The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1913-07-25
BLEASE WRITES WAR DEPT.
MAKES REQUEST OF GARRISON
Asks That Companies Sent Home
From Aiken be Allowed to Camp
With Second Regiment.

Columbia Special to Charleston
News and Courier, July 24.-Gov-
ernor Blease addressed a letter to
Secretary of War Garrison, asking
that the Barnwell, Bamberg and
Orangeburg companies, which were
sent home from the Aiken encamp-
ment be allowed to go into camp
with the Second Regiment at Camp
Willie Jones near this city from
July 20 to August 5. He says he
believes the companies should be
given this chance to come up to the
requirements and calls their being
sent home from Aiken blunder.
His letter follows:
"State of South Carolina, Execu-
tive Chamber, Columbia.
July %, 1913.
"Hon. L. NJ. Garrison, Secretary
OF War, Washington, D. c., Dear
Sir: 1 enclose you correspondence
which is self-explanatory.
THE three companies, to wit:
Company t. 3rd regiment, N. G.. S.
c., headquarters at Bamberg, S. c.;
company L. 3rd regiment, N. G. S.
c., headquarters at Orangeburg, S.
c.; and company e., 3rd regiment,
N. G.. S. c., headquarters at Barn
we'll, S. c., without any authority
from me, or without any communi-
cation whatever with me, were or
dered to return from the encamp-
ment at Aiken, s. c., and were thus
deprived Of what l think were their
rights. OF course, it is now too late
to remedy that, so far as the Aiken
encampment is concerned.
"But l write to request that you
allow these three companies to go
into camp with the I'd regiment, n.
G.. s. c., which will enCamp at Camp
Willie Jones near this city, from July
20 to August 5, inclusive. 1t is
about 35 miles from Barnwen to
Camp Willie Jones, about 55 miles
from Orangeburg to Camp Willie
Jones, and about 5S miles from Bam-
berg to Camp Willie Jones. There
fore II is convenient for these COM
panies to come to Camp Willie Jones,
and, as you see, will not be eXpen-
sive on account of the short distance.
"As 1 understand the militia law,
the position which l take in the com
munication to Colonel Cogswell and
Captain Claffy is correct, and these
companies should have remained in
camp under those conditions.
"Also ! quote from your letter to
The State, dated June 80, 1918, in
which you say:
"'The militia fSouth Carolina
will have it's transportation paid to
the extent that federal aid is used for
that purpose to the various encamp-
ments this summer; that they Will
have subsistence while there, paid
under similar conditions; the com
panies which passed the last inspec-
tion will have their pay under SINH
lar conditions. The pay for the de-
ficient companies viii be retained :;
the deficient companies will be given
another opportunity to measure up
to the test at an inspection to be held
at least three months from this date.
II at that time they pass the inspec-
tion they will then receive their re-
tanned pay
acting under this. those com
panies most assuredly should have
remained in camp and had the mat
ter been called to my attention
would have ordered them to stay
in camp and carried out your sug-
gestions. Therefore, you see that
a pity to make the members of these
a pity to make themembers of these
companies suffer for that blunder
and be deprived of the benefits which
they would have received in the en-
campment. / therefore, write to re-
quest that you allow these three com
panies to come into camp with the
I'd regiment, N. G. S. c., at Camp
Willie Jones' II you can consistently
do this, am satisfied that the mem
beTs OF these companies will appre-
ciate your kindness very much in
deed, and will be earger to come up
to the standard required more so
than If they had been left in their
regular place in the Aiken encamp-
ment.
Every respectfully,
"COLE L. BLEASE,
Governor and Commander-in-
Chief"