Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-10-04
RESERVES TO BE ENROLLED.
List of Men Who Will Serve in Yir-
ginia Volunteers Being Sc
cured

Richmond, Va, Oct. 3.-Complying
with the recent order of the War De-
partmcnt, Adjutant General W. W.
Sale yesterday issued these in
structions looking to securing lists
of men who will agre to serve in
Virginia volunteers in the event of
war. Men with previous military ex-
perience are preferred, the ide2 be-
ing to get those who have been in
the militia. A reserve built OF this
basis is one of the ideals aimed at by
the War Department, and forms part
of the reason for the expenditure
of large sums in instructing citizen
soldiery.
TT put into effect the new plan. each
unit is to have an officer detail I'd to
secure the lists and keep them up to
date. The officer is to be selected by
the commanding officer Of each COM
pany, battery, band, battalion head
quarters. regimcntal headquarters and
other divisions. He is to be Known
as the recruiting officer for VIZ Tor
that organization. Should thee be
no other officer OH duty with his
command, the commander will him
self act.
Must be Ready For Contli,!.
Specifically, it will be the du.y Of
the recruiting officer for war" 30 be
prepared at all time to quick in
crease the strength of his org@aiZa-
ton to the maximum ordered a. any
time by the presidant Of the Unitai
States. Blank forms will be prc 'ided
by the Adjutant- General. It J. de-
sired to secure the names of as Aany
able bodied citizens residing il the
vicinity, between the ages Of clgh-
teen and thirty-fve years, as pc: 'ibie,
who would be willing to enlist il the
respective organizations in the event
Of war, and who have had precious
service in either the regular arm, the
organized militia, or who have attend
ed well-established military school.
After the organizations a,e re-
cruited to war footing, the efforts TO
secure the list of available mc@ are
| not to be relaxed. but are to b. con-
tinued until all desirable citizen are
enrolled.
"While it is desirable" says tie or
der ITO secure the names OF mcl only
who have had some previous nj ary
experience or training, yet if cs2s2i-
ally desirable men not falling within
this class are available, or if it is
impossible to fill up list Of trined
or partly trained men from tic res
idents of any particular localiCy, then
recourse must be had to untra'Acd
men of special qualifications
Keep Lists in Order.
AS new men are enrolled, or hers
are disqualified by death, illness age
limit or removal, the lists arc % be
changed and kept up 10 date. Only
men are to be enrolled who arc ply
sically fit.
The men secured on this basis must
not be enlisted, but merely placed on
the list of eligibles for service il the
event of war. But it is unde.&tOod
that each such person agrees to calist
in time of war, unless cond: lions
have so changed since he obligated
himself to this course, as to make his
compliance Herewith entirely im2rac-
ticable"
Without waiting for specific instruc-
ton, the moment any local ocgani-
cation is called into the service Of
the United States, the "rccrui;ing |!
officer for war" will begin at once to
recruit up TO war strength. With a !
suitable detail Of enlisted men,he will !
remain behind at his home station and
will continue notwithstanding the
new men to the state mobilization !
camp in Richmond. The recruiting
officer FOR war; and his party their
work presumably complete, must re-
join their organization before it
leaves the mobilization camp for
the front.
But each regiment and scpara., Dat
talon will, before it leaves thc state,
establish 4 pcl2nanct recruiting party .
to remain on duty throughout the
war, so as to keep all commands full.
In addition 10 the parties already /
specified. there will be a general re-
cruiting party in the State ;nobi- /