The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-17
.HOWNzEAS BACK
TER LONG TRIP

- ~ SnSSh
At TER LONG TRIP
Continued from First Page)
service ard hard and lneritorlus SER
vice, too.
Even the arrival at the armory was
not respite from labors. No supper
call sounded: no retreat echoed on the
air; no musical echo or taps wooed
slumber; instead there was the voice
of Captain Myers, the commanding
officer, directing the men. But there
was no murmuring; the men were rs
soldierly as their omcers, and they
went cheerfully Mt their tasks Of UNI
buck!ing straps, loosening girths, feed
ing the teams and setting things to
right.
Captain Addresses Men.
When the bugle sounded, calling the
men into the armory drill hall, there
was a rush for the stairway, and In
a twinkling the battery was lined up,
the men standing at attention, and
ready for orders. 1t was striking
finale to a memorable record. The as
sembling oftthe battery was Off the final
word and the honorable dismissal after
nine days of service as trying as that
of actual war.
Captain Myers spoke briefly, but with
earnestness, and in terms of warm
commentator. He then called upon
Councilman Julius a. Hobson, an enthu-
siastic admirer of the battery who had
missed his supper and gravitated be-
tween the two railway stations all af-
ternoon awaiting the coming of "the
boys" He, too. spoke briefly. Then
Captain Beauregard Lorraine, one Of
the alumni of the battery and an hon
ored captain. who like Mr.. Hobson, had
been on the watch all day for tho ar
rival of the command. addressed them.
Tho men greeted the speakers with
rousing cheers. Finally Z; sergeant
dismissed the battery until Tuesday
night, when regular drill will be held.
Then the HowitZers became civilians
again and scattered like school-boys
given an unexpected half holiday.
Meanwhile the horses. unaccustomed
to their martial burden of two-ton guns
and mushy roads and open air tether-
ing, were picketed in the armory yard
and being fed. The horses. like the
men, stood the trip well and can.E
back to their drays little the worse
for their wearing experience. The
beasts had contributed no small part
to the record of the men: they had
done the essential thing without which
the march would have been impossible
- The story of the arrival briefly told,
it is but due that mention should be
made of the man to wnom credit Is due
for the conception of the project, for
tndomitable persistence in it's fruition,
and for executive ability to crown the
movement with success beyond even
his own fond anticipatlons. That man
was Captain William NJ Myers, who
for sixteen or seventeen years has worn
the uniform of the artillerymnn, and
won his straps and commission by par
ttent, faithful and meritorious service.
He has done the battery service which
is difficult to estimate he has done
the State honor, and has given an OBJ
Ject lesson to the nation of the effT-
cheney of Its volunteer artillery. He Is
a man who makes things happen, and
who, undaunted by discouragements,
undated by obstacles and unwearied
by effort, keeps eternally at 1t until
what he has planned Is an accomplished
fact. He did not leave the armory until
the others had gone, and was here.
there, everywhere. directing, aiding and
encouraging. The formidable march
and the record achieved were pre-
eminently his. though, as lie assured
the men, 1t was also theirs. No off,
Ger ever had more loyal men, and it
was due to the combination OF Vir-
ginia brains and Virginia pluck that
a new record has been made by the
already famous old Howitzers.
Record Of Trip.
The battery left this city on Friday,
June 9TH. at noon on their 134-mile
march to the Jamestown Exposition.
Ihey camped early the first night, hay
ing covered Just eleven miles. Bright
and early next morning the horses and
men were on the move, and when camp
was pitched Saturday night the bat
terry had covered twenty three miles,
even with green horses and men not
yet Injured to their experience. ON
Sunday, June Sd, twenty-siX miles had
been recorded, and the men slept with
out rocking or lullabys. with only the
plash of the rain as a sleep inducer.
Monday morning, with sixty miles to
go to reach Norfolk. 1t looked like a
hopeless task, with every man
drenched to the skin and weared with
short rest. but mon and horses buck
led down to the work, and when night
fell, thirty eight miles had been re-
corded and the record for modern
battery broken. Tuesday there were
still twenty-three miles to go to Nor
folk. and then eight or ten more to
the exposition parade grounds.
Cheercd by the prospect of reaching
their goal. the men started out on
Tuesday morning with renewed energy,
and by nightfall had done the 22-mile
stretch and bunked under shelter for
the first time In five days. Next morn
ing they completed tho journey, arriv-
ing at tho exposition grounds by noon.
Being assigned to the right of tho limo,
they were conspicuous figures in the
parade, and We're accorded reception
that made tho men proud of them
selves.
The last days march was made after
three days In wet clothing. and with
taps and reveille so close together that
a weary cnnnoneer hardly realized that
he had slumbered. The record had been
made--l34 miles In FIVE days, under con-
ditions that seemed hopeless.
Remained to Decone bridegroom.
Private Charles Mcfarland was re-
ported by Surgeon W. Armistcad Gills,
to be suffering from a lame foot, due
TO walking In tight shoe, Tho foot
is somewhat lnflamed, but the injury
is temporary.
,;r.i