New-York tribune., 1918-04-16
The Guard Is Dead
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Section III of the national defence
act, approved June 3, 1916, in part says:

act, approved June 3, 1916, in part says:
When Congress shall have authorized the use OF
the armed forces OF the United States for any pur-
pose requiring the of troops In excess OF
those OF the regular army the President may
under such regulation. including such physical ex-
animation as he may prescribe draft &to the
military service of the United States to serve
therein for period Of the war. unless sooner dis
charged, all members of the National Guard and
OF the National Guard Reserves; all persons so
drafted shall from the date Of their draft stand
discharged from the militia, and shall from said
date be subject to such laws and regulations for
the government Of the army of the United States
as may be applicable to members of the voluntary
army. and shall be embodied in organizations cor
responding far practicable to those OF the
regular army shall be otherwise assigned as
the President may direct, etc.
In accordance with the above, on March
25, 1917, the National Guard was ordered
to mobilize, each regiment to be known as
the Regiment, N. Y. Infantry, National
Guard Army. At this time company had
three commissioned officers and 150 enlisted
men, a regiment an aggregate of about 2,2oo.
In September as the different camps were
opened each regiment assumed new num-
Der, to be known as the - Regiment T.
N. W, National Guard Army.
Subsequently it was deemed necessary to
comply with the French and British forma-
tion by increasing the strength of a COM
pany to six officers and $50 enlisted men;
a regiment to about $500 men, In Septem-
Der, at Camp Mills, was the "Rainbow Divi-
sion," of which the 165th Regiment Goth
N. W, N, G. A., with about 1000 men, was
q part; to bring it to the full strength were
drawn 36O men from each of the following
regiments: 7th, 18th, 14th, 23d and list, an
aggregate Of 800 men, total of 3,400,
constituting the 165th Regiment, National
Guard Army, "Rainbow Regiment" repre-
sentng six regiments, no longer the Goth.
These five regiments were soon after sent
to Camp Wadsworth, where, on October 5,
not only was the identity of every regiment
wiped out by the removal Of their old num-
ber, but to make it more certain the remain
ing men shuffled around SO that no
vestige should be left; cavalry, infantry
and artillery effectually mixed; as
few officers were left they became the
nucleus of a pioneer army, the use of which
will be revealed later
Now, if it is not clear to you that the
National Guard is thing of the past, and
that old regiments are no longer in exist
ance, then look at what the General staff
says: Eventually it is beliVed that enlisted
men of the regulars, National Army and
National Guard Army will be ntcrmiXcd
throughout all divisions at the front" The
judge advocate, General Ansell, sustains alb
solutely the legal right to transfer officers
and men among the foregoing armies. He
says: "There is but army of the United
States, and every organization in the mill
tary service is part Of it,"
AS this condition exists, why should not
the press '0gnize it and cease to make in
vidioys statements without disparagement?
such articles as you have in your issues of
the 18th and 18th. Had you mentioned the
165th only it would have been sufficient, but
to mention only one regiment is invidious
and in bad taste, the one the 18th, la
Creel, especially so. At this time when we
are trying to have none but Americans
there should be mention of any other.
Therefore, what is the object Of "Fighting
Irish," "lrish regiment" ETC.? Even if all
those in the 69th were Irish, there is no
reason to suppose the 800 detail are. In
your list of killed of the 1G5th two were
from the 14th, but you have 'no "Glory" for
the "Bloody" 14th three were from the
Esd, but you had no "Glory" for the Dandy"
23d; three were from the list but you had
no GLORY" for the "Fightng list"
l share with others of the late National
Guard in the at the demise of our
alma mater Our love for the same makes
us sensitive to any omission of credit due
Recognizing that the identity of the old
Guard is lost, we loyalty accept the situa-
tlon and Will be contented with mention of
the number of the regiment of which any
fraction of our late comrades have been
made component part. Unless you can see it
in the same light fear you will find your
self in deeper water when the 9th Division
is lover there"
The state force is now the New York
Guard, it takes the place of the late Ma
tonal Guard, taking the old numbers. keep
ing up the integrity and old traditions of
Its foster parent, and as a rule organized
by the old members of each. The armory
on Lexington Avenue is the armory of the
69th Reg imcnt, New York Guard.
Brooklyn, April 12, 1913 A. T. F.