The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-06-25


dtilI Notsithstandlng all thsst
discouragtng features. considerable
bensht resulted from The experience
General B D. spllmans q PaFkers,
brrg, was the commanding oficer d
the brigade he having held that po,
sltion since June 27th Of the previous
year. Colonel Romeo H Freer was
commander OF tae First regiment
and Colonel Fori Of the Second.
The fac, that General spllmaa
would have command Of the brigade
In the future did much towards en-
couraglng the officers and men. He
was a West Point graduate and an
ex.army officer. These facts CAV,
assurance Of a fine leader who would
do all In his power TO improve the
condition OF the Guard.
Camp elennerhasse.. In 1892.
".H..N-
This was well proven at the next
annual encampment which was held
at Parkersburg. The official title Of
the camp was Camp Blennerhas.
sett,9 Married improvement was tc
be seer In the conducting OF this
camp over the one Of the previous
year. but still the results were not
what were expected.
Camp Kenna In 1893.
The following year the encamp.
ment was aeld at Kanawhn City,
above Charleston. It's official title
was Camp Kenna," and the site q
the camp vas an excellent one Tie
time Of the eacamPmept was late In
September. Much improvement over
the previous eRcampmeats was no.
|ticed In the personnel Of the officers,
but the men we're not very well &C.
qualnted with the drills. The cool.
ness Of the nights caused consider.
able complaint and on the third and
last nights there we're exceedingly
hard rains.
The Guard In 1894.
The next year the e~ncampmen.
was held at Martinsburg. beginning
July &c. Its official title was Camp
J. B. Jackson and 1t was generally
acknowledged that this was the most
successful and satisfactory camp that
had been yet held In the history of
the National Guard Of this State. It's
location was In a level field OF about
seventy.fve acres, which was very
suitable for the purpose. The camp
was well laid out and the tents be.
ing perfectly new and s~potlessly
white presented o very imposing ap.
pearauce. Owing to the active ser.
vice which the troops had Just pass.
ed, they showed a strong familiarity
with tactics and q notable advance.
ment In military training. All these
things combined to greatly encourage
the officers and men.
Active Service In 1894.
During the year. which was 1891,
the National Guard saw more active
service than It had had during any
previous year of Its history. The
turbulent and threatening attitude Of
a large number OF strikers In the
kanawha and New River coal regions
necessltated the calling out Of Com.
.pany CT of Ansted; C, Of Huntington,
and X. of Charleston, commanded
by Major W. H. Banks. These com.
panies arrived at Eagle, Fayette
county. the scene Of the trouble on
the morning Of March first, and re.
manned there about ten days when
the trouble was checked.
In May striking miners from Ohio
invaded this State and Companies 6
and /, Second regiment, stationed at
Huntington, got ready to so 10 the
scene Of the trouble, but were never
ordered out. Similar action was
taken with Companies F, G. and l.,
Second regiment, Colonel Thomas E.
Hodges commanding, q few days
later, but again the troops were not
ordered out.
On June 5th Company E, Secoud
regiment, Of Parkersburg, was or.
dered out to protect property against
Commonwealers, who had taken pos.
session OF a train no the Baltimore and
Iohio railroad.
On June 9th, there occurred a riot
among striking miners at Boggs Run
on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
Governor MacCorkle was called on
for troops and by his command the
entire First regiment, commanded
by Colonel Fast and Companies f.
IF, G and | Of the Second regiment,
under command OF Colonel Hodges,
We're sent to the scene OF trouble.
This array OF troops was under the
cammand Of General B. D. Shilman,
lhs.,ja ua. -, ,