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lOPRAHE “Fighting First Washington.” What a thrill the printed or spoken words sen souls of all the citizens of this great state. Less than two years ago the boys of the Fighting First left the farm, the op, the store, the office and the court, to take up arms in defense of the flag. They We men and boys reared in the midst of peace and plenty, who had never heard the trek of shrapnel, the zoon of the Mauser bullet, and most of them had never lifted hand s@inst his fellow man, save in jest “Boys,” the veterans of '60-4 @awered Lincoln's call for “75,000 more,” and how they marched away singing, “We're Coming, Father Abraham.” Bandbox soldiers,” the stay-at-homes called them, as the volunteers fell in and Marched away, and the scoffers laughed as they prophesied the wild flight that would be when the bullets of the enemy sang their songs about them And now these volunteers are coming back to us—‘‘The Fighting First Washing- Mar “The Terrors of the Pasig,” titles given them for arts of courage, deeds of bravery. Servic, chivalric conduct and for a willingness to do or die under circumstances and tin Babes eye as no American soldier ever knew, suffered are endured before. 1 : i Upon the banners of the Washington volunteers might fittingly be inscribed that is through the hearts and called them, forgetting their own youth when they ate 80 kacred in the ava of old to soldiers, “Sans puer, sans reproche” “Without wr and Without sepreach” they have been from the first day of their enlistment until » Noach of theirs in barracks, camp or on battle field has ever called but for a meed y praise, branches of the palms of far-off Luzon, where we ar rest the comrades who like soldiers died, their faces to the foe. 'Tis a little cloud that dims but for a moment only the golden sunshine of the home coming, the one drop of bitter in the overflowing cup of sweet, but the boys who have come home dread the moment when they shall stand face to face with mother, wife or sister and tell them how their loved ones died. Amid all the rejoicing, amid the cheers and songs, amid the happy turmoii of handshakes and caresses, they know there will be those who listen in vain for the “sound of a voice that 's still,” who wait in vain for “the touch of a vanished hand.” In the brief chronicle of events which follows, tracing the Washington regiment through its various inactive and active service from its organization to the date of its muster out, only the main facts are given, leaving for the historian of the future the grand work of telling the story. The First Washington was organized for participation In the war with Spain, such a thing as a war with Aguinaldo and his savage and half-civilized forces being only a remote possibility. On April 22, 1898, the proclamation of President McKinley blockad ing the Cuban ports and thus virtually declaring war against Spain was announced, quickly followed by a call upon the various states for their quota of troops, issued by Secretary of War Alger on April 22. Before the official call had been issued the men of the state of Washington, with th enthusiasm, had anticipated it, and an independent company had been organized on the morning of April 23 by Jack Crawford, Frank Byre and A. C. Graff, of this city. The official call, however, distinctly expressed a preference for members of the National Guard, owing to the fact that the troops would be needed for immoerate service and the Guards were both equipped and drilled. Acting upon this expressed preference Gov. Rogers offered to Companies A, B, C, D and F. Flest infantry battalion: A, B, C, D and H. Second infantry battalion: Trop A, cavalry, and Battery A, light artillery, the opportunity of enlistment, which was greedily accepted of thee companies. B, Capt. Fortson, and D, Capt. Adams, were the first announced ready for the front, Capt. Fortson telegraphing Gov. Rogers on April 25, 189%: “I have never seen such earnestness manifested. It would be easier to raise 500 men to go than it will be to keep them at home Secretary of War Alger, on April 26, 149%, appointed Fleet Lieut. James H. Whalley, Jr S. A., to muster in the Washington volunteers, and on the same day, having heard from the companies in the National Guard of the state, Gov. Rogera telegraphed the war department ir free regiment is ready. How many more troops do you want?” The governor was deluged with letters, telegrams, petitions and personal appeals , village, town and city in the state offering troops and entreat ing him to give “the boys of our town a chance.” LE 27, 1885, Adjt. Gen Corbin dashed the hopes of all who wanted to go to the front, except the guardsmen, by confirming the car issued by Secretary Alger, and, in addition, ordered the organization of companies as follows: One captain, one first and one second lieutenant for each 98 privates. He also said that the allotment of troops to the various states would not be increased. The same day Lient. Whalley was ordered to Olympia to act In conjunction with State Adit Gen. Canton in mobilizing the troops. Then followed a rapid succession of events looking toward hurrying the regiment to the front, its destination presumably being Cuba or Porto Rico. Lieut. Whalley was appointed colonel, and at once ordered all the companies into camp at Tacoma. The governor officially turned over to the volunteers $40,000 worth of equipments belonging fin Ar Col. William J. Fife. Major J. J. Weisenberger.
Newspaper Details
Seattle Post Intelligencer
Seattle, Washington, US
Sun, Nov 05, 1899
Page 31
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