Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-03-01

up exercises, goes to the squad, from
there to the company, and next to the
battalion formation, and is constantly
under rigorous orders. He is taught
to think for and rely largely on him
self, but always to remember that
"orders are orders, as one drill SER
geant of the corps used to say, also,
that "orders' must be promptly, hon
estly and fully obeyed-not as tho man
constitutes the orders, but as he was told
byshis officers to understand and en-
force them. Admirals Farragut, Porter,
and Jouett of the older officers, and
Dewey, Schley, Clark, Taylor, Cook
and others of the younger generation,
are authority for the statement that
the marine can be relied upon to do
that which be is told to do by his
superior under all circumstances. His
tory justifies this statement. The
marine is literal; he is determined he
strictly obeys orders. His officers are
constant in seeing that he does SO; and
herein lies the secret of the mans in
telligepce and fidelity. One particular
characteristic of the marine is his
mobility, his ever-readiness for duty
calls. 1t has often occurred that de-
tachments of marines have suddenly
been ordered on distant service, fre-
quently on only "a hours notice. A
special instance is that of the Panama
revolution in 1885. Detachments from
five posts we're collected at New York
and sailed in "a hours-20 officers and
500 men-but everything was complete
and in good order for one years SER
vice. Another striking characteristic
is adaptability to any conditions. They
1ffIr lx, f,l nh ft1ll lx
much better. than the soldier or sailor
At Guantanamo the camp was laid
out, and trenches, latrines, &C., were
dug while the force was under fire.
The men fought awhile, then worked
awhile; the health of the camp was
excellent while Skaters troops were
dying by the dozen.
Private John Horsley, who is in i'm
mediate charge of the maine recruiting
Office located in the Gibson House,
Fourth street, near Market, was one of
Huntington's marines at Guantanamo.
Private Horsley was in the trenches for
four days and is authority for the state,
ment that, although the marines we're
10 weeks in Guantanamo, 30 miles from
Santiago, there was no sickness aud
with the exception of those killed out
right, they all said "here'' to the
muster roll at home, thus proving the
care taken of the men by the Navy De-
partment. Private Horsley has Just
been awarded a medal IN recognition
of his services.
The latest duty to which marines
have been assigned is at the naval
station at Cavita, near Manila Shortly
before departing for home with the
Olympia, Admiral Dewey cabled the
Navy Department and recommended
that there be sent to him with the
least possible delay battalion OF
marines for shore duty at the naval
station at Cavita. Within four days
from the receipt of the cable a bat
talon consisting Of about 300 men and
20 officers was organized at the navy
yard, New York, and started for
San Francisco by rail. Six days there
af.er it sailed on an army transport for
Cavita, fully armed and equipped, for
all calls of duty. Two more battalions
have sailed since then for Cavita with
equal celebrity and dispatch. The
marines have had their share of fight
ing in the Philippines, particularly at
linus, where they were SO warmly COM
mended by Gen. Lawton.
II will be- remembered how the
marines waded through mud and rice
fields, sometimes up to their shoulders,
and how they captured the town OF
linus, and turned it over to tine army
which arrived there "a little late. -
Promotion in the marine corps at the
present time is worry rapid, as the corps
has been inci eased to twice its usual
strength. Any enlisted man who is
found competent can aspire to a COM
mission. J. A. L..