Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-06-20
Call to Arms Arouses Great
Enthusiasm in Alex
andria
RECRUITING GOES ON
Members of Light Infantry, Under
Arms, Take Up Quarters in Their
Armory or South Royal Street

armory on Royal street was the scene
of busy activity all day yesterday
| and today. AS soon as orders were
received by Captain Conrad John
son early yesterday morning for the
| mobilization of the company notices
were sent to all of the men to gath
er at the armory where they were
instructed relative to recruiting SER
vice an dsent out to try and secure
the enlistmen of other men. A branch
recruiting station was located at
the corner of Washington and King
streets and DR.. Walter A. Warfield,
was on hand at the armory for the
purpose of examining the candidates
for enlistment.
Recruiting was brisk throughout
the day, and this morning Captain
Johnson stated that by tonight he
expected to have the company or
ganized at full war strength so that
he would leave here for Richmond
with $50 men.
The men slept in the armory last
night and are being furnished their
meals there. They expect to leave
for Richmond within the next As
hours and are hoping that they vii.
be among the ones that are detailed
for Immediate service on te Mexi-
can frontier.
Brigadier- General C. C. Vaughan,
ir, commander OF the First Brigade,
Virginia Volunteers, was yesterday
designated by Adjutant-General Sale
to supervise the preparations for the
mobilization camp to be established
at the State Fair Grounds, in Rich
mond. General Vaughan will be in
supreme authority at the camp, and
will direct the mastering of the Vir-
ginia Volunteers into the United
States for service on the Mexican
frontier. He was ordered to report
here on Thursday.
Entire reorganization of the Vir-
ginia Volunteers to comply with the
provisions of the Hay-Chamberlain
national defense act, recently pass
ed by Congress, which, besides great
ly increasing the militia forces in
the United States, virtually places
them on an equal footing with the
regular army, answerable at any
time to the call of the President to
arms, will be necessary within short
time, if the men are to participate
at Federal expense in the annual
general encampment during August.
,Adjutant-G General Sale has already
taken initial steps toward bringing
his frees under the terms f the law
having prepared and sent to the d.
vision of militia affairs for approval
new enlistment blank, which will
be sent out as soon as possible to
the various organizations, with in
structions as to how they shall pro-
coed.
Captain J. F. Built, of Big Stone
Gap, one of the best known lawyers
in the State, and military man of
experience, has. made an exhaustive
analysis of the law, and has given It
as his opinion that, unless immediate
qualification is made, the Virginia
forces will not be able to get Federal
pay for the annual summer encamp-
ment. Section 10 of the new act pro-
vides that all enlisted men shall sign
contract containing an obligation to
defend the Constitution of the United
States and obey the orders of the Presi
dent. The contract under which serve
the Virginia Volunteers does not
place them under presidential autho-
rity.
Under the new law, Virginia will be
Edgar Razelle, Sarah Rose, Norman