Evening star., 1898-04-07
NEW LIGHT BATTERY
District National Guard to Be Materially
Strengthened.
The Commander VIII BE Cant. Charles
ID. Hine, Formerly of the
U. 8. Army.

tional Guard were gratified to learn,
through an announcement in The Star last
Saturday, that it was the intention of the
War Department, in view of the brigade
being called into the service of the United
States, to provide Gen. Harries command
with a battery of field artillery consisting
of six guns The proposition has rather
unexpectedly come to a head. General or
ders from headquarters state that Battery
A, Light Artillery, will be mounted and re-
organized as a battery of field artillery
with 80 guns. BY far the most important
feature in connection with the matter,
however, is the appointment of Charles D.
Hine, formerly an officer of the United
States army, as captain.
Just year ago Gen. Ordway reorga. Lied
the Light Battery by dismounting it and
equipping it with Hotchkiss guns. In view
of the prospect of taking the field, Gen.
Harries considered mounted battery abso-
lutely essential 1t will consist Of one hun
dred and fifty men. First Lieut.. J. H.
Griffith, who recently effected the reorgan-
ization of the foot battery, few days ago
teSan changing tie status of the command
to that of mounted battery. At this
juncture Mr.. Hine reached the city and
volunteered his services, which were at
once. accepted.
Capt. Hine Is Washington boy and a
graduate of the Washington High School,
entering the United States Military Acade-
my at West Point at the close of his High
School course. At the encampment of the
District National Guard at Fort Washing
ton in the summer Of 1889 he volunteered
his services as Instructor and was attached
to the staff of Gen. Ordway. His efforts
proved Of marked value during the en-
campment and won for him a high place
In the regard of the officers and men of the
guard. Again in 1890 Cadet Hine was de-
tailed for this same duty. This was the
a OF hod
ordered away from the academy for SINH
lar purpose. After his graduation in 1891
Lieut.. Hine was invited by the governor Of
North Carolina to attend the state encamp-
ment, and his services there as inspector
were so highly regarded that the next year
his services were in demand by the states
of North Carolina, Virginia and West Vir-
ginia. He attended the state encampment
Of Virginia.
Upon his graduation Mr.. Hine was COM
missioned second lieutenant in the 9th
United States Infantry, stationed at Fort
Thomas, KY, but he did not remain in the
army long. Becoming convinced that the
railroad business offered brighter prospects
for a young man of ambition and energy
he resigned his commission after gradual
ing from the Cincinnati Law School and
practically began life anew in a new line of
work, starting at the very bottom of the
ladder. His first employment was that Of
a railroad brakeman, but he very quickly
worked his way up step by step, and at
the present time holds the important office
of chief clerk at Cleveland for the Big
Four system.
When he rendered his resignation as Sec
ond lieutenant Mr.. Hine made inquiries
through friends in this city Of Lieutenant
Colonel Schof1eld, then commanding the
army, If in the event of hostilities of any
kind in the future he would be permitted
to return to the army and fight for his
country. General Schof1eld remarked that
the country would be proud Of such men
as Hine and would speedily avail itself OF
their services.
Realizing that the relations between the
United States and Spain were on the verge
of rupture and that the National Guard of
the District Of Columbia would be the first
volunteer organization to be called into the
service of the United States, Mr.. Hine Sc
cured an indefinite leave of absence from
the railroad and hastened to this city, in
order to tender his services to General
Harries. 1t has been the policy of the bri-
gade's commanding general, in appointing
officers. to secure, as far as possible, men
who nave had the benefit Of thorough mill
tary training. Mr.. Hine, of course, more
than filled the bill, and, furthermore is
known and respected throughout the bri-
gade. General Harries, after consulting
with Lieutenant Griffith, decided to tender
the command Of the battery to the former
army officer. who accepted 1t only after he
mad received the emphatic assurance OF
Lieutenant Griffith that the appointment
would be satisfactory to the latter and
members of the battery. Captain Hine and
Lieutenant Griffith are thoroughly in har-
mcny. and have already inaugurated a
plan that will make their command q model
and thoroughly efficient organization in a
very short time.
Captain Hine will remain with the Dis
trlct National Guard only during the pe-
riod that hostilities remain a possibilitv.
When international difficulties have been
hEally adjusted he will return to his busi-
ness in the west, and Lieutenant Griffith.
10 whom credit is due for organizing the
battery, will again assume command