The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-01-02

To Col Charles II. Ourand, n. G. d. c.,
of the First Regiment, belongs the dis
tinction of the longest continuous service
OF any members OF the District National
Guard. And that long service shows de-
votion 20 the upbundlng Of that organ
ization. which has never Jagged since it's
beginning.
Such service as Col. ourand has given
since 1870 meant that he could not long
stay in the ranks as an enlisted man,
Only a few months elapsed after his first
enlistment before no was given "a cemmiS-
sion. and again when he Joined another
organization as a private. hut little more
than five years elapsed before he was
again a commissioned officer.
Briefly, here is Col, Ourand's military
career. and It should be an inspiration
10 prospective recruits In the National
Guard. not 70 menuen those now In its
ranks, whether as officers or enlisted
men:
Under the old volunteer militia he be-
came first sergeant of the Columbian
Cadets upon its organization on August
Il. 1875. On October Of the same year
he was made captain. Five years later
the company was disbanded and most of
its members Joined Company a, Wash
ington Light Infantry Corps. The then
Capt. Ourand did SO himself, enlisting
as a private on April Z. 1880.
Never remaining long in subordinate
position. he became first sergeant OF
Company c. Washington Light Infantry
Corps, on February c. 1882. Then, in sue
eession. he was appointed battalion ser
geant major on June 6. 1883. and first
lieutenant OF Company c on July l, 1885.
In this organization Col. Ourand re-
manned as a lieutenant until the National
Guard of the District OF Columbia was
organized on June %. 1887. being promoted
10 the captaincy of Company c. First
Battalion. First Regiment. He was trans
ferred to the staff of Brig. Gen. Ordway
as captain and aid-de-camp on February
Is. 1896 promoted to inspector general,
with the rank of major. on May 90 1897
and 10 colonel of the First Regiment on
July 1s 1906, the post he now occupies.
Col Ourand was the recorder Of the
First Brigade board of examination upon
the organization of the District National
Guard, and has served continuously as
an examiner, either on the regimental or
the brigade board since that time. At
present Col Ourand Is president OF the
brigade board OF examination,
There has never been an encampment
OF. exercises of any kind in which the old
volunteer militia organization or the Dis
trlct National Guard participated but
what Col Ourand was there He has at
tended every encampment from Atlanta
in 1850 to the maneuveTs in Massachusetts
last summer when he was in command OF
the detachment of District troops on the
United States army transport Sumner
lie attended the army maneuvers at Fort
Riley. Kans.. in 1853, as the official OBJ
server for the District militia, and was
one or the observers at the Manassas
maneuvers in 1894.
Fun galore was had last Wednesday
night In the room OF Company f, Second
Battalion. First Regiment, more famiI-
iarIy known to Washington as THE
C0rcoran Cadets" It was all over n
Christmas tree. and the fact that it was
a few days belated did not stop the fun.
Besides al the ladies, from sisters and
sWeethearts TO wives and mothers, were
there. and there was plenty Of ice cream
and cakes, not to mention coffee and
sandwiches. All this was capped with a
dance
Things miniature were pluclsed from the
Eorgeously decorated Christmas tree and
handed 10 the soldier boys by a Santa
Claus who had donned the regulation
Santa Claus uniform. but by some mis-
chance had on a pair of trousers that
looked suspiciOusly Ike those worn by
members of the National Guard and, Of
course, the regular army. Members of
Company r say they like 10 cherish the
memory of Santa Claus. but they felt
ii necessary TO believe that one of their
company had on this occasion imper-
sonated the jolly old man.
BY the presents handed them. they also
say, they were simply forced to acknowl-
edge that their Santa Claus was not the
one you read about in story books. For