The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-05-26
BAB WARRIORS
High Military and n ayat l1onors
" Borne Shys Intants,


gssss From 1.-THE 4 .ondoh Globe \ 4 u
As often asserted no%adass that
our naval and military leaders are
too old for their work, that we want
younger men TO direct our fleets and
armies, yet our naval officers com,
mence their professional careers at
l2 years Of age, and oui army on,
GERS when very little older. \. boy
cannot very well commence study
Ing the difficult, artsof war before he
Is 2, muck as he has to learn but
our forefathers evidently ! thought
otherwise, for ills on record that in
the eighteenth century babies OF
three were frequently appointed
|lieutenants3 In tho army; one officer.
In fact; In 1773 was given a commits.
sion on the day; he was s. born, and
and once upon a time there was a
lord high admiral OF only I'VE years.
OF age. These Slnfantlne warriors,
however, were not asked to go 10
war;; the only arms they knew OF
were those Of their nurses. In course
Of time some Of them Joined their
ships or regiments, but they, their
parents for them, generally took
good care to draw their pay regularly
from the day they were given COM
missions. The military infants were
regular officers In his or her ma
testy's army, their. names appeared
ln$the reglmental lists, they were en-.
titled to wear a uniform and carry a
sword, fetc., and II any common sol
dlers knew that they held commits.
slons It was his duty TO salute them.
!, We have no authentic record Of such
a ceremony taking place, but 1t is
very probable that they, were saluted
after their nurses, ".
Admiral Twelve Months Old,
4 But the tdayfof the baby warrior Is
i past. There are too many reformers
d looking for something, to reform too
many newspapers willing and anxi
Z Gus to expose, anything that SAVIOR,
OF jobbery, for babies one day old t
get commissions in the army-un
less, Of course, the recipient Of tn,
1 commission happens to be a scion %
4 royalty, as In the case Of the Clare
Witch, who was appointed colone
: Of more than one stussian regimen
a long before he had learned to sue
his thumb. True, we have an al
miral only u months old-the infar
u Of Marques Of Donegal, to,wiit, h,
Il reditary lord high admiral OF Loug
~ Neagh, but the officer carries wit
It neither emoluments nor duties,
is On obsolete naval command, While
dates from the time 3of Queen ELI
= beth, when It was necessary to mai
tain a naval force on the Tough
: keep the turbulent Irlshmen Of 7
rome, Derry, Armagh and Antrim
subsection. n N 355 y.
IA baby warrior who was practice
n " born San officer and eventual
became Gen. Sir William G. Eustac
died in February, 1856. He was boz
: In 1878 in Dublin. his father, Gener
e L.
Eusace, being a5the time command
I. Of the forces In Ireland. This youn
y 1ster was ggazetted to- a commission
few hours after his birth. sirsW
liam probably holds the Erecord AS
5i young officer, unless we include t
II lease OF Molly Lepel, who received
cernet's commission as soon as $
was born, and received pay as ssu
many; years gafter she was maid
~ honor, OF which Is youched for in I
letters, Of Horace Walpole. II
y. comr,4mlissio was given to her as
a form jof pension for her parents.
i @