Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-11-10
FIRST DELAWARE TROOPS
Return Of the Third Battalion
From Camp Meade, TO
Be Mustered Out.
ONE THOUSANDSOL DIeRS TOWN
The Furlough of the Members
of the First and Second Bat
talions Expired Today,
and They VIII be
Discharged on
November 10Th.

November 18th.
The Third battalion of the First
Delaware Regiment, which has been
at Camp Meade at Middletown, Pa,
arrived in this city about A. 45 O'Clock
on Sunday afternoon, having been
ordered here to be mustered out Of the
service.
Although the trip home was begun
on rather short notice, the news spread
quickly and the returning soldiers were
greeted by large crowd of people
when they arrived at French street
station. The time was too short, how
ever, to arrange for any sort Of formal
reception and all that could be done
was for the people to turn out and give
an informal welcome. This was done
with will, and, while it was APP
precated by most of the enlisted men,
some of the officers and men were not
very well pleased with the thought of
being mustered out and leaving the
State without representation in the
volunteer army, and the welcome made
very little impression on some, in fact
to few it appeared repulsive. ~
| About 80 members of the Wilmington
Bicycle Club, which was largely in
strumental in having the remaining
| battalion ordered out of the service,
were at the station and loudly cheered
| the boys in blue as their train arrived.
Fifteen members of the club are mem
bers of the battalion. and it is believed
that all, or nearly all, were anxious to
| quit the service. The bicycle boys not
only welcomed the troopss at the station,
but also cheered them Mt several other
points as they marched to the armory.
| Other citizens joined in the greeting.
The club had about arranged for Il
band to escort the soldiers from the
station to the arinory, but as it. was
Sunday it was deemed advisable to
omit this part of the programme, and
the men marched from the station to
the armory without music. They were
without arms, and they marched up
side streets, much to the disappoint-
ment of many who had gathered on
more central streets to welcome them.
When the men reached the armory
they found the drill floor marked off
into spaces for each company, which is
plan used in the German army. Each
company is required to remain in its
own space. Adiutant Dunn of the regi-
ment read an order showing the time Of
roll calls. They are required to report
at 8.45 o'clock each morning. Ii a
man misses roll call he is liable to
lose his pay for that day. Meals will
be served at the Pyle Cycle Academy.
Col. Gordon addressed the mon and
explained the orders. He reminded
them that they were still soldiers Of
the United States government and rep:
resentatives of Delaware and would
| tLr. lsHnrfx, h,t Nj, "a
would deserve.
A prominent member of tho Whining.
ton Bicycle Club, in speaking of the
return Of the Third battalion, said the
reason the organization had interested
itself in the matter was because the
parents of some of the club men who
are in the regiment had made tho re
| quest that the club assist them ii
having their SONS mustered out, and q.
number of worthy cases were brough
to the attention of the club member.
they deemed it wise to bring wha
pressure they could to bear upon tn,
army officials to assist people wht
wanted relatives mustered out. He sale
the result was very satisfactory to tn,
club. In a short time the club will
give banquet in honor of its member
who volunteered.
!; Inquiry among the members OF tn
} battalion revealed the fact that al
though some are pleased with tn
: action of the government in ordering
them home to be, mustered out, We
there are others, including majorit
of the members of Co. G, who enliste,
with view to remaining in the servic
as long as there were any volunteers
and, naturally, they are disappointed an
| s..Ea = 4 .r,x lxlz khn4 -,
a effort may be made to have conpan
possible many of the men, it is said
J, will enlist in the regular army. On
reason for dissatisfaction among tn
: men is that expecting to continue i
], the service through the winter man
:, had drawn their allowance for clothin
= for the second six months. They hav
Z the clothing and cannot get it re
:, deemed. Some overdrew their allow
!, ance and are in debt to the governmer
= and this will be taken from their pay
1t is not known when the paymaste
will arrive. i
The battalion comprises Co. A, Cap
Carer; G, Capt. Boyd; M, in chare
:, of Lieut.. Springer, and b, Capt. LAM
|! Can't Carter was in command an
i about 800 men were in line. A deta
!. of about 30 men, in command of Cap
- Taylor, went South several days ago
select camp site at Columbia, S. @
y for the battalion. There will be r
" need for the site now and the detail wi
~ ~ return to be mustered out. Lieut.. Re,
! nolds and Quartermaster's Clerk Harr
u G. Miller remained at Camp Meade
. sign and receive the papers showing thu
government property has been a,
counted for. The men had turned
w everything but personal effects, til
=, !, battalion making record by the spec
i with which the property was turned il