The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-24
Many People Recall the
fearful Morning When
the Anaconda Boys
Said Good Bye.
They WERE RAW RECRUITS.
Two Companies of Them Were
Sent Out From This City
and They Come Back
as Veterans.

IL "Anaconda's two volunteer compa-
+, nies got send-off yesterday morning
/. that they will never forget nor will
!, the occasion be forgotten by anybody
in Anaconda"
That is what the Standard said May
Z, 1s9s-more than II months ago.
What world of recollections Is call
war days!
May and June of the Spanish war
year were exciting times in Anaconda,
as, doubtless, they were all over the
United States, but here the people
turned themselves loose with true Cop
per City patriotic enthusiasm and ver-
lily went wild over the news as it came
through the Standard. OF course there
had been more or less warlike spirit
abroad in Anaconda from the time the
Maine was blown UP, but the begin
ming of the war and the call for troops
wrought everyone up to a higher pitch
and when Dewey paid his May morn
ing. before-breakfast call on Admiral
Montojo the climax was reached ana
Anaconda just whooped things up.
But this is not the story that this ar
ticle proposes to tell.
Long before President Mckinley is-
sued his call for $4,000 volunteers ev-
eryone knew some such call was COM
ing and the young men of Anaconda
began to talk of enlisting. Montana's
delegation at Washington all this time
was putting in. hard ticks to see that
the state secured proper recognition in
in the call.
April % the Standard gave the ter
rible news from Washington, based up
on the kilograms from the delegation,
that Montana was to be called upon for
no infantry, but for a measly 419 cav
airy. At once there was depression in
the ranks of the LIST regiment of Mon
tana national guard infantry. Com
pany K of Anaconda, the Wolf Tone
guards, commanded by Captain Dillon
the same Company K that has now re-
turned laden with the laurels of war,
had been drilling assiduously and was
heart broken. So were the other COM
panies. They nearly all began to pour
kilograms in upon the governor, tell
cavalrymen in the world and begging
to be let go as cavalry despite the fact
that the state already had National
guard cavalry force.
That same day-April 23-the pesident
issued his call and in the report then
sent out from Washington it was stated
Montana would furnish 524 men. The
war department gave the assurance
that these men would be calvary, SO
arrangements proceeded on that line.
Nevertheless, here in Anaconda many
believed infantry would be called after
ALL On this supposition Captain John
Hallahan began the organization of
separate company of volunteers-now
Company M--the first news of which
was published in the Standard April
rs, and in the same paper was printed
the surprising report from Washington
that instead of cavalry the state was
called upon for one full regiment of
infantry, a force much larger than the
state was entitled to according to her
population.
At first the news seemed too good to
be true. but 1t was confirmed and Cap
tain Hallahan and Captain Dillon re-
doubled their efforts to get their men in
shape for service.
April 81 each, company opened enlist
ment rolls and put in several hours of
drill, Company X also devoting an
hour to target practice.
In securing enlistments each captain
scanned the men closely and rejected
those who manifestly failed to come up
to the required physical standard. The
wisdom of this course was proven later
when Company Ms force passed the
physical examination without the loss
of man, while Company K lost only
one mana record unsurpassed
May Governor Smith issued mis-
proclamation calling upon the National
guard regiment to rendezvous at Hell
ena, to be mustered in as federal vol
yunteers, and Captain Hallahan was
commissioned captain in the regiment
and his company accepted as a part
IF that organization.
May 8 Captains Hallahan and Dillon
received kilograms from Governor
Smith to prepare to move their COM
mands to Helena. May s was fixed as
the day of their departure.
Then ensued period that will remain
in Anaconda's history always. The
town was intensely excited and in
tensely patriotic. The young soldiers
drilled necessarily. On the night be-
fore they left they Were the guests of
the Margaret theater at the perform
ance given by the TRANSFORMERS.
That night all plans for their departure