Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-09-21
lcontInued BON Flrst Pasel

Continued From First Page
ments OF New Jersey in the formation
of the F.fty-seventh Infantry Brigade
Tho remaining body OF men in the
Delaware Regiment after this dispo-
sition Of the troops has been made
will be assigned 10 the Depot Brigade.
In the formation Of the new army
as designed under the reorganization.
all trained men will be given prefer
ence over UNFRAMED: all trained and ex-
perienced officers proving their fitness /
In the eyes Of the. regular army eX-
perts will be preferred over less no Of
hcers coming from Stnte authority
state identity IN the guard units will
be gradually but completely lest. As
evidence that this plan OF re0rganiza-
ton is fixed II is cited that no regular
army officers were assigned 10 guard
units at the outset because their rank
would have had 10 be protected. In
der the present plan guard officers by
I hundreds. II Is expected. will be drop
ped or given lower rank. These Will be
, colonies, Lieutenant colonies, majors,
lcaptains and lleutenants.
Delawares representatives in Con-
gress. II is understood. are ready to
act upon any petition from this Stale
TO preserve the identity OF the Della
ware regiment Any action looking
TO this end will. OF necessity. have
to come from sources disassociated
with the regiment because the on
GERS OF the command cannon do any
thing toward keeping their troops to-
gether as a compile unit. They are
subject to military orders, and can
not question orders, and II they are
directed TO split up the regiment II
will nave to be done. Friends of the
outfit. however. who have no official
connection with IT, may try TO exert
their influence at Washington 10 pre-
vent the ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF the regi-
ment the chief argument being that
= Delaware has but one regiment and
that IL was brought 10 regimental
b strength by volunteers who offered
. their services in the belief that they
would have a chance to go away
with their friends and men from
their own State when they enlisted
81 To separate them now, TO assign one
company TO one command and an
3 other company TO a different regi-
ment, thus scattering the soldiers
b. through several regiments and bri-
gades. will. Il is contended. be prac-
tlcally a breach OF faith with these
men and a violation OF the promises
made them when they were urged TO
enlist. They were then told that
by existing before being drafter they
would enjoy the advantage of being
able to pick their company and regl-
ment and go away with their friends
and those whom they knew. and they
- would not be thrown in with a lo'
- OF strange men whom they did moi
know.
But. officers and men here IN CAM
4 ihaye about given up hope OF savinl
their regiment In its entirety and pre-
{. serving It's identity as a distinct uni
Of Delaware troops. They are sesigne
D. to whatever fate awaits them. an
:. their one hope now is THAI they VIA 9
least all find themselves in the sam
o brigade after the reorganization ha
\ been completed.
,dl There is another source OF worT
ment for which there appears no rem
., edy, and this is the loss Of their OF
GERS. especially those higher I'm con
Z mand. No place has yet been al
~ nounced for Colonel Reed and his sta
under the proposed new arrangement
e Even the three majors and possib
% some company commanders may
lost 10 the men OF the line This wi
be the hardest blow Of all, for the of
n. GERS here, from Colonel Reed down. al
J. the idols OF the men under them. The
E. are efficient, kind. considerable an
While they remain here the soldier
!. are being whipped into shape as An
h ished fighting men. They do not an
*, ticipate many more days in Cam
Townsend. but as long as they do II
"a main here they are devOttng ever
minute to work, and hard work. II
e structiOn and drilling go on day ate
day with precision and without intel
,5 ruption and the men are alread
showing the effects OF the training b.
4 ing given them. The rough edges hay
IT. been worn off. muscles are CROWN
hard and there is apparent in II
N carriage of every man the effect 10
gained only by rigid military trail
IL ing. One day In camp is much Il
same as another After brealxfal
w. there Is nothing but work untn noe
and the same program is repeated
ut. the afternoon. The evenings are u
d. only tune the men have to themselv,
ali. and very few Of them have been lea
X ing camp at night because they sec
their cots as soon as possible to z
=, much needed rest But the spirit
~ tho camp is fine. Everyone Is avail
= &c TO what is expected OF him and evel
~ man Is eager and anxious to perfor
~. ~ The particular task 10 which he is a
~ signed.
Vi L and NJ companies. under Cor
-, mand Of Captains Smith and Rams
40. respectively, Wilmington's two ne
companies, are making a good sho'
.v- ing in camp work. Company II.
20 New Castle, Of which Captain Jes
Mckay, formerly Of Wilmington a
aoc one Of the oldest captains in the re,
ment is commander. Is rapidly dew
w oping tt3 lads who Will be hard
match. Lieutenant John Eckles,
al