Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-02-16
Company KS Recruiting Campaign

months active service on the border, Com
pany X, LIST Maryland Infantry, stationed
at Silver Spring, Md. is launching an &C.
tive recruiting campaign.
In view of the fact that the District of
Columbia Infantry is still on the border,
except the First Separate Battalion, the
Silver Spring and Hyattsville Companies
OF the First Maryland Infantry are the only
infantry unit available for the enlistment
OF citizen soldiers in and around Washing
ton in the present national crisis.
The Armory of Company X at Silver
Spring, Nd, is thirty-four minutes trolley
ride from 9th and F streets northwest,
Washington. and is reached for one fare.
Silver Spring is also on the Metropolitan
Branch Of the B. & o.. eighteen minutes
from Union Station. Washington, and con-
nected with Rockville. Gaithersburg and
Germantown by local passenger service
The State of Maryland runs motor
truck from Germantown to Silver Spring
and return for the men living there. An
other truck runs between Chevy Chase
Circle and Silver Spring. Railroad mileage
is allowed by the State to National Guards
men living on the Metropolitan Branch of
the b. & o. between Gaithersbure and
Silver Spring. Mileage will be allowed for
any group of men living on the B. & o.
and truck will be allowed to any town or
neighborhood where six or more men en-
list.
Friends of the local companies claim
that the efficiency and organization of the
First Maryland Infantry and of the local
companies of that regiment are excellent,
calling attention to the fact that the 90
members of Company X were assembled
at the Silver Spring Armory within SO
hours after the Presidents call on June
18th. 1915. and that within 48 hours after
the call the entire First Maryland Infantry
was assembled at the State mobilization
camp at Laurel, Nd.
While at Laurel SO per cent of the First
Maryland Infantry voluntarily signed the
new Federal oath as National Guardsmen.
obligating themselves for service anywhere
the President should command. This oath
included three years additional reserve SER
vice for each man. One hundred per cent
of the men of Company X signed the new
OATH
AS soon as supplies were received at
Laurel from the Federal Government the
First Maryland Infantry entrained for Eagle
Pass, Texas, with 100 enlisted men and
SO officers. 1t was the first Maryland regi-
ment to entrain for the border and was
among the first National Guard units
to reach the border, arriving there July
S, 1915. 1t was the first National Guard
infantry unit south of Pennsylvania in
the Eastern Department to be ready for
field service and entrain for the border.
For five months the First Infantry was
given intensive field service under the
direction and instruction of officers of the
regular army. 1t drilled. unanswered,
liked and had target practice in conjunc-
ton with the 30th and 3rd Regular u. S.
Infantry, the LIST and End Infantry, Kansas
N. G., the LIST Infantry, Vermont N G., the
4th and 5th Infantry. Maryland N. G., and
the LIST Infantry. Tennessee N. G, This
training included individual. squad, pla-
toon, company. battalion and regiment
close order and open order drill and COM
bat exercises, brigade and divisional ma
neuvers, night operations, actual outpost
duty on the Rio Grande. practice march
every week, and one four-day and one
eight-day hike. which hikes necessarily
included supplying the troops on the march
under assumed war conditions. The train
ing these troops received was as intense
and followed similar schedule to that
followed at Plattsbureh. except that the
training was four times as long and more
thorough than can possibly be given at a
training camp in 80 days.
All the officers of the entire regular army
were available for and active in training
the National Guard troops stationed on the
border. The period Of intense field train
ing under such instruction has been from
five to eight months.
Friends of the company point out that
the British allowed only eight months to
train their volunteer armies before sending
them to France. and that these British
troops were trained entirely by reserve,
retired or militia officers.
Attention is being called to the fact
that on the regular army rife range at
Eagle Pass. Texas, Company X qualified
expert riflemen. 10 sharp shooters. %
marksmen. 8 irst-class riflemen and 4
second-class rifemen. failing to qualify.
did not shoot. being on special duty or
in general hospital.
No man Of Company X fell out or left
ranks on anyof the summer hikes in Texas
It is believed that this hiking record was
unequaled by any infantry company regular
or National Guard stationed at Eagle Pass,
state that at no time during the tour OF
active duty was the company anything
but well and sufficiently. fed The physi-
cal reports on muster-out show that every
man came back from the border in better
health than when the company was called
out.
Friends of the company point out that II
the National Guard is modified. each re-
cruit enlistine now will be member fully
equipped for field service in an organiza-
ton having an efficient record covering six
months active service in the army Of the
United States. which they claim IS. from
military standpoint, infinitely preferable
TO membership in an unorganized and I'M
equipped volunteer unit.
II modified. it is said that the training
will undoubtedly be thorough and inten-
sive. II not modified. in the present crisis
men joining now will receive a full field |
equipment Of an infantry soldier in the
r..