The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-05-21
PREPARING FOR THE CAMP.
The Regiment Nay Take 200 Men
This Year.

| Only Half the State Troops to Take
Part, But They viii Have Ten Days
Instead of a Cavalrymen Will
Have Their Horses Along This Time.
The Camp Grounds Being Improved.
a Suggestion About Changing the
Hour for Guard Mount.
Although the encampment of 1893 does
not begin until July 6, Savannah's mill
tary men are already talking about it and
making preparations for the event. The
commanders of the different companies
of the regiment are calling attention to
the encampment in the summonses and
urging upon their commands the neces-
sity of having a large representation at
Camp Northen.
Only half of the states military force
viii go to the camp this year on account
Of the reduced appropriation, the legisla-
turc having made a cut of $1,000 at its
last session. At one time it looked as if
no Appropriation whatever would be
made and that the soldiers would
have to do without an en-
campment, but the strong and
persistent fight of the military advocates
in the House who threatened to retaliate
by stopping all legislation, brought a suf-
fCient number of the opposition over to a
compromise of $4,000.
TEN DAYS SERVICE THIS TIME.
Thirty-five companies will 20 to camp,
but instead of only week the soldiers
this year will get ten days of training and
discipline, and IS cents per diem instead
of 80 cents as in the previous encamp-
ments.
Last year and the year before the ap-
preparation was so small that the ad-
ditional expense for the requirements of
the camp and the comfortable quartering
of the men had to be met by the in
dividual companies. These facts were
the reasons which prompted the advisory
board to allow only half the troops in this
year.
The Guards will not go, but Savannah
will be represented by the regiment, Ar
,tillery and Hussars. The regiment will
leave Savannah on the night of July 5
and open camp next day at noon. The
roster Of the troops that are to take part
are the First regiment Of Savannah, six
companies, Col. Mercer commanding; the
Third regiment, in North Georgia, with
ten companies, Col. Jones commanding;
the First battalion of Augusta, seven
companies, Col. Levy commanding; the
Fifth regiment of cavalry, ten companies,
from counties in the southeastern part of
the state, Col w. W. Gordon command
ing; the Chatham Artillery and the At
lanta Artillery.
CAVALRY TO TAKE HORSES.
An advantage to the cavalry troops is
that they will go into camp as cavalry
this year instead of as infantry, which
has been the case heretofore. This gives
the troopers the advantage of being able
to go through with their regular drill in
the saddle and with other equipments.
Under the order of things the troops
really had only five told days in camp,
two being spent in making arrangements
to go into camp and getting ready to leave.
The best training the troops get is in
camp, where they are under regular dis
cipline during the entire time, and learn
just what is to be expected and demanded
of them when called into service, Carry
ing out the idea Of making the encamp-
ment a thorough training school, the
board deemed it best in consideration of
the small appropriation to order only one
half the troops into camp this year, and
to give them ten days. of service. out of
which they will have about nine of actual
duty.
WHOLE COMPANY CAN GO.
No limit viii be put on the number of
men to be sent by each company, and it is
expected that the hVe companies OF the
regiment will carry forty each, or 200 men
all told. The work of improving the
grounds is now under way, and the
soldiers will find Camp Northen in
much better shape this year than
last. Sentry boxes will be constructed
on the outpost to protect the sentinels
during the heat of the day. There is no
shade whatever in that portion of the
field, and the danger of sunstrolze is too
great to risk having the sentinels doing
duty there without some sort of protec-
ton.
1t has been suggested that a change of
the hour of guard mount from morning to
evening would be preferable to all con-
cerned The guard mount is the prettiest
ceremony connected with the camp, and
if it took place at sunset instead of at 10
o'clock in the morning spectators would
have an opportunity of seeing and appre-
ciating the most attractive feature of
mill fpaav .anT1a