Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-28
Inharmony Between Officers
of the National Guard.
REACHES ACUTE STAGE
GEN. HARRIES REBUKES COLONEL
OF FIRST REGIMENT.
The Latter is Granted Leave of Alb
sence-Unpleasant Incident Of
Recent Outing.

The old controversy to which Brigadier
General George H. Harries and colonel
Henry May were the parties has been re-
opened. The windup of the recent most in
structiye and successful encampment of
the guard at Leesburg was marked by
severe rebuke to Colonel May by lieuten-
ant colonel being placed in command of
his regiment for the field maneuvers, and
by his applying for leave of absence and
departing from Camp Ordway before the
outing of the troops was terminated
1t will be recalled that a year more
ago General Harries ordered Colonel May
to appear before a board of officers and
demonstrate his fitness to hold his commits
sion. The ranking officer of the board was
a lieutenant colonel. the other members, for
the most part. being majors.
Col May employed counsel and fought
the issue. The matter finally carried
to the Secretary Of War and was referred
by that official 10 the judge advocate gen
eral Of the army for legal opinion con-
corning the construction Of a certain sec
tion of the militia organic act. The point
Involved was d technical one and the Opin-
Ion was in accordance with Col. Mays con-
tention. The Secretary of War thereupon
directed Gen. Harries to restore Col May
to duty. the colonel having been suspended
from his command upon his declfna ton to
appear before the board of officers referred
to.
Order of Restoration Issued.
special order was issued from militia
headquarters which was substantially as
follows:
By direction of the Secretary of War
Col Henry May. LIST Regiment. is restored
to duty He will report in person to the
commanding general for Instructions
The existing rupture had its inception
sunday night week ago when several
ladies spent the night in the LIST Regiment
camp The wife of one of the officers was
OF the party Several of the officers vacat-
ca their tents and the lady visitors were
made as comfortable possible. The Incl
dent would have passed unnoticed had it
not been that in the general orders issued
prior to the opening of the encampment
there was provision that no person not
member of the District National Guard
should be permitted to remain in camp
without first securing the permission of the
commanding general.
Col. May Asked to Explain.
The news that ladies had spent the night
In camp reached headquarters and no time
was lost in calling on Colonel May for an
explanation. His reply was to the effect
that the visitors had missed the last train
for Washington Sunday evening and were
unable to secure accommodations for the
night elsewhere than in camp. The paper
was hurried back to LIST Regiment h. adj
quarters Colonel May being asked if ne did
not know that accommodations could have
DeeE secured for the ladies al either of two
hotels In Leesburg. Answering this query.
Colonel May wrote that he relied on the
statements Of Captain Taite of his regi-
nent regarding the lack of accommoda-
lions, and that his only thought was to see
for the night.
The next Endorsement was the climax of
this particular incident. 1t was written in
the name OF Acting Adjutant General Rob-
AZ N of he, III
erai- but the original was drafted in pen
Gil by Gen. Harries himself 1t was of
some length and the language employed
was forCeful and emphatic. 1t set forth
that Col MAY had Illegally usurped the
power of the commanding general and had
set deDiOrable example of lack of disci-
pine 1t was added that the only reason
no further action would be taken was the
desire not to mar the smoothness of a most
successful camp by court of inquiry or
couTt-martiai proceedings The indorse-
ment 3n,lUied with. This paper 10 be re-
turned. and every effort was made to keep
the matter from the public.
Lieut. Col. Ross Substituted.
Quiet prevailed until Friday evening.
when orders were issued for the troops TO
go out for field maneuvers. Gen. Harries
summoned his acting adjutant general and
inquired how the orders had been issued.
The reply was that one set of instructions
had been delivered to Col Cren and the
other set TO Col May.
Issue order through military chan
nels, Gen. Harries then directed, pro
wiling that Lieut.. Col Ross of the LIST Regi-
nsnt shall and the defense"
Tn order issued and reached Lieut.
Col Ross through military channels" In
other words, II was placed In an envelope.
addressed To Col. May. and delivered TO the
latter, who il turn handed It to his lieuten-
ant colonel.
This did not pass unnOticed. Just as soon
as h. could pen the words Col May applied
for leave 0f absence for five months and
added a request for permission to depart
from camp forthwith. Sixty seconds had
cred at headquarters before a typewriter
the application for leave II was handed to
a mounted orderly. who started of at a gal
lop. ard who broke all records IN delivering
the paper 10 Col May. The colonel packed
his Belongings and departed from camp Sat
UrdIy morning
Col. May Will Not Resign.
The friends Of Colonel May say that the
Calpu"i has decided. in view OF the plainly
evident desire Of the commanding general
to Gust him. 10 hurI back defiance, so to
speak, and retain his comm ission solely to
thwart General Harries' plans, if for no
other reason.
General Harries has been quoted as say
ing that n. placed Lieutenant Colonel Ross
In command Of the defense for the field
maneuvers simply because of his knowledge
that Colonel May was totally incompetent
to pTbperlv command he