Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-14
THE yYnGINrANs IN FLORIDA.

GrubbIng stumps and digging ditches
with the thermometer In the nIneties Is
not an occupation In which even a poet
could find romance, and our soldier boys
In camp near Jacksonville make no pre-
tence of deriving enjoyment from such
duties. Nor do they aver that military
life is by any means a bed of roses, or
that they are over-enthusiastic about II,
but for all that. the experiences Of the
ylrginIans In Florida will some day furnish
them delightful retrospect and afford
the topic for many conversation. What
has been lacking the lads in the way OF
luxury and comfort has been amply made
up by the cordially and bonhomie which
has prevailed among the troops. These
results may have been brought about by
that touch Of pity which makes the
whole world kim" or, perhaps, to express
II less euphoniously, they may be due
to that comfortable feeling which arises
on seeing "some other in the same hole
with yourself" At any rate, the ruddy
youngsters from the Old Dominion have
made friends by the hundred-nay, by
the thousand. Their baseball players
and boxers have gone into strangers
camps and fought for athletic honors;
their officers have exchanged courtesies
with the sheulder-strapped fellows from
other States; their "non-coms" have
passed the good word OF fraternal feel
ing, and doubtless their hearty privates
have held up many a stranger for
"chaw" of that greatest Of martial con-
solations-tobacco. And all these things,
together with their solderly bearing,
have made them friends.
But II is not alone with Uncle Sans
more active defenders that the Virgin
ians have formed firm and lasting friend
ships. The Jacksonville people from the
very first have treated our lads with
degree of courtesy and consideration that
is remarkable Indeed, the whole town
seems to think nothing too good for the
merry fellows from our regiments. The
clubs and social organizations were long
since thrown open to our officers, and the
prvates have Jared but little worse. Nor
has this marked preference for the Vir-
ginians engendered jealousy among the
other soldiers. Indeed, the whole thing
seems taken for granted.
In last Sundays issue Of the Jackson
vile TimesUnion and Citizen nearly a
column is devoted to the history of Com
pany Il, Second Virginia Regiment, better
known in this city as the Walker Light
Guard. To repeat in full the kindly re-
ferences made by our Florida friends
to this gallant organization would be TO
relate an oft-told story here. but even at
the risk of triteness, we quote the fol-
lowing:
The motto of the company is "Semper
Paratus," and the people OF Virginia Will
cheerfully attest TO the fact that ii has
been faithfully kept On several occa-
sions, with scarce enough notice to get
the men together. the company has an
swered urgent calls from remote sections
of the State, as well as from the city of
Richmond, and could always be relied
upon as one of the laws staunchest sup
ports.
AS a drilled company, It's reputation is
not confined to the State of Virginia, the
scores made by it in competitions being
among the highest ever made by any COM
pany. Before the United States army Off
GERS detailed from Fort Monroe is judges
of the contest, and who framed the drill
programme, which was not known to the
company until half an hour before it was
to be executed. Company b made the un-
usual record of 80 and 50 per cent. on sue
cessive years, capturing the first prize on
each occasion. The company now holds
the position of color company of the Sc
cond Virginia Regiment