The times., 1899-11-13

The National Feucibles, once the best
drilled military organization ia the United
States and the only company which ever
held the championship for two consecutive
years, have been sold ont, and nothing re-
mains 20 close the career OF the company
but its musteF-out, a ceremony which viii
probably be performed la a short time. The
natty green uniforms which were worn by
several victorious drill teams were sold at
auction last week for a pitiful sum. and the
entire furniture OF the Fencibles' quarters
was sold to satisfy judgment The pro-
ceeds from the sale. which amount to a
few cents above $500, are greater than the
Indebtedness Of the company. and the bal
auce will probably be used for the purpose
OF defrayiTg the expense of establishing a
club, where the old members can congre-
gate and discuss their many victories on
the drill field.
The downfall Of the FenCibes is laid di-
Tectly at the feet OF the present commander
Of the District National Guard. To use the
expression of one of the members of the
company, General Harries made monkeys"
Of them during the war with Spain. The
feeling against the commanding general has
been running high ever since the famous
march of the Guard TO the Soldiers Home
and back again, at the outbreak of the
Spanish war. When the militia was ordered
out at that time the Fencibles, or Com
pany c, Second Battalion, as it was Of
ticially known, were imbued with a spirit
of patriotism and turned out with forty
five men, almost the full strength of the
company. They were ordered, with the
nj Of bair IaF oil inn fn INN,
near the new reservoir on the Conduit
Road. They marched out there in the
morning, ready to give battle to any Span
iards who might sail up the Potomac, and
were brought back TO the city again at
night very Crestfallen and indignant set
of young men.
When the District volunteer regiment
was organized less than twenty Fencibles
/ volunteered. A company went TO the front
! and it was supposed to contain all of the
Fencibles, but the men had refused to
/ volunteer under the command of the colo
! mel selected by the President When the
men who had gone to war returned, the
command gradually declined and men and
officers lacked interest in military work.
Then came the Tumors of the dissolution
of the company and its muster out of the
National Guard. The organization had
several unpaid bills, and the creditors
sued for payment. The Fencibles have
frequently been in debt to a much greater
extent than they were when the suits were
filed, and they paid their bills when due,
but on this occasion il became necessary
to dispose of the uniforms and furniture
10 settle the demands of the creditors
During the life OF the organization, ex-
| tending over twelve years, the National
Fencibles became famous throughout the
country. The company won the Galveston
Cup, representing the championship Of the
United States, in two competitive drills,
and defeated some of the great drill organ
izations of the country at other times
The command was organized June q,
1887. for the purpose Of giving Washington
a military organization, the prime object
Of which should be excellence in drill Ii
was mustered into the National Guard a
month after its organization with twenty
81 Emen and three officers. At this time
the officers were: Captain, Charles sum-
ner DOmer; First Lieutenant, Lee Brent
Mosher; Second Lieutenant, T. Arthur
TOmlinson. The first appearance of the
company on parade was on the return OF
former Gov. Alex Shepherd to Washington
in October 1887. when the Fencibles turned
out forty-two officers and men Shortly
after this the organization became very
well known locally for the excellence and
I precision of its drills, and in the summer
of 1888 made its first trip out of the city
to White Sulphur Springs, Va, where it
camped for ten days, creating an excellent
/ impression. 1t took part in the Centen-
| NAL celebration in New York in 1889. and
was honOred by the presence of President
! Harrison at an exhibition drill at the
! camp OF the District Brigade at Fort Wash
! lngton in the summer of the same year
/ In the winter the Fencibles assisted at a
number Of charitable entertainments, Civ
/ ing exhibition drills without command to
/ the music OF the "Fencibles' March" writ
( ten by John Philip Sousa. then leader of
( the Marine Band.
! The drill team Of the command partici-
/ pated in a number Of contests in this city.
and IN May, 1890. went to Kansas City,
/ Mo. In this contest the FencibIes were
second in the maiden class and third in
/ the interstate drill. They won a purse Of
/ 81 600 for the two drills, and Captain Do
/ mer was presented with a gold medal for
making fewer mistakes than any other
/ company commander in the maiden drill
/ In addition to this. Private c. Z. Sessford
1 won the individual drill medal Shortly
! before this drill Lieutenant Tomlinson re-
/ signed his commission, and William w
! Mortimer was elected in his place The
/ company was not satisfied with its showing
( at the Kansas City drill, and in 1891 the
command again left the city 10 participate
/ III an interstate contest. This time it went
| TO Indianapolis, but did not fare so well.
coming out fifth. Before the departure of
/ the troops from this encampment the Ma
/ tional Competitive Drill Association was
organized, and it was decided that the next
drill should be held in Omaha, Neb, the
! following year.
The Fencibles journeyed to the Western
city in June, 1892, and were universally
! praised for their sOldierly appearance.
The drill was finished in half the time
allotted TO it, and the judges had no hesi-
tatlon in announcing the fact that the
washington company was the winner of
the championship and the Galveston Cup.
carrying with it a purse of S. 600 The
captain OF the team was presented with a
/ gold mounted sword, valued at $4O0, for
] making the best score When the vic
| torious team arrived in this city il was
/ met at the station by the National Guard
The team a this time was made up Of the
| following members:
Captain, c. S. Domer; first lieutenant.
| Lee b. Mosher; second lieutenant w. w.
Mortimer first sergeant, R. c. Rice: sec
| ond sergeant, c. f. Sessford; third ser
geant, T. A. TomIinson; fourth sergeant
w. NJ. Walker; fifth sergeant. W r. Crist:
! pTivates, f. o. Roman, w E. Thornton.
II. Z. Kondrup, J. c. Kondrup. J. J. Gavin,
w. w. Payne, W. A. Domer, T. L. Costigan,
| ]. b. Murray, J. y. Walsh. r. S. Roche
w. B. CulyerwelI w. K. Baum. +. d. Hes
ter, II. A. Dunn, II. B. Ramey, J. II. Gra-
ham. r. T. r. Rynex, w. E Guy. c. F..
Graf, b. B. S. Phillips. H G. HeaIy J.
| 4. Butler, jr., r. w. Washington. E. s.
! Newman K. D. Cromwell A. L. Moore
| E. NJ. WardwelI. J. G. Stelle, W. f. Car
| ruthers, J. p. Cromwell, w. X Noting
ham; substitutes, o. H. Schons and w. B.
Sabin.