The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1911-04-05
MONTANA NATIONAL GUARD
Fort Benton Boys Form Company OF
Military Organization.

Fort Benton Boys Form Company OF
Military Organization.
The Montana national guard was
recruited to its full strength Monday
evening by the organic alton OF a new
company composed OF progressive
and patriotic young citizens of Fort
Benton aud vicinity. The local or.
ganization will appear upon the ma.
tional and state military records as
Company M, second infantry, Mon
tana rational guard. .
The preliminary work connected
With the movement has been In pro.
gress the past few weeks, and organ.
izstion was effected At q meeting held
In the court house Monday evening,
under the supervision Of Adjutsut
General Phil Grennsn, OF Helena.
Dr.. John V. Carroll called the meet.
log to order, and in q brief address
commended the purpose and methods
of the volunteer military organizs.
ton.
The chairman then introduced the
sdjutant.Renersl, who explained the
duties that devolve upon American
citizens 10 respect to military service.
Every able.bodied male citizen be.
tween the ages of eighteen and forty.
FIVE is subject to call by the president
of the United States, and it has been
proved by experience that a large
proportion OF them are totally unfit
through lack of training-for the mil
itary duty they are obligated to per.
form. Members of the national guard,
however, are given a curse of prep.
aration that qualities them for efficient
military service and constitute the
most valuable reserve upon which the
national government may call in time
of necessity.
General Grenuan outlined the pro-
visions made by the federal and state
authorities for the equipment and
maintenance of the national guard.
and stated that the Fort Benton com
pany would complete the Montans
organization. The membership of the
company should not be less than fifty
eight, and not to exceed sixty.six.
At the conclusion of the adjutanI
generals address,, several additions
!, applications for enlistment were re
ceived, and an impetus to the move
ment was given by Hon. F. A. Carnal
register OF the Havre land Office, who
was among the spectators and who
!, was invited to make a few remarks
/ Mr.. Carnal related his experience al
a member of a volunteer military or
ganization, and urged his young For
Benton friends to come to the from
and share ia the benefits that woult
result from the formation of the nev
j.. company of the Montana nationa
guard.
i. New applications quickly followed
Mr.. Carnal's eloquent and patriot
speech, and the appearance of the re
Quired number of signatures on tn
j. membership roll was greeted with en-
. thusiastic applause. The boys wer
then assembled in a semi-circle an
mustered in by the adjutant general
each taking the following oath:
t ~ do solemnly swear that I will
q bear true faith and allegiance to tn
, United States of America, and tn
state of Montana; that I will serv
the state honestly and faithful
against all enemies whomsoever; an
q that l will obey the orders of til
q president of the United States an
q the governor of the state of Montsn
D and the orders of the officers appoin,
ed owe me according to the rules an
g articles governing the national guar
9 of Montana. So help me God!"
The next order OF business was til
election of officers, the choice bein
9 made by ballot, which resulted as TO
lows:
Captain-Frank G. Chittum.
First.Li euten ant-Jno. V. Carol
i Jr.
& Second ieutenant-W. F. MILFORD
y 1t was announced by Adjutant.G Ger
eral Grennan that the new compan
would be inspected on or about Apr
ID by First-Lieut. E. L. Hartshorn, o
the fourteenth U. S. infantry, for II
war department, and Inspector Gene
al James T. Stanford, for the state
. Montana. A local armory and II
necessary equipment for the ne
, company will be provided at an earl
- date.
A pleasant feature of the muster-i
proceedings was the patriotic music'
program rendered by the Fort Bento
brass band. The acknowledgement
y was escorted to the place of meetin
by the band, and expressed his appr
~ citation OF the compliment by words
q praise for the proficiency shown
Fort Benton's popular musical orgal
iZatiOn.