Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1901-09-14

full and overaowing. said an enthusiastic Poland
er to the writer:
''of this she is rightly proud. When the war
cloud had burst over our heads. Poland came TO
the front with more than her share of treasured
sons as her offering. And the preliminaries wsre'
as q rule, conducted at the sparrow house one
day in June, 1891, a crowd had gathered in TINS
old tavern. An impsssoned speaker pointed to
the stars and stripes which hung on ths wall
and exclaimed, with much expression;
" Our country's flag has been shot at II has
been trailed in the dust by those who should de-
tend IT, dishonored by those who should have
cherished and loved IL, and for whati That this
free government may keep race In the oqpdage
Of slavery Who will be the first &c defend nf
"a deadly silence reigned In that hotel parlor
MANY beefinR hearts there in the rsoSn
Many young patriots Etoed there who longed to
serve their country and yet had not the courage
to make the first move.
presently a space was cleared in front Of tho
eloquent speaker. One by one some Of the choie'
est Of the young Of Poland stepped forward.
Among them a slight gray eyed boyish figure
might have been observed.
s'Too much impressed with the seriousness OF
the situation 70 put himself in evidence he stsp
ped up with the rest. Hs was only boyish pm
vats then
The company that was formed then
was carefully drilled in the few days
that II had before it's departure for
camp. On the day that they left Po-
land half of the town followed them al
most to Youngstown in their eagerness
to keep the brave boys in sight as long
as possible.
At Youngstown the train was boarded
and the Journey for Camp Chase at
Columbus begun. Here Company e OF
the Twenty third Ohio regiment pitch
ed IT'S tents, and among those who lay
under that scant shelter was William
Mckinley, Just starting on the career
that has brought him such honor and
such gratitude from a whole nation.
PROMOTED FOR GALLANTRY.
MeKinIey's executive ability brought
him into notice almost Immediately.
He was made commissary sergeant and
for tive years was on the STAFF Of Presi-
dent Hayes. who was then in command
of the regiment.
On what President Hayes had called
the bloodiest day of the whole war
the 18th of September, 1862, in the bat
tie of Acknowledgment Mckinley s
conduct was such that his commander
in person recommended his promotion.
Under the hottest fire, with men ly-
ing dead and dying all about him, with
men suffering bitterly from the want
of a bite 70 eat and a drop TO drink.
Sergeant Mckinley, with the staff that
he had organized 80 well, was every
where on the field, distributing the
food and the coffee that the fighting
men so much needed, cheering them
on with his brave words and never for
an instant seeming to care for the shot
and the shell that were flying SO fast
about him.
Major Hayes noticed the young man
with admiring eyes. While recovering
from his wounds he called upon Gov
ernor Tod of Ohio and told him OF the
incident The governor Immediately
ordered the promotion Of Sergeant Nc
Kinley and ordered further that the
promotion should be placed upon the
roster Of the company.
Step by step after that the young
man won his way up until three months
before he was mustered out he was
made major by brevet for gallant and
meritorious service at the battles OF
Opequan, Cedar Greek and Fishers
Hill"
His commission was signed "A. Lin
coin"
HIS POLITICAL CAREER.
Returning home from the war. McKin
ley studied law with Judge Charles n
Glidden Of Canton and at the Albany
Law school he was admitted to the bal