Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-03
THE MILITARY OUT.
The EighteenIh Regiment Assembled and
Dispersed-The Wa ashington Infantry
and Battery b Gone-Scenes
Before the Deparfure.

Before the Departure.
Nearly 500 enlisted men and officers of the
| Eighteenth Regiment assembled on Wood
street about 4:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon in
full uniform, with haversacks, blankets. and
two days cooked provisions in their haver-
sacks. They made a fine soldierly display.
They were ready to sacrifice their time and 60
to Johnstown without pay or rations for the
benefit of suffering humanity. But they
didn't go.
The cause was simple, but enough.
The committee of seven of the Chamber of
Commerce having charge of the relief meas
ures had been all day urging Lieutenant Col
onel Rutledge to take the regiment to the
scene of the disaster. Colonel Norman NJ.
Smith was himself in Johnstown, as was Adju-
tant General Hastings. Every effort was
made to reach General Hastings by wire. but no
answer could be received from him, while mes
sages continued to pour in from Johnstown,
asking that the military be sent to control the
mob of thieves and desecrators, which threat
ened to carry all before them:
Finally, about o'clock Lieutenant Colonel
Frank j. Rutledge took the responsibility of
ordering out the regiment. The members had
been expecting such an order, and within one
hour and half nearly 500 had gathered on
Wood street, fully equipped.
Doctors, Nor Guns, Wanted.
Then it was found their services could not be
from Adjutant General Hastings asking that
six physicians be sent up at once, with medi-
cines, and stating that food supplies were arriv-
ing it liberal quantities. and that the outlook
was good He said nothing at all about the
military coming.
from Assistant Superintendent Trump, of the
Pennsylvania railroad, as follows:
To the Chamber Of Commerce:
II have been informed that train No 10 Ieav.
ing Pittsburg. will carry the Eighteenth Regi-
ment, destined for Johnstown. As Adjutant
General Hastings has issued no orders for the
military to come here, and as no one else has
authority to issue such orders, have directed
that train No. 10, If it carries the Eighteenth
Regiment be backed down TO Pittsburg"
After this was received there was a long con.
sultation between the Committee Of Seven and
the field officers of the Eighteenth Regiment.
Colonel McKibDen. of the Governors staff,
was also present in full uniform, ready to CO.
and was present at the conference as were ex-
Adjutant General P. n. Guthrie and General
As L. Pearson. After trying for some time un-
nIcation with Adiutant General Hastings, it
was decided to dismiss the regiment. which
was accordingly done, and the men returned to
their homes
Lieutenant Colonel Rutledge did not order
out the regiment without advice. General
Pearson, Colonel McKibben and General
Guthrie recommended him to do it. and the
order was issued.
Shortly after o'clock Mr.. n. c. Frick asked
if it was possible to get out 200 men of the reg
iment by 4:3O o'clock. He was told that 800
men could be obtained. Mr.. Frick was doubt
full about it, but not far from 500 men answered
the short summons while one company of the
regiment, located at MeKeesport had so men
assembled in the armory ready to march.
They Wanted Documents.
There was considerable doubt, nevertheless
on the part of the officers of the Regiment as
to the authority to go out without Official or
ders. Mr.. W. E. Schmertz, President of the
Chamber of Commerce, insisted that the
Chamber would assume all liability and that
Governor Beaver would scarcely endeavor to
antagonize an organization which represented
SO much of the wealth and business industry
of Pittsburg.
The Fourteenth Regiment was exceedingly
anxious to go to JohnStown, and the officers
rendered their services of the command to the
Committee of Seven, in case an order could be
obtained from AdJutant General Hastings but
without such order the regiment would not CO.
A considerable force of militia did go, how
ever The Washington Infantry which is an
independent organization, and therefore not
Johnstown at O'Clock, over the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad. There were about 65 men, un-
der command of Captain Shannon.
Captain L. t. Brown, who is lieutenant of
Battery b, took up 20 men of that organization
over the PENNSYLVANIA Railroad at 10 O'clock in
the morning. The rest Of the members of the
battery. under command of Senior First Lieu
tenant George Sheppard, assembled at Union
depot in the afternoon, and remained until S:45
last evening, when they started for Johnstown
on the special train conveying provisions for
the sufferers. There were about 40 men under
Lieutenant Sheppard's command. No guns
were taken along, the men only wearing their
Sabers,