Evening star., 1915-08-23

of the District of Columbia passed
through its first parade yesterday, and
the first time it has paraded as a
brigade unit since the War Department
turned it topsy turvy in the work of
reorganization.
Every company was at its best as it
appeared on the parade grounds be-
tore Maj. Gen. Harries and Brig. Gen.
William +. Harvey, now commanding
the brigade and Gen. Harries sue
cessor. The troops received cheer after
cheer from the crowd which lined the
drill grounds, the largest which has
been present at any of the paradeS.
Every movement was done as a unit,
showing that the District soldiers
nave not let time slide unprofitably
by during the one week of field service
ending tonight.
When the troops had passed the re-
viewing officers. instead of getting at
squads right" command. to carry
,nem raeni, back to the camp grounds, they
which kept them on the parade
grounds. Then the battalions began
10 take positions about the field. form
ing hollow square, the battalions
forming en- masse on four sides.
| L" the westward of the parade
grounds the 1st Separate Battalion,
Maj. James E. Walker. comma andins,
| TOOK ITS position. On the south side of
the square, the Sd Battalion. Sd Infan-
,
| to the east. the I'd Battalion. Maj. Wal
| iach a. McCathraa. and TO the north
the 1st Battalion. Maj Joseph +. Hodg
| son. In the southeast corner the band
took its station and in the northwest
corner the machine gun company was
placed
The table had been placed by de-
tan The staff officers dismounted and.
| led by Gen. Harvey, marched to the
| center of the square. When the COM
mand had been formed the "colors"
were raised from the table. and there
| on the folds of an army blanket rested
| the handsome presents which g!ittered
| in the bright sun.
Gen. Harvey Makes Presentation.
| Gen. Harvey made the presentation
speech. and was followed by Gen. Har
| ries. who made I: very Impressive ad-
(; dress in reply, showing deep feeling at
the honors which were being bestowed
upon him.
When the table had been brought to
the center of the hollow square by
-, detail of the 1st Separate Battalion,
Gen. Harvey stepped toward it, as one
of the orderlies raised the Stars ana
Stripes. which hid the presents from
view.
I'VE decided to carry out this mill
tary formation in order that the
officers and men might get closer to
YOU" he began. addressing Gen Har-
rieS. You have served in this brigade
for more than twenty-five years. Dur
ing that period you were actuated by
but one ideal. and that was to provide
a force of men who could be depended
upon to take up arms and defend the
country in time of war.
THAT you have worked along true
lines as soldier is evidenced by the
GREETED that force of circumstances
made it necessary for You to leave its
active command. In you the guard
| has lost an officer who has made it
what it is.
The officers and the men thought
that you should have a token of the
esteem and affection in which you are
held by your comrades in arms. 1t
is the symbol of the official authority
of the rank which you now hold and
is a symbol of the highest rank in the
military establishment OF the United
States In getting this kind of a token
it was believed it would appeal to YOU
more as a soldier
Gen. Harvey then picked up the gilt
terng saher from the resting place on
the soft blanket which covered the ta
Bile and handed it unsheathed into the
hands of Gen. Harries. In so doing,
Gen. Harvey concluded:
IN handing it to you. may ! use the
words of the first soldier of the land
when he said: May it never be drawn
in an unjust quarrel and may it never
be sheathed in a just one"
hilt and with it saluted Gen. Harvey.
his successor in command Of the bri-
gade- Gen. Harries was visibly affected
by the honor which was, being paid
him. He spoke in reply with decided
display of feeling, he glanced over
the solid mass of troops which sur
rounded him on all four sides and which
he had commanded for the past seven
teen years.
Gen. Harries' Acceptance.
Gen. Harvey" began Cen Harries.
IF. in time to cone-and no one man
knows just when the time may come
you can surprise me severaIly and
jointly more than you have today it
would be a great success. Can ! say,
without being ungracious, that it real
~ didn't need any material thing to
keep me as close as anything could be
to the mem bers of this commando
Il came to this command as the sue
cessor to man more loved and re-
spected than any one / know. / can
say nothing more than that in all that
pertains to the administration of the
brigade l was nothing more than his
trustee. | knew his aims, his ambi-
tions and his ideals ] took the com
fnand as successor, in trust I have
done all that | possibly could to carry
out his aims. The man who could
bring out all that was best. and who
was not only great soldier but :,
great man, was Gen. Albert Ordway.
III l have done my part by him or
hlled my trust. / am satisfied 1t has
been a great privilege in time of peace
TO have led such grand body of men
with such fine loyalty. The memory
OF 1t VIII never fade away as long as
the possibility exists. In them is the
unseen something that never dies the
soul of the moving force.
1t creates q situation that ! cannot
meet The things that / would like to
say to you, you in your hearts know
My affection and my appreciation of
the real patriotism and unboundcd
loyalty displayed by you ! have ex-
pressed to many of you many times be-
fore. There isn't fine sentiment a
great deed or a wonderful thought that
is not represented by the colors.
Not a Separation.
II wish l knew what to say to YOU.
I'm not parting with you. >Jt's been {,
wonderful day for me. and ITS a great
honor. that the first review of the re-
organized force attended by me
am going to take a great deal of con-
ISOLATION out Of the fact that a re-
tired officer may be returned to duty
when his services are necessary or de-
not desired, but I'm willing to take my
chances on that point.
There are great many of you here
today with whom ! served in war and
our hearts beat in unison. If the time
should come, fortunately or unfortu-
nately, that our country is at strife,
some of US may meet again and move