Show NEWBAITERY YET I Timbers of Old ABid Each Other I J Farewell I i 1NOTES NOTES FROM GOVERNOR HE ASSURES THE MEN OF HIS CONFIDENCE Says the Disbanding Was For the Benefit of the Organization and HIp RpTOnr > Men Will Turn In n Their EquipmentRichard W YoUng Talked of As Commander Lof a New Battery He Talks On the Matter Feelings of the Men Expressed Nothing has been done In the matter of a reorganization of battery A of the national guard and from Indications it ddcs not seem that anything will bed be-d e for some time to say the least Thfe members of the organization met at the armory last evening and prob aljlyfor the last time There is but little hope among them for recognition andall will turn in their equipments andretire to private life as before 1tzIll be remembered that on Friday evening the officer s and enlisted men sent in e protest to the governor asking ask-ing him to rescind the order or so much thereof as related to battery A XheJTorald predicted that it would not be granted and the prediction was ver iiied last evening In their protest the men set up that the action of the executive exec-utive iakcnr as it was in the face of a declaration of war vuuld mean a great deal to them that it would affect af-fect their dally lives in this that they would be held up to public ridicule I that there was no way suggested for evasion of the jibes and jeers which S would be bestowed upon them by those who could not or would not understand under-stand the situation Thia protest vas signed by the major commanding the battalion the battery officers and the enlisted men present with one or two exceptions At the meeting of the battery or rather the men formerly composing the battery last evening the reply of the commandcrinchlef was read as follows fol-lows GOVERNORS REPLY To Major George W GIbbs First Artillery Ar-tillery and the Officers and Enlisted Men of Battery A First Artillery I am directed by Governor Heber M Wells commanderInchief national guard of Utah to acknowledge receipt of your communication of April 8 protesting pro-testing against the decision reached in general orders No5 with reference to the battalion of light artillery and particularly par-ticularly with reference to battery A The commanderInchief desires to assure as-sure you one and all that there has not been and is not the slightest desire to cast reproach upon your patriotism patriot-Ism to place a stigma upon your good names or to offer a lasting disgrace dis-grace to you as citizens and as soldiers sol-diers On the contrary he has the most unquestioned faith in your loyalty and courage but it was not a question of patriotism It was a question of efficiency ef-ficiency as that term Is understood by military men and with the kindliest of feelings and the best of motives he felt compelled to take the unpleasant course that the order Indicates Of course you will see that it will be impossible im-possible to rescind that order but members mem-bers of the organization now disbanded may confidently feel that with the full realization of the difficulties and discouragements dis-couragements they have had to endure the services of those who have been energetic and active are thoroughly appreciated ap-preciated There is no accusation of insubordination in-subordination no Impeachment of patriotism ¼ pa-triotism but the best Interests of the service and of the organization Itself required in his judgment the action I which has been taken I may add that it is the hope and expectation ex-pectation of the commanderinchief that within a short time the battery shall be reorganized It would not he wise to rush heedlessly or even impulsively impul-sively into such a course but there is no reason to doubt that whenever the proper time comes for its reorganization reorganiza-tion the deserving and desirable men I of the former battery A vho may wish to continue their service will be gladly welcomed to membership Trusting that you will feel to take a calm and just view of the exigency which has arisen and give your superior su-perior officers credit for patriotism I equal to jour own I am very respectfully respect-fully JOHN Q CANNON Adjutant General The reading of this letter was greeted greet-ed with no demonstrations at all Following Fol-lowing the same Major GIbbs advised a conservative course on the part of j I the men saying he believed this would be the best Lieutenant Hensel followed follow-ed in the same strain Lieutenant Jackson I Jack-son declared he had no advice to offer having decided on a programme of his i own which he would adhere to Lieutenant Lieu-tenant Jackson took occasion to allude to the fact that the men had been together to-gether for a lone time and he had hoped that when trouble came they would be found doing their duty He wished to say before retiring that he thanked the members of the battery for the honors conferred upon him and to assure them one and all of his appreciation ap-preciation and friendship He then bade them an official farewell stating that while bowing to the will of the hijller authority at the same time he I could not help expressing his deep regret re-gret lor what had happened Lieutenant Ford had nothing trt add declaring there was nothing he could Bay to better conditions Captain Palmer was not present REORGANIZATION There are all sorts > of rumors prevailing prevail-ing concerning the reorganization of the battery One was to the effect that Richard W Young would be se lactdas the head of a sixgun battery ttx DO mace up irma me u sucn Dattery and this one Mr Young was seen yesterday yes-terday and said he did not know what would happen In the event cf war be ould consider it his duty to offer his1 services to the government The Capacity would be determined by the government He presumed however that many in similar positions would gointo the service from the states in which they lived He declared that In time of peace he had no desire to serve In the militia but when war was de clafod It would be his duty to volunteer volun-teer Governor Wells stated yesterday that when the batten was reorganized every acceptable officer and man would be given a chance to vindicate himself The exact mpanlnz of this is not apparent ap-parent to the members of the battery but a determination seems to exist after af-ter a careful deliberation to await the I results The feeling which exists over the action ac-tion of the governor is but natural In the face of a declaration of war the organization is mustered out of the service ser-vice The order was unexpected and comes like a shock to the men whoA who-A stood ready to respond to the very j first call made To one who is In anywise any-wise sensitive the motive of the commander com-mander in chief has but little effect It is not the motive but the result which causes the regret One of the enlisted men said yesterday I have a wife and three little children who depend on me for support and have been preparing pre-paring for war for several weeks I have saved and economized to get enough together to keep them while I was awaY and now to be told that I am not wanted almost breaks my heart My wIfe cried all Might last night over the matter and refused to be comforted oN one In the battery questions the motives of the commander in chief It Is believed that he thought he acted for the very best Nor is It deemed advisable ad-visable at this time to enter Into any discussion on the causes which led up to the order disbanding the battery Perhaps some time In the future an opportunity op-portunity may present itself But this fact may be stated not as I new but as a reaffirmation of news that if trouble begins ont one man in Battery A speaking for the rank and file and nearly all the officers will shirk from any responsibility Its a case where the honor of the nation Is more to theth than their own Governor Gover-nor Wells makes no mistake when he places confidence in the loyalty of the men who have ceased to serve the state They may not be as successful moneymakers as some but when it comes to getting the guns cm the firing line they are as willing as anxious to gt > as any and would stay there as long I as desired by those in the supreme command If Battery A is reorganized and the good timber which has been piustfircd out is again mustered In Utah will have no criticism to make in the event trouble comes To speak of the sentiment which prevails pre-vails on the street and reflect it as given to officers and men would be to cause more heartburnings of which there has been enough Let the men who have been mustered out bear the trouble In silence Governor Wells Is regarded as an honorable man a just gentleman and time will right all wrongs if any and the cloud will no doubt be lifted I |