Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-04-05
ECHOES FROM CAMP ALGER,

HSelu et Yam anger u Las becu mN
purpose to write something in regard
to some of the officers of the Sd Vir-
ginia regiment, which was encamped
at said camp from the first of June un-
til early in September of 1898, at which
lime we were ordered to Richmond to
receive furloughs for thirty days and
there 10 be mustered out of the U. S.
service as volunteers. Through all of
those weary months when the monot-
ony of camp life tried our very souls,
when day after day, under the scorch-
ing rays OF the sun and great clouds of
DUST we had to drill, do guard duty,
target shooting, ETC., how nobly our Of
icers stood by their men, patient and
iorbearing under all circumstances.
and yet holding the men under the best
OF discipline. 1t is well known that
when the tocsin of war sounded that
Hon J os Z. Willard, of Fairfax, ten
dered mis- services to the President of
the United States, and not only that
hu, raised and equipped a company at
his own expense, chartered a special
train TO take his company TO Richmond
where they were mustered into servic5
ana only two men out ofthe eighty-four
carried to Redmond failed to pass the
examination Whilst at Camp Lee two
men OF Co. I we're quite sick and Capt.
Willard placed them in his own tent
and teuderly cared for them until they
were we'll again The writer of this
article was on sentinel duty when Capt.
Falkner came to Capt. Willard and
said TO him: Captain Willard,
10 want 6 good excuse for your
absence from the ball down in Rich
mond last night" Said Capt. Willard, II
have none, except that two Of my men
were i'll and had to remain with them"
This was only the beginning. Time
and again did Capt. Willard make just
such sacrifices for his men. Three
times he chartered special trains to take
his company back aud forth to Rich
| moud, and when we were finally mus
tered out, and the men had nearly one
hundred dollars each in their pockets,
Capt. Willard paid one hall OF our rail-
road fare TO Washington with such un-
selfish patriotism it is no wonder that
the men loved and honored him and
obeyed him so implicitly. All honor to
him ard 10 Lieut.. Donohoe. The lat
ter followed Col. John S. Mosby through
| the dark days OF the civil war and was
always found in the thickest of the
fight, and ranked with the bravest of
the brave, and though he had perform
ei his duty so we'll, he did not hesitate
wqeu duty called the second time; be
| /, & his editorial chair, accepted COM
mission aud RENAME d with his men un-
Ill the final farewells were said. Capt
Willard was sent out as recruiting otfl-
GER and Lieut.. DonohOe was left IN
charge OF his men, and he was loved
and honored for his gentlemanly bear
iag. his ine judgment and noble hearted
Kindness to the men. How often have
we gone TO him for advice and counsel,
and he never failed to respond. Ser
geants Chichester, Love, Monroe and
Ford are all kindly remembered by the
man that composed Co. l.
Captain Richard II. Atkinson, OF
Company F, was extremely popu-
lar with the officers and men OF the regl-
ment. Whenever an opportunity pre-
seuted itself to do anything for the com
fort to the men of the regiment Capt.
Atkinson never failed to respond. We
we'll remember that for some minor Of
fepse the lines around our camp were
contracted, so that we were cut oil from
the oniy shade trees to which we had
access. bv order of Lieut.. CoI. Kellar
When Capt. Atkinson became officer
of the dav the first thing he did was to
AGAIN extend the lines and once more
we could revel under those beautiful
shade trees when not on duty.
To Lieutenauts King and Fisher the
men OF the old Third are indebted for
many kindnesses. The writer was sui
fering from vaccnated arm and not
able to go on duty, and remain IN tne
scorcbing sunshine | made the fact
known to Lieut.. King, who was officer
Of the guard, and be had me put at the
spriug where | served my time without
sny bad effects. AleXandrlans, stano
bv such men as Capt. Atkinson and
Ieutenants King and Fisher. They
deserve the best you have. In !act all
of the officers of our regiment were hrst
class Virginia gentlemen. The regl'
ment will never forget the kind
ness of the ladies of Fairfax and
Alexandria and Prince William.
The ladies of Fairfax Courthouse and vi
cinity came out quite frequently, and always
brought us something nice to eat. MIS- VIII
lsrd on one occasion trested Company with
lemonsde The Misses Moore and Misses
Donohoe came down and instructed our cook
in fixing up something good for the men, and
he never forgot the lessons given him. Then,
too. Mrs. Taylor, Mrs. Sisson and Mr. Sisson
gsys us ice cream and other delicacies Mr..
Richardson kept the company supplied with
cigars snd chewing tobacco for da>s. The
Aiexsudris ladies made US frequent Wis IS and
wa always had feast when they came. Well
do we remember the sweet singing by the
ladies' of Alexandria. when two or three
times week they drove ont at night and
under the artor erected ior religious worship
tbev entertsined the soldiers with their
sweet songs. When we were speeding on our
Jvav 70 Richmond the trains were boarded al
Alcxsndria Ale by ther representatives Snd our
csnteens were filled with delicious coffee sno
N"'N ....ro -prnjshed which was all