Evening star., 1938-11-20
By John Clagen Proctor.

BY John CI0SeH FfOCIOT'
At the Harrington Hotel tomor-
row evening a reunion and dinner
will be held by number of the Dis
trict of Columbia boys who went
forth in the summer of 1898 to bat
tie, to maintain the prestige OF the
United States, and for humanity S
sake. and they were as fine con-
tineent of soldiers as actively en-
Gagged in the Spanish American war.
It was the first time since the civil
War that the North and the South
had banded together in common
cause against a common foreign
enemy, and, unlike the mlsunder-
standing of 1861, none refused to
take the oath of allegiance, and
MANY a son of Union soldier. and
many a Union soldier himself, served
under such brilliant Southern lead
ers as Gen. Fitzhugh Lee and Gen.
Joseph Wheeler both graduates OF
West Point, who were once again
proudly wearing the Nations uni
form and following the Nations nag.
It Is still a few months short OF
al wears since the news reached
WASHINGTON of the sinking OF the
battleship Maine in Havana Har-
Dor on February Is, 1898, with loss
of 266 lives. For years our country
had been harassed by the Spanish
rule in Cuba, and the atroclous SINK
ing of this vessel was all that was
needed to arouse the Americans to
resentment. William Mckinley was
then President, and he tried. In
diplomatic way. to settle the i'll feel
Ing that had been aroused, but with
out avail and Congress on April
is passed the following preamble
and resolutions:
Whereas, the abhorrent condl-
tdons which have existed Tor more
than three years in the Island OF
Cuba. so near our own borders, nave
shocked the moral sense OF the peo-
nle of the United States, have been
a disgrace to Christian civilization,
eliminating. as they have, IN the
destruction of a United States bat
tleship, with 266 of its officers ana
crew, while on friendly visit IN the
be endured, as has been set forth ov
the President of the United states
IN his message to Congress OF April
ii. 1898. upon which the action OF
Congress was invited; therefore,
be 1t
resolved, BY the Senate and
House of Representatives OF the
United States of America, IN Con-
sress assembled,
"First-That the people Of the
island of Cuba are, and OF rlght'
ought to be, free and independent,
and that the Government OF the
United States hereby recognizes the
republic of Cuba as the true ana
lawful government of that island.
"Second-That is is the duty OF
the United States to demand, and
the Government of the United States
does hereby demand, that the gov
ernment of Spain at once relinqulsh
its authority and government In the
island of Cuba, and withdraw its
land and naval forces from Cuba
and Cuban waters.
"Third-That the President OF the
United States be. and he hereby is,
directed and empowered to use the
entire land and naval forces OF the
United States, and to call into the
actual service of the United States
the militia of the several States, to
such extent as may be necessary
to carry these resolutions into effect.
"Fourth-That the United States
hereby disclaim any disposition or
intention to exercise sovereignty
jurisdiction, or control over said
island except for the paciflcation
thereof; and assert their determina-
ton, when that is accomplished. to
leave the government and control OF
the island to its people"
But Spain made no move to va
cate as suggested, and so, on April
%, Cuba was blockaded by Amer
ican warships, and three days later
the President called out 125,000 VOL
unteers. while a formal declaration
Of war against Spain was proclaimed
on the same day.
Apparently, the District National
Guard was waiting for the Presi-
dents call and Immediately respond
ed with 1900 strong, marching from
the armory, over the old Center
Market. where is now the National
Archives Building. with hearts beat
ing tc the tune of Yankee Doodle" "
Dixie" and THE Girl I Left Be-
hind Me"
The boys got a great send-off
from the large crowd that had as
sembled at the Pennsylvania ave-
nue. entrance to the armory. and the
main body was soon on its way to
the Soldiers Home grounds, where
It was planned to pitch its tempo
rary camp, while smaller detach-
ment was marching up the Conduit
road to guard the Washington
Aqueduct.
However, like the King Of France,
who marched up the hill and then
marched down again, so did our
soldier boys upon this occasion, for
. mistake in orders had been made
and the boys were ordered back to
their armory by Adjt. Gen. Henry
c. Corbin, U. s. A.