The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-01-31

! MiuuittoNn, Pa, on the I'D ana 24th
or August. At Camp Meade the regi-
| nent made two moves. Its first camp
| ing ground was occupied for "a fort
night, and then Ii WAS moved To n diff
rerent location. Finally. on the 18th
/ OF November. the regiment started Tor
| columbia, 5. c., where IL is now en-
| camped
AS soon as it was definitely known
| that the regiment would be I'm this
country on Thanksgiving day, Novem-
| Der "A, preparations were made TO send
10 the regiment a Thanksgiving dinner.
| When the executive made known this
| intention through the public press, the
people of Rhode Island began To con-
tribute most literally. IT was es-
| timated that from $3.50 TO $1,000 would
| be needed for the dinner. but the re-
| sponse of the people was so generous
that over $500 was collected. Two
hundred and forty Rhode Island tur-
| Keys, four barrels of cranberries, ana
enough plum pudding for the whole
| regiment was sent to their camp by
| express. Five hundred dollars I'm cash
| was also forwarded to LieutCol. Frank
| "A. Cook. commanding the regiment, TO
| be used for "fixings" for the dinner.
| j desire. I'm this connection, To ex-
press my grateful Acknowledgement to
| the people Of Rhode Island for their
| generous response, To the public press,
| particularly the Providence Journal
company, and also to the n. ", n. II.
| a IL. X. II. company. and the Adams
| Express company for courtesies ex-
| tended to me in forwarding the dim
ner.
Ii is most pleasing TO know that
| Thanksgiving was one OF the memora-
| BILE days in the regiments history, and
| that the elaborate preparations made
| To cook and enjoy the bountful supply
| OF food made the men for a while for
| get the tedium OF camp life, and filled
| them with that good cheer which has
| always been the accompaniment of
| that historic day. while the thought
| that their good friends at home had
| been so kind i'm remembering them
| seemed To carry them back 10 their own
| little state.
Perhaps no greater tribute Of merit
can be paid to this reg mcnt than the
letter of Brig. Gen. Cole commanding
| Sd Brigade. 2d Division, 2d Army Corps.
of which the Rhode Island regiment
was part. in which he stated that he
had heard that the regiment was likely
TO be mustered out, that he hoped IL
would not. and that he had no hesita-
tion i'm saying that IL was one of the
best regiments I'm his command: and
he further stated that IF selection
of regiments to be retained is to be by
merit l think the First Rhode Island
u. :. Volunteers should be kept in the
service" This communication was
heartily endorsed by Brig. Gen. Davis.
commanding 2d Division. who, in his
endorsement took occasion To say that
il was one OF the most efficient Yolun-
teer regiments he had ever seen. Mai.
Gen. Graham, commanding 2d Army
Corps, forwarded this communication
to the adjutant general of the United
States Army, concurrng in the views
expressed by the brigade and division
commanders. and also recommending
that the regiment be retained in the
service.
In the report of Major IL. 4. Brown.
inspector general. u. $. Volunteers. on
duty with I'd Division. I'd Army Corps,
to the inspector general, L. ;. Army
dated Camp Meade, Pa, November Il,
1898. he says:
'"rhe and che First Rhode
Island Volunteer Infantry We're both
notably advanced i'm instruction. ana
this. with excellent discipline and COM
plete equipment, made these regiments
very satisfactory organizations for any
service demanded OF them. In disci-
pline there was a great difference I'm
the different regiments. This seemed
To be n matter where the personality of
the regimental commander was the
principal factor.
ment mustered into the service of the
United States. thoroughly uniformed,
armed and equipped, and absolutely
ready for service i'm the field.
Under the second call for troops the
quota from Rhode Island was $50 men.
to recruit the first regiment to its max
imum standard. and two batteries of
light artillery in addition. The duty
of raising these troops was as prompt
ly performed as that Of raising those
under the first call. and the recruits,
armed uniformed. and equipped in the
same manner as the others Joined the
regiment June 22d. The batteries, COM
posed of the two batteries of our state
militia. and enough recruits to make
up the required number, were placed
in camp at the state camp ground, and
as the summer wore on. little by little.
their equipment was completed. Tow
ard the end of the season the horses
necessary for the two batteries began
to arrive in camp, but before the en-
tire equipment of the two batteries
was completed an order was received
from the war department to muster
them out.
During the month of May application
was made to the secretary of the navy
To permit our naval militia To enter
the naval service of the United States.
and that department accepted 152 of
our oftlcerS ana men. During the sum-
mer they were quartered either upon
the l.. :. :. Constellation Newport, or
at League Island. Philadelphia. and
upon one or two monitors which We're
never in commission. dor details of
service of II. l. n. NJ i'm the war with
Spain, l respectfully refer To the an
nual military reports of state of Rhode
Island for 1881
In spite of all discouragements the
state has furnished the United states
government in this present war 1929 Of
ficers and men for its First Regiment.
2l0 officers and men for Batteries A and
B. II. I. Light Artillery; so men for the
United States Hospital Corps; 152 Off
GERS and men for the United States
Navy: % men for the repair ship 'Vul-
cam" and men for the Signal Corps.
From the figures suppl ed by the adj
jutant general of the state il appears
that the state has furnished q total OF
1880 volunteers. or an excess of 452 ofIi-
GERS and men over the number called
for by the government.
Referring 90 the manner I'm which
the state Of Rhode Island responded to
the calls OF the president for troops i'm
the war with Spain. 1 quote an extract