The San Francisco call., 1899-08-03
THE RETURN OF THE VOLUNTEERS,

Asst year the volunteers from own State,
Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Wyo-
l. ming Iowa Pennsylvania and Tennessee, and
the Astor Battery from New York sailed away seven
thousand miles to battle.
They reached San Francisco fresh from their homes,
in the flush OF health and filled with zeal TO do their
duty by their country. The issues OF war were then
uncertain Dewey had shown the weakness OF Spain
at sea- But what could she do on land? In our last
war with Great Britain constantly at sea, but
lost as regularly in every land battle until Jackson
met Pakenham at New Orleans and won victory
after peace had been declared England was then the
invader OF our soil, and these young soldiers were
going to invade Spanish territory in land OF ro-
nance glamour and mystery.
They marched like heroes, and as the transports that
bore them away dropped gradually out OF sight, hull
down, and finally topmast hidden behind the great
curve of this big world hearts ached and eyes flowed
tears, aloat and ashore.
Now the big transports bring them back thousands
of them living and thousand OF them dead. No
army ever has faced such difficulties as they have
found in the unexpected which held them on
the other side OF the EARTH after the legal expiration
OF their enlistment and the accomplishment OF its OBJ
iect in the overthrow OF Spain They have sweltered
in camp and boiled in the trenches They have rushed
through muddy swamps against the longer range guns
OF the enemy to get within the striking distance of
their less effective arms. They have obeyed every
order except one to retreat Placed in novel situa-
ton from military point of view, called to kind OF
fighting in which tactics useless, each man has
been his own captain and general officer. The i'm
portance of individual initiative, which is the peculiar
gift of the American volunteer, never well
shown as in the hard campaigns which have changed
these fairfaced boys into bronzed and seasoned vet
Grams.
Their duty was the hardest ever taken by American
soldiers. We have on our pension roll yet nearly a
score OF people who draw for service rendered in our
revolution Of 1916 war begun a century and quar-
ter ago. and the same roll bears the names OF those
pensioned in every war since. But from Concord to
Santiago no troops under flag and fighting for
i have ever faced such a task, in such territory
against such an enemy and under such climatic ter
rors as these young veterans who are with us now and
going home.
They have in all things acquitted themselves like
men and soldiers. Not forgetting that they were ct
zens of the republic, they have forgotten that they
were soldiers OF the fatherland.
The chapter in which history records human cour-
age has been doubled by their deeds The soldiers
story, continued from one hard war to another from
Marathon to Manila, under all suns, and all com
randers has gained thrill from their sacrifices and
when is all over, and there is no further call for
hard death in hard fighting far away from the homes
that have to mourn, they must be gallant men ami
that cause great that sustain the interest of the
story at the height which these volunteers have
ried it. California cheered their going as she does
their return The Golden Gate is the wide way by
which they enter Gods country. May they return to
its sympathy and support its opportunity open in civil
life to home circles unbroken and home hearts made
fonder by absence and its perils.