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| Hollins Hall was unsuited to the purposes of this growing military organization, and then came another struggle for an armory. For days and weeks the officers investigated public halls in convenient sections of the city and finally it was decided to buy the old West End Skating Rink, Southwest corner of Car-rollton avenue and Mulberry street, and the battalion went there May 1st, 1886, giving its first public drill and parade on May 6th, 1886, under the command of Colonel Barry. In August of that year the battalion went to its first camp, held at Tolchester. The battalion accompanied the Maryland troops to Philadelphia, in the Fall of 1886, to participate in the celebration in honor of the adoption of the Constitution of the United States. This was its first appearance in public with the brigade, and the comment the new soldiers won was encouraging. In July, 1889, Colonel Barry resigned. Captain Brent Waters, of Company C, assumed command of the battalion and later was elected lieutenant-colonel, but declined, and resigned his commission in the guard. Captain George F. Haupt, of Company B, then assumed command. In May, 1890, Willard Howard, a major in the First Regiment Infantry, M. N. G., was appointed lieutenant-colonel, and a month later the organization was designated in general orders as the Fourth Battalion of Infantry, Maryland National Guard, and mustered into the service of the State in July, 1893, as a part of the Fourth Regiment of Infantry. In 1895, the Newton Academy Building, Baltimore street, near Carrollton avenue, was secured for an armory. These were better than the former quarters, but the building was not large enough to shelter the entire command—there was a serious lack of drill space and suitable company rooms. In 1897, through the aid of the State and City, the Old Western High School Building, Fayette Street near Paca, was converted into an armory, and for the first time in its history, the Fourth Regiment was under one roof and, although these quarters were contracted, the Regiment was in a better position to grow and do effective work. Prior to this time the regimental headquarters had to be maintained on Liberty Street, near the Hotel Rennert, while one battalion was housed at Broadway Market Hall. The first actual service in which the Fourth Regiment participated was the Frostburg strike, in the summer 1894. Three hours after the order was received from Brigade Headquarters, quartermaster stores had been issued, commissary supplies furnished and over ninety per cent, of the regiment was ready to move, and when the order came to proceed to Camden Station, 92 4/5 per cent, of the strength of the command had reported for duty. The work the regiment did at Prostburg was heralded over the country in press dispatches and soon gained for I'afi, Snvnlern |