Middletown transcript., 1898-07-23
Editor and Proprietor

IN another column may be found
tabulated statement given out by th
War Department this week relative t
the quota Of Volunteers furnished b.
the several States uuder the two call
by the President for 125 900 and rs, ,00
men, or a total of 100000. No mention
is made of Delaware in this report
This is provoking. We are small bu
we are not accustomed to be ignored O.
forgotten. Delaware has done he
duty in every war this country has had
her soldiers having won honor ant
glory. Under the first call by Presi
dent Mckinley Delaware's quota wa'
BAL. She enlisted a regiment of 1923
Under the second call her quota wa:
205, or SAG under the two calls, hence
no second enlistments were made in
this State. In the number of hel
volunteers Delaware has done nobly
and she should not be ignored in
statements sent out by the War De-
partment. We respectfully call the
attention of Senator Gray and Repre-.
sentative Handy to these facts.
"Why do you not advocate the re-
moval of the Delaware Volunteers from
Camp Tunnel, the sending Of the Re-
giment to the front where they may
see some service ?" has been frequently
asked US. That is not our province.
We have nothing to do with ordering
or distributing the troops; certainly
not; nor would we feel that we had
done good thing were we to advocate
that our Regiment be sent to the front
and though our opinions were given no
consideration, yet should ''the boys"
go there and should brave and worthy
sons and loved ones fall in battle our
conscience might not be clear. War is
terrible matter and going to the front
means taking great risk Of life and
limb and health, hence it is not for us
to advocate anything in this matter.
To others belongs the responsibility
and they must direct affairs.
1t is not, however, overstepping the
bounds of prudence to state our belief
that large majority Of the officers and
privates of the First Delaware Regi-
ment Volunteers are anxious to remove
from Camp Tunnel. The men have
been "cooped up" for three months in
a field back from the public thorough
fare; the weather has been from ex-
treme cold, snow and blizzard almost.
to extreme heat of over a hundred in
the shade, while the troops are un-
protected save from the tents; the
men are impatient Of restraint while SO
near to their homes and not a few
abuse the privileges granted them
overstaying their time when leave of
absence is granted. The men are well
equipped and well drilled, and we be-
lieve the majority Of them desire to see
other service than that at Camp Tun-
nell. The officers and men, unfor-
tunately, like the modest maiden
towards the man Of her affections,
must await in seeming patience the
tardy word and action of others.
Query-the woman Of the Nineteenth
Century has advanced beyond the po-
sition of ye olden times and why may
not the soldier of the period take
lessons Of her I?
There has been not a little grumb-
ling about the conduct Of few of the
soldiers as to rowdyism especially since
pay day. The Wilmington papers have
complained Of the men visiting there.
There are a few bad eggs in every big
basket. a thousand men is large
assemblage and few hard characters
count more than double, especially |
when in liquor. The city authorities
made mistake in not treating the
first offence by the soldiers as they |
would any others. License to such |
men is certain to be abused. But take |
the First Delaware Regiment as body
and it will compare favorably with
any other. Within its ranks are the
representatives of the best blood Of our
State, the leading families in every
respect. They are worthy sons of noble
sires and patriotic mothers, and given
The opportunity they will show the
true metal, and do honor to the Dia-
mond State.