha.
been aroused.
The meeting was called to order by
Major Richard Sylvester.
The first business was the reading O,
the report OF Chairman James f. Bell
OF the investigating committee, which
was sent to Camp Nikoff The repor'
was that the condition Of the camp was
excellent. but that the troops were home
sick The report in part follows:
When the committee visited our boys on Sunda,
last after the greetings were exchanged. the hrs
thing the wanted TO know hen are VI
going homey" That inqui w8s on every tongue
and seemed to bc the aIl-5bscrhng theme ",
met the same anxious and pleading inquiry IRON
the members OF the First Battalion on their ar
rival. I'm fact, there such a general feeling O
homesckness as have never witnessed and c0ul,
De appreciated only 10y coming in contact with it
Col HarTiOs. whose every thought is Tor the bes
interest Of the men, concluded that the propc
thing 10 DO was 10 provide Tor their stomach
and build them up. SO that when they reached
Washington instead Of marching 4 hund ed q
two hundred soldiers, followed 10y ambulance
or other c0nycyances carrying the sick, that h
could be greeted with full ranks and return Il
their families the boys in fine condition.
This proposition involved a stay OF TWO three
weeks in camp, and instead OF having the effec
which it was hoped II might whon communicates
to the men, added additional pangs TO the
hOmesiCkness and the appeals to the cGmmIttei
were most piteous to persuade him TO ciaugi
his plans; SO. after carefully discussing the mat
ter till nearly midnight "Wednesday, agree,
70 urge a change OF program and recommend tha
the departure should be made on Thursday mex
by steamer direct TO Jersey City, a trip dow
the sound would be both pleasing and invigorat
ing TO the men. They would dine on the boa
and have supper in Jersey City, leaving ther
during the night and breakfa sting in Philadelph
arriving in Washington Friday morning beflr
the sun had warmed up the streets makin
il unpleasant for the men to march over them
F.fsaVI 1fE .arr+H an
proval, and the details were added by his thought
ful suggestion.
I wish vou could have witnessed the effect G
his announcement TO the men that the date q
their departure had been fixed, and that the
would reach home on September g. II cheere
them, and, ] am sure, will do more towar
building them up physically than all the medicin
in camp would
Mr Harry L. West, chairman of III
committee on medals, reported that IL
committee had decided on a design for III
medals and was about 10 award the con
tract for striking them off when it wa
learned Of the proposed return of tn
regiment next week If this were carrie
out, his committee would be unable t
have the medals ready. Mr.. West empha
sized the fact that no more than the re
quired number of medals would be struc'
of
Mr. John Joy Edison. chairman of tn
mittee on finance reported that hi
committee had received contribution
TO about 81 600.
Mr. w. S. Hutchins, chairman Of tn
committee on street railways reporte
that he had seen the District Comnis
sioners with reference to the suspensio
of street traffic during the parade y
arrangements could be made, however
until the time when the troops will re
turn shall have been determined.
Mr. Arthur Hendrick, chairman of th