Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-08
VETERANS IN PARADE
SPANISH WAR ORGANIZATION AS
ESCORT TO PRESIDENT.

ousy through the dense tropical foliage
and up the slopes of Santiago in 1903 were
no more hearty than were those Of the
Spanish War Veterans of Washington who
assembled at headquarters, TO 9th street
northwest last night to participate in the
camp fire of Gen. Nelson A. Miles Camp
No. /, United Spanish War Veterans. The
occasion was coincident with the formal
opening Of the inaugural headquarters of
the soldiers of the Spanish war by Depart
merit Commander S. Clifford Cox and his
staff.
The reason for the enthusiasm which
found vent in the American fighting yell
was threefold First, the mention of the
name of "Comrade Theodore Roosevelt"
secondly, the encouraging reports as to the
participation of the veterans in the inau-
guration ceremonies. and, third, when the
good health of old Miles Camp, the pioneer
was proposed.
Commander G. E. Rausch of Miles Camp
opened the program by announcing that
nine recruits had just been mustered in
as members of the camp, one of whom was
Capt. Charles S. Domer, late of the LIST
Regiment of District of Columbia Voun-
teers. Commander Rausch made elo-
quent plea for perfect comradeship and
said Miles Camp was enjoying the greatest
prosperity and had resumed its oldtime
vigor.
Department Commander S. Clifford Cox
congratulated the camp on the fine show
ing it had made, and said the United Span
1sh War veterans had been highly honored
by being made part Of President Roose-
velt's personal escort on March 4. This
statement was greeted by prolonged cheer
ing.
I'VE have been placed in that parade"
said DR.. Cox, ''in close touch with the
grandest veteran organization in the world
the Grand Army of the Republic. We will
strive from this time on to inauguration
OdV to turn with
and we expect the District department
alone VIII have not less than 200 uniformed
men In line in addition to visiting COM
radeS from other depa rtments."
Commander Cox, in closing, suggested
the advisability Of having a series of march,
ing drills before March 4, to refresh the
memories of the soldiers in the move
ments so familiar to them at the time of
the war with Spain.
Adjutant Pearson's Story.
Department Adjutant Rufus w. Pearson.
late member of the Roosevelt Rough
Riders, and who was with the President in
the Santiago campaign, related an incident
III which the President recently figured, il
Illustrative of the true meaning of comrade-
ship. He said there was rough rider COM
rade In New Mexico who got in trouble and
wrote to Col. Roosevelt to help him out.
II shot at a party" he wrote but miss
ed him and hit another fellow I'm in bad
trouble and need $50 to help me OUT
The President directed that a check be
sent him, which was done, but in a few
days 1T was returned to him with an eX-
planatory note, which stated:
Since receiving your kind check our
major, Llewellyn, has been appointed dis
trict attorney here, and l don't need 1t
now"
Mr.. Henry Foster of Miles Camp who
was master Of ceremonies, related some IN
teresting "reminiscences of his service as a
nf fhrpa twill Tho
Indian wars and the war with Spain. He
told a characteristic story of Gen. Lawton,
and advocated genuine comradeship''
among the men who had STOOD shoulder
to shoulder in the defense of the flag"
Capt. ]. Lyon King commander of Law
ton Camp, told of the birth of that organi-
cation its early vicissitudes and it's pros
perity today, with standing Of second on
the list of commands in the District.
Mr. Foster next introduced Capt. J. Wal
ter Mitchell as 1.-The organizer of the Span
ish War Veterans and the founder of
Miles Camp. Capt. Mitchell. told of the
early days of the camp at the beginning of
1899, and said but three of the original
members were at the meeting, including
former Quartermaster Sergeant Bessler
and former Sergeant of the Guard John H.
O'Brien. Miles Camp he added, was the
mother camp of the organization, and
would always be so. The organization was
called into existence by the necessity of a
representative body of Spanish war soldiers
May. 1899.
The Outlook Encouraging.
Past Corps Commander Fred. S. Hodgson
spoke encouragingly of the outlook for the
organization, and said past differences in
the camp had been forgiven and forgotten
in true soldierly spirit. His remarks were
roundly applauded.
Adjutant John Lewis Smith of Miles
Camp, who is also judge advocate of the
Department of the District, was at his best,
and expressed his pleasure al the large
gathering and the cheerful outlook
Mr.. Henry Foster recited The Flag" and
there were several instrumental numbers
by the musical trio, Messrs. j. A Weld
man, B. Spellbring and H. Heinold. which
were heartily encored
A long table was spread the entire length
of the hail. from which the soldiers MEM
of pork and beans, crackers and other
Things TO eat We're served, in addition 70
liquid refreshments, pipes and tobacco: and
while the blue smoke curled upward the
soldiers of '9S sat about in groups until LAT
in the night and recounted stories of their
experiences in camp on the march and
firing line, and when "taps"-lights ont
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES sounded it seemed as
though the weird notes found an echo from
away down in the tropical southland
RIVAL OF HELEN KELLER.