JFK+50: Volume 7, No. 2308
STATE FENCIBLES OF PHILADELPHIA ENROLLED IN TR'S ARMY
New York City (JFK+50) One hundred years ago today, May 13, 1917, Captain William E. Dame, recruiting officer for former President Theodore Roosevelt's tentative army, announced the enrollment of the State Fencibles of Philadelphia*. Colonel Thomas S. Lanard** offered his entire command of 1200 to TR.
Captain Dame also announced that 11,000 men had enrolled by mail over the previous four days and while although a full regiment of 1800 from Oregon had offered its services, TR had said that he would accept no state units but intended to nationalize every unit under his command.
*Old Guard State Fencibles (1813-1981) was a military organization raised in Philadelphia as a part of the Pennsylvania Militia & continued as a unit in the National Guard until 1900.
**Thomas South Lanard enlisted in Co. D of the OGSF in 1905 & was commissioned a 1st Lt. In 1906, TSL was commissioned as a Captain & Adjutant, a Major in 1913 & Colonel in 1917.
SOURCES
"Manuscript, Group 379," State Fencibles Collection, www.phnc.state.pa.us/
"OLD PENN GUARDS YEARN TO FIGHT FOR ROOSEVELT," The Chicago Daily Tribune, May 14, 1917.
"Spectemour Agendo: A History of the State Fencibles 1913-1919," by Thomas South Lanard, I.F. Huntzinger Company, Camden, N.J., 1920.
Colonel Theodore Roosevelt
Photo by B. J. Falk, 1898
Library of Congress Image
STATE FENCIBLES OF PHILADELPHIA ENROLLED IN TR'S ARMY
New York City (JFK+50) One hundred years ago today, May 13, 1917, Captain William E. Dame, recruiting officer for former President Theodore Roosevelt's tentative army, announced the enrollment of the State Fencibles of Philadelphia*. Colonel Thomas S. Lanard** offered his entire command of 1200 to TR.
Captain Dame also announced that 11,000 men had enrolled by mail over the previous four days and while although a full regiment of 1800 from Oregon had offered its services, TR had said that he would accept no state units but intended to nationalize every unit under his command.
*Old Guard State Fencibles (1813-1981) was a military organization raised in Philadelphia as a part of the Pennsylvania Militia & continued as a unit in the National Guard until 1900.
**Thomas South Lanard enlisted in Co. D of the OGSF in 1905 & was commissioned a 1st Lt. In 1906, TSL was commissioned as a Captain & Adjutant, a Major in 1913 & Colonel in 1917.
SOURCES
"Manuscript, Group 379," State Fencibles Collection, www.phnc.state.pa.us/
"OLD PENN GUARDS YEARN TO FIGHT FOR ROOSEVELT," The Chicago Daily Tribune, May 14, 1917.
"Spectemour Agendo: A History of the State Fencibles 1913-1919," by Thomas South Lanard, I.F. Huntzinger Company, Camden, N.J., 1920.
Colonel Theodore Roosevelt
Photo by B. J. Falk, 1898
Library of Congress Image
