Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-10
NATIONAL FENCIBLES
Famous Military Company to Be
Mustered Out.
HAS won GLORY and PRIZES
Reasons Given for the Decline Of
the Organization.
THE EXITING TONIC HT

For the second time in three years the
National Fencibles-off1cially designated
Company c, I'd Battalion. District OF Co
lumbia National Guards to be mustered
out Of the service. One Of the best known
National Guard companies Of the country
and perhaps the best known as a drill Or
ganization, having held the drill cham
pionship of the United States for num-
Der of years, the Fercibles are today bare
ly hanging together by thread. AS a
military organization they will. III all prob
ability figure as an item OF history to-
morrow Absolutely no hope exists that
the calamity, as it is regarded by some. can
be averted, fo- those who are empowered
to act are unanimous to the course of
procedure. The commanding general of the
District Of Columbia militia remarked this
afternoon: 1.-THE affairs Of the organiZa
ton are in such shape that Company c. I'd
Battalion, must be mustered out of the
National Guard" Members of the Fenc-
ibles. though striving with every diligence
to bring about a return of prosperity, nave
been compelled to surrender all hope. The
statement emanating from them this after
noon was We must disband. AT meet
Ing to be held this evening the company
will be formally dissolved"
1t will be remembered that this famous
company several years ago won glory and
prizes galore, attending interstate drills in
all sections of the country. Success on
the drill field, however. was the indirect
cause of it's downfall. The Fencibles in
May, 1895 sent a drill team to the inter-
state competition held at Memphis, Tenn.
The team was vanquished. The following
month an encampment of the District of
Columbia National Guard was ordered at
Fort Washington. The Fencbles, or to be
strictly military. Company c, I'd Battal-
ion, were represented by less than dozen
members. Immediately after the return
ron nrorN nrfly hot
command of the District of Columbia mi
litia mustered out the command. 1t exist
ed an independent military company
for year or more. and then the old men,
bers assembled and made overtures to be
permitted to return to the guard. Gen.
Ordway met them more than half way and
the organization again became known as
Company c, ID Battalion, District of CO.
lumbia National Guard. The enlistments
of the men mustered in at that time ex-
pired during the past summer and none of
them re-enlisted.
volunteer organization-CompanyC c, list
District of Columbia Infantry, L. S. v
was organized with members of the Fenci-
bles as a nucleus in May, 1898, and since
that time Company C, I'd Battalion, has
existed, to all intents and PURPOSES on
paper only. The old members have out
grown their military enthusiasm, and the
affairs of the company have been allowed
to drift until the end is now reached. At
the recent annual inspection and muster
of the troops of the District of Column
bia National Guard Company c. Bat
talon, had an attendance of less than half
dozen men. On the occasion of the
Dewey parade week ago the showing
equally small.
Several members of the company, real
izing the approach of crisis. have been
exerting themselves for several weeks past
to reawaken enthusiasm and to build up
the company, but without success. AS a
result, it is stated. a motion to disband
will be offered and carried at the meeting
to be held this evening. Orders mastering
the company out of the District of Column
bia National Guard will be issued from
headquarters of the District of Columbia
militia within the next few days.
1t is the intention of certain Of the mem
bers of the company to form social or
ganization and retain the name, National
Fencibies,' and continue to occupy the
quarters at 913 E street