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| measured fully up to the demands made upon you but on no occasion nor at anv other time have you so fully mot all requirements as during your recent service in the field. The Commanding Officer, therefore, desires to congratulate you on the rapidity of the assembly, the extraordinary large percentage reporting for duty, your I'ailUful and cheerful performance of all duties assigned you, your soldierly bearing and ready compliance with all orders, your wonderful endurance of exposure and hardships and the establishment of a record in military service, never excelled if ever equalled by any organization in tbe National Guard of the United States. \Vith greater pride than ever before may you point to our motto and exclaim. "Juflicemur Aijendo—Let us lie judged liy our actions.'' F.Y OIIDKK OF COLONKL HOWARD: (Signed) II. 0. J>AJI,I-:V, Ctipltdn anil Ailjii/nnl. In the summer of 1896, the regiment was reorganized and three new companies, E, L and M, formed and mustered into service. This completed its formation as a regiment, and Colonel Willard Howard was appointed commanding officer, with J. Frank Supplee as Lieutenant-Colonel. In the winter of this year the regiment attended the Cotton States Exposition at Atlanta, Ga. In February, 1898, the country was stunned by the startling news which swept over the land, announcing that the U. S. Battleship Maine had been blown up in the harbor of Havana. A splendid crew, men brave and strong, had been covered with the shroud of death as they slept. From every country and every clime came expressions of condolence, but our patriotic people, realizing the woes of conflict, were ready for war with Spain, which was inevitable. The Maryland Legislature was in session at the time, and realizing that the country must soon engage in hostilities, appropriated an emergency war fund of $200,000. It was placed at the disposal of the Governor, with full authority to use it in equipping the Maryland National Guard for the service of the United States when called out by the President. On Friday, April 23rd, Adjutant General L. Allison Wilmer issued an order establishing a camp at Pimlico, and ordering the mobilization of the militia on Monday, April 25th, under Brigadier-General Lawrason Riggs, for purposes of instruction, and for completing its organization, preparatory to service under the Federal Government. The few days preceding the establishment of camp were days of hustle and bustle. Men of the Fourth, filled with talk of war, and enthusiastic to serve the country, left their work and assembled at the armory, and on the memorable afternoon of April 25th, the march to Pimlico was begun. The "Fighting Fourth," Prtffr> tfinfteitn |