The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-03-24

return to us men. If you have been
good soldiers and thoughtful you have
| learned the grey est of all the lessons
of life. to do tha daily duty of life as
we'll as you could, because you were an
individual part of great and powerful
organization. whose safety and success
depended upon ! - that discharge OF
duty by each one of it's parts.
You are no longer soldiers, but cti-
Zens. Citizens of a state which is q
civil organization just as dependent for
its prosperity and the welfare of its
! people Individually, and collectively,
upon the intelligent and patriotic dis
charge of personal duties, as the army
which you have left. Your own future,
safety, happiness and prosperity is
. largely dependent upon the public well
| rare. AS you resume your civil duties
| let the same patriotism animate you
which enabled you to make the supreme
sacrifice of enlistment, and you will al
| ways be defenders of the republic and
deserve the gratitude of your fellow
| citizens.
| You have not escaped unscathed from
| the war. Many of you have endured
| the dtstresses of disease. Nineteen of
| your number laid down their lives up
| on the altar where you all made the
| offering Their sacrifice is as supreme
| and honorable as that of those who fell
! in battle. They have recorded their
! names on the illustrious roll Of mar
| tyrs Of their country. Let us ever re-
| We're ana halloW the memory of it, and
| deck their graves on Decoration Dav
! with the laurel and ivy of victory and
! rear to their honor in our city an en-
! during monument which shall hand
| down their names to the veneration OF
| future generations.
SOLDIERS CONGRATULATED.
/ upon your safe return, we thank you
/ for your noble and faithful service, and
/ we joyfully welcome you to your homes
! and our hearts.
Colonel Coursen, it has been your en-
/ Viable privilege to serve in two of these
/ great wars. You are indeed a veteran
Of veterans. To your knowledge, and
| ability, and care the Thirteenth owes
| much of it's immunity from disease, and
/ its excellence as a regiment.
We thank you and the officers of your
command for your faithfulness and de-
NOtOn, and for the condition in which
| you have brought our old regiment
/ back home. Long may you enjoy the
| hOnors and comforts of the peace which
| you have helped TO win for our country.
Governor stone, the patriotism Of the
/ regiments of our National Guard which
/ served in the Spanish war deserves pub
| lie and honorable recognition from the
! state. We are thankful to you for CONS
| ing here as our chief magistrate to give
! it to the Thirteenth; but this recog-
milton should be a permanent and en-
! during honor Let every organization
! inscrbe on it's coors "The Spanish
! War" as a memorial and incentive to
| future guardsmen; and let every man
! who volunteered to fill the quota of the
| state receive a medal of honor, to hand
down to his children's children.
IN 40 ipt t,E, !, rfr,,a, No
tionai Guard of Pennsylvania, has an
| honorable history, which extends back
! ward, perhaps, beyond your recOlleC-
ton. 1t was organized during the riots
/ of 1871. II was the first to discard the
, fancy uniforms of the old militia and
| adopt the service uniform of the Tcgu-
lar army, which has, since its general
adoption, contributed so much to char
/ aCterize and distinguish the National
Guard of Pennsylvania. 1t was the
first regiment i'm the United States to
! undertake a weeks cnCampment under
campaign conditions, on army ratiOns.
| It did this at its own expense, and so
! demonstrated the cheapncSs, praCtica-
! blity and utility Of Cncampments as to
! secure their Inauguration annually by
/ the state, and promote the remarkable
efficiency Of the Division.
IT WAS \ LEADER.
1t was the first to maugurate rifle
| practice in our National Guard buying
| their own first badges. which Governor
Hartranft came up here ana presented
to the winners. It was the first to
send a team to CredmOOr. 1t was the
only winner there of the Army and
I Navy Journal CUP" from Pennsylvania
and the clifton trophy" in competition
with all the United States and Canada.
| 1t was the first regiment to qualify all
its members as markSmen. Its head
! quarters and company rooms are deco
| rated with many honorable and Valu-
able trophies of victorious competitions.
| 1t served the state well ana faithfully
at Homestead ana at IlaZleton. 1t
| owns by the favor of our citizens an
armory property in Scranton worth
! SO 600 Much of this history is pre-
| served for it in DR. LOganS book, "A
City's Danger and Defence" 1t has
acquired popularity and esprit du
corps, which is priceless heritage
for any military organization.
This regiment has now added to it's
| aurcls its patriotic devotion by Volun-
tcering at its Country's call. The war
is over. the victory won, it's men dis
charged. Ii cannot be tolerated that all
| this glorious history, the hard-carned
achievement Of twenty years, the pride
| Of our people, the esprit du corps Of
the command, it's accumulated property
should be dlssipated and DESTROYED by
the greatest sacrifice it. has made for
. the state Pennsylvania cannot &fford
/ such waste. 1t would be an undcScrNed
disgrace to the regiment. ana this COM
muntty and L reprOach to the state. 1t
. would discourage the restoration of the
Guard to its former efficiency, 1t is our
earnest hope that you viii in your Wis
dom restore t. us our Old Scranton city
guard Companies \, /. G. and ID, which
own their company property, ana this
old Thirteenth regiment in which we