Monday, July 2, 1917

Saratoga County’s Company L of the Second New York Infantry regiment may be coming home soon, but they may only be stopping briefly on their way down south.

“Units of the National Guard now in many parts of the state guarding railroads, bridges, reservoirs and other public works will be returned to their home stations for a few days so that members may have time to wind up business affairs and visit their families,” The Saratogian reports today. The Second regiment was mustered into federal service shortly before the U.S. declared war on Germany on April 6. Detachments of Company L have been performing police protective duty in Albany and Schenectady counties, including at the Watervliet Arsenal.

Troops “will be allowed to transact all business affairs before they are completely divorced from civil life,” a reporter writes. Local soldiers are expected to travel to Macon GA for regular army training this summer.

“Regimental gossip is to the effect that National Guard troops will be sent directly from their home stations to the southern training camps without being mobilized as a division at Camp Whitman as was first proposed,” the report continues, “Under this arrangement it is likely that L company of this city will be brought back to the local armory for a few days.”

The exact date when the troops will return home is yet to be determined.