The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-07-22
THE YANKEE BATTALION
something About Americans Serving
With the Canadian Troops.

In Canada they have-or had recent
y; 1t may be overseas by the time
TINS appears i'll print-a Yankee Bat
TALON. The American newspapers
can 1t the American legion, and that
is the way the inscription on the
badges worn on the mems cans and
me officers tunics reads. too; but
throughout Canada it is the Yankee
battalion. 1t was 1900 strong the dav
VISITED its camp near Toronto. and
was Ilne and fit and most anxious to
he oil across the sea.
Almost the first man [ met was an
old acquaintance of nv last Mexican
campaign, Lieutenant Richardson he Is
now, but two years ago, at Vera Cruz.
he was just Tracy Richardson. late Of
Francisco Villa 5 machine-gun corns
lie has had hand in several other dis
turbances and is typical of the soldier
OF fortune element in the Yankee Ba,-
tallon-which, by the way. is carried
on the official rolls as the 9th Over.
seas Battalion. c. f. f.
When the war broke out Richardson
hurried to Canada and enlisted. He was
mustered into the first contingcu- If
fflncesS Patricia S regiment. and is ono
OF the few men-some say only six--of
that contingent who are still in +bn
service. The others were wipcd ont
around Npres-kil1ed. captured or erin.
pied beyond further service. Rirharl.
son was hit twice in the rigb+ Ic,, and
once ON the back by fragments Of she'll
ana was mustered out with an hopora-
Die discharge because the surpnons
thought he would never be fiji for sol
'leflng again. But he GOT well and
strong and promptly enlisted AGAIN
TINS time with his own countrvmen and
was given commission. When they
looked him over they noted down u
sears from wounds on his body.
1t IS sand that more than half of tbo
men IN the 9th have seen service Pic.
aecr-Sergeant James Carson sealed tbo
walls of Pekin during the Boxer mn
rising, and before that was in the hat
tie OF San Juan hill Lieutenant Col.
ohel W. l.. Jolly was a major in tho
American army and has served in
three campaigns. Five graduates of
West Point and two Of AnnaroIis ara
serving, and about % men who Wore
recently in the Mexico war are en-
listed.
Nearly all the men who have not had
army service are of the adyenturops
type. Some are mining proSpcctors
others bushmcn, COWBOYS. rauchers ar
anything else that has called for =
wild, stirring life. They are all men
VINO nave enlisted because they want ia
see lighting, and as it is threatened to
use them to reinforce the scattered bnt
reconstructed Princess Pats they are
IN a tar way to get what they enlist
ed for.
Men of various ages are found in tho
Legion, some of them being grav-
hared, but all their hearts are voune
and to man they are eager to pef
over t.. France and see some ..rcal
lghtlng, as the veterans of the Phil.
Ippine, Mexican and Central American
campaigns express it.
The Americans have a bugle and
drum corps of which they are prou1
ana with justice. 1t is a snappv or
3ahlZatIon and sets the Canadians rasp-
ing when it goes into action. Like all
the men of the battalion. the musicians
nave been given stiff training. IN
fact some say that the legion has been
trained too much. The men enlisted
70 night, not to drill for years. and they
want to be off for the front. They are
me lot of boys, and can be depended
upon to give a good account of them
SelVeS.-James II. Hare in Leslie's