The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-07
ARMY IS PRAISED
FOR FINE MANNER
Of HANDLING CAMP
Veterans Cared for Even on
Trains After Starting
for Home
HINT OF REGULAR
PROVES EFFECTIVE
Youngsters Occupying Seats
Give Them Up at Sug-
gestion---Medals for
the Officers

HARRISBURG A, July 6.-The
protection and attention accorded to
the veterans of the Union and of she
Confederacy by the United States
army did not stop at Gettysburg.
Non-eommissioned officers and en-
listed men boarded the crowded
special and regular trains that left
Gettysburg station over the Western
Maryland and made it their special
business to see that the weary old
men secured seats. received courteous
treatment. and did not lack for strong
arms TO help them on and off the cars.
Brigadicr General Hunter Liggett.
commanding the reunion encampment,
had no authority. Of course. To order
to find seats for the veterans on trains.
hut General Liegett merely dropped
n suggestion to Major James Il. Nor
moyie. the chief quartermaster. that
IL wouldn't be n bad idea If a way
was found for the regulars to safe
guard the veterans for good part of
the someward journey. Major Nor
moyle passed the hint along.
Regulars Go On Board.
So that there were half dozen
young clear eyed and strapping in
fantrymen or artillery men on every
train to see to 1t that the old soldiers
were not shouldered or annoyed.
Here IL the way II worked out;
In car of "a fifteen car train that
left Gettysburg last night dozen
cid soldiers were standing and doing
their best to hold on to the backs
of seats as the train took curves
Two OF them carried crutches All Of
them were tired They glanced
around hoping that some of the
husky youths who had rushed in and
pre-empted the seats would get up
and ask them to sit down. But the
young men who had been selling
souvenirs and who had been cele-
brating prosperous week. not only
didn't get up, but amused themselves
by teasing one Of the old men
JUST then, tall. lean artilleryman
swung through the car shooting
glanees from side To side. He took
IN the situation in q fash
Plan Works Well.
Leaning over two of the youths he
said mildly:
Don, YOU boys see that some Of
the old soldiers are stauding?"
We'll, what's II your husiness7 We
paid our money. didn't WEI" one Of
the fakirs growled.
The regular wasted no more time
CT words
Get up he snapped
The young men in that seat waited
Just long enough TO look the artillery
man sauarely in the eve. and then they
siouehed out OF the seat and the car
In ten minutes the regular had every
veteran comfortably seated
That episode was typical Of what
helped the old soldiers on and off the
cars. helped them get food at restau-
rant stations. advised them whore 10
change cars and did everything that il
was possible To do to crown the SPLEEN
did work OF the army
Medals for Officers.
Tomorrow at the headquarters on the
battlefield the PENNSYLVANIA monuments
commission win present medals to the
regular army officers who made the en-
campment a success. They will give "A
gold medal to Major Normeyie. and "a
silver medal To the staff of young Off
GERS who directed the medical the Red
Cross. the Guartermasters and all OF
the other duties Of the vast camp
Governor John x. Tener, or Pennsyl-
vania. said to your correspondent to-
night at his home In the executive man
sion:
man can exaggerate the splendid work
of the army. What we are proudest
OF is that there were only nine deaths
out OF $4,000 men whose ages averaged
more than seventy-two years, and that
there were very few cases of serious
Illness"
At Gettysburg last night Rrigadier-
the Officers OF his stan, the officers OF
the regular army detachments that
were assigned TO the encampment
members of the Pennsylvania monu-
respondents. General IAggett will go
to Washington tomorrow. He is to
become the head OF the war college.
Major Normoyle will stay at Gettys-
burg for a week to care for and re-
move government property and to pay
the bills of the celebration.