The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-20

WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept 19.-The
War Department is completing arranre-
merts for the transfer of the Fifth Artil-
lery Regiment from the Presidio to
Florida. Orders will soon be forwarded
to the Department of California head
quarters. 1t is expected that the transfer
viii not be made earlier than December.
Colonel Shafter, snding the De-
partment of California, and General
Graham, the regimental commander of
the Fifth Artillery, have been officially
advised of the order transferring this regi-
ment to the Department OF the East.
Following is copy of the official order
received yesterday:
WASHINGTON, D. C., Sept. IS, 1896.
Commanding General, Department of Cdlifor-
mia, San Francisco: Orders about to issue to
transfer the Fifth Artillery to Department of
the East, except one light battery. to be Sc
lected by the regimental commander which
goes to Fort Sam Houston, Tex The other
light battery is TO take station at Washington
Barracks. The horses, guns ana battery
equipments VIII be left behind 10 be taken
by the exchanging batteries of the Third Ar
tillery. General Otis advised as to battery at
Candy. Make preparation for change accord
ingly. By command,
MAJoR-GENERAL MILES.
SAMUEL BRECK, Acting Adjutant-General.
1t is surmised here in military circles
that powerful influences were invoked in
New York and Boston to save the First
Artillery, now in New York harbor, from
Iour of duty in the South. Under fair
detail the First. which has escaped South
ern duty for twenty-one years, should be
sent to garrison the forts in Florida
but three years of duty in that region
since the war, while the Fifth has had
one turn of duty from 1865 10 1857 and a
second from 1875 to 1881.
1t is known in San Francisco that the
Secretary of War was reluctant to incur
the expens" of moving two regiments
across the continent. When he figures the
slight cost of exchanging the First and
Third, as compared with the enormous
expense of exchanging the Third and
Fifth, he will see how the public money
may be squandered to crafty favorites in
New York and Washington society.
1t is highly probable that United States
Senators White and Perkins may be in
duced, in behalf of justice and fair deal
ing to submit some facts to the Secretary
of War which may have escaped his
observation. Commissioned officers of the
Fifth Artillery can stand the pecuniarv
hardships of the transfer. If they have
not the ready money to move their fami-
lies they can borrow it, but it is said that
the musicians, non-commissioned officers
and enlisted men who have families de-
pendent upon them must endure a general
home breaking up to meet the wishes of
court favorites in the East.
General Graham was seen yesterday at
Presidio headquarters and asked if he had
made the assignment of one of his Ii hit
batteries to Fort Sam Houston (San An
tonio), Texas, as the official order of trans
fer authorized.
He said that he had not yet decided on
that detail.
A suggestion was made that General
Graham, having only two years more to
serve before attaining the age of retire
ment, might ask to be retired rather than
go to Florida again. Replying to this
suggestion, he said:
81 have served in the army forty-one
years and have never yet allowed con-
siderations of individual convenience
to influence me in the performance
of duty. I shall not change nv
course now. The idea of retirement has
not entered my mind. Yes, L understand
that regimental headquarters will be at St.
Augustine. Lieutenant Colonel Sinclair
may prefer to accept the post at Fort Jack
son, near New Orleans. One major will
probably be at regimental headquarters.
The other two will be assigned to duty
elsewhere in the territory to be garri-
soned. served in the Everglades of
Florida in 1855. was there again with
the First Artillery, when the Fifth re-
heved us st. Augustine is a pleasant
place to one who is inclined to lead an
idle or inactive life."
General Graham fancies that the Fifth
will not leave here before December.