Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-17
ENGINEER CORPS IS
ORDERED D|sBANDED
VIII BE Mustered Out OF State Ser.
vice To-Day and Men Given
Honorable Discharges.
MARYLAND TROOPS COMING
Will Aid Colonel Lccdy in Western
District--I'lues to See Active Ser.
vice In Eastern District of Vir.
Xinia. ~

orders for the disbandmcnt OF Com
nany A. Engineer Corps. Virginia Ma
tiona1 Guard. were received by Adm.
tant-Gcnural W. W. Sale ycstcrJo,,
from the War Department. in corr,
pItancc with the order, the comn.ny
VIII be mustered out of the state ser
vice this morning and tho mon rjrc,
honorable discharges.
The engineer company was organized
ut Camp stuart last Juno to meet an
emergency. The War Department
plans. however do not call for an
organization OF It's class in Virginia
ana as the company has no permanent
home station and it's mon arc from all
sections of the country, it was or
dercd disbandcd. The equipment viii
be returned to the government by tho
State
Captain W. i. II Griffith has com
mandcd the company from it's organ
ization. He worked cnergctically for
several weeks in getting the men to-
Ecthcr. and mot with many discour-
aGcmcnts. Finally. however. the com
pany was accepted by tho State mill
tary aut..oritics and il was included
in tho call Of tho President. being mus
tered into tho Federal service in Julv
First Lieutenant Roy Pratt and Second
Lieutenant John Tyler. both OF this
city. arc tho other officers
HAS sEyENTY-TIvE MEN
AND THREE OFFICERS
The company Is now composed OF
scvcnty-nrc enlisted men and thre,
officers. all OF whom have seen ten
months of service. five OF which were
spent on duty in Texas. Since return
ing to Richmond the company has been
doing police protection duty in and
around tho city. acting az infantrynen
After being dropped from tho State
service. the company will cease 10
. srf ct u tt,
revoke the commissions Of the officers
and discharge the enlisted mon. Other
wise. they would be part OF the Ma
tional Guard reserve. and subject 10
call for more than 1--WE years more
After being discharged. the men will
be free to return to their homes. hut
can enlist in other organizations IL
they 80 desire.
For tho first time since reconstrrr.
ton days, troops from another Etata
VIII do guard duty on Virginia soil.
| other than government rcscrvations
this week. Orders for r battalion OF
the Fourth Maryland Infantry TO re-
port TO Colonel Robert T.. I.ecdy, com
mander OF the Second Virginia In
fantry, for duty in the First Virginia
district. were issued yesterday by tho
War Department. The battalion VIII
be used in the western part OF the
State to guard government property. -
~ StF SERVICE
IN EASTERN DISTRICT
When tho Marylanders report for
duty. Troop 4, First Virginia Cavalry.
Will return from Roanoke to rcjo;n the
other three troops in this city. The
squadron will then report TO Colonel l..
Il. Goodwin. Fourth Virginia Infantry.
for police protection duty in the Sec
ond Virginia District. Whether the
cavalrymen will remain in Richmond
or 30 elsewhere will he decided by
Colonel Goodwin. IT is probable that
the squadron Will be ordered TO the
vicinity of Hampton Roads to guard
that section. mounted patrols being
used TO cover the long distances.
The adjutant general received no
tce yesterday from the War Depart
ment to instruct all company com
manders tina; clothing must not be re-
tanned by men furloughed TO the re-
serve, but must be kept by the com
pany for reinsurance TO recruits. The
lack OF equipment was the cause OF
the order being issued.
Troop c, First Virginia Squadron.
arrived home yesterday from Lynch
burg, where the cavalrymen have been
doing dismounted guard duty for two
wesks. Captain Marion :. Hewitt Is
in command Of the troop.