The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-17
Probably 100000 Men Now at the Va
rious Camps to he Sent Home
Within Thirty Days.
NO FURTHER NEED OF MINES
ALL SUBMARINE DEFENSEs To an
REMOVED WITHOUT DELAY.
Many Auxiliary Vessels OF the Navy
to BE Retained-The Big Fleet of
Golfers to Be Utilized.

WASHINGTON. Aug. 16.-The military
force OF the United States will soon be re-
duced. The mastering out of the volunteer
army raised in defense of the Union against
the armies of Spain practically began at
the War Department to-day and will be
continued until the army has been placed
on basis consistent with our present rela-
tions to the nations of the earth. Orders
were prepared to-day for the mastering out
of about 35 900 volunteers, including nearly
twenty-five regiments of infantry and about
eight troops of cavalry and five or six bat
teries Of artillery. The details of the order
bearing on this subject have not yet been
fully perfected, ard the officials confine
themselves to general statements in regard
thereto. 1t was admitted that the First
Regiment of Vermont Volunteers, attached
to the Third Army Corps encamped at
Chickamauga, Ga, had been ordered to pro-
ceed to Fort Ethan Allen, VT. That post is
the nearest one to the homes of the mem~
bers of the regiment and was selected with
view to their mastering out soon after
they arrive there.
Adjutant General Corbin said that a SIM
liar course would be followed in the case
of the other volunteer regiments selected for
mastering out. They would, he said. be Or
dered to their state capitals as soon as II
could be done without danger to the inter-
ests of the government and mustered out
of the military service as rapidly as possi-
BILE. In response to a direct inquiry on the
subject General Corbn said that this course
would be followed in the case of the First
Regiment District Of Columbia Volunteer
Infantry. According to the present plans
this regiment, which is now about to en-
bark at Santiago, will be detained in the
camp at Montauk l.. L., just long enough to
enable them to get complete new outfit of
clothing and to recuperate from the fatigues
of the hard campaign near Santiago IT Is
therefore probable that after the District
soldiers have been at Montauk Point few
weeks they will be ordered to Washington
and remain in service here until they are
regularly mustered out.
Unless there is a decided change in the
present plans of the War Department about
100000 volunteers will be mustered out
within the next thirty days. A formal an
nouncement of the plans of the department
on this subject is being deferred pending
receipt of certain information from Major
General Merritt, commanding the military
forces in the Philippines. Advices are hour
ly expected from him as to his wishes in the
matter. There is large number OF volun-
teers in the Philippines, and 1t is possible
that it may be deemed advisable to bring
them home, and if necessary, to replace
them with regulars.
The proposed reduction of the army to the
extent of 100000 men will still leave a mill
tary force of about 116, 900 men, regulars and
volunteers available for all military pur-
poses 1t is believed to be the purpose OF
the administration to maintain an army Of
at least 100000 men until all the pending
complications with Spain are finally dis
posed Of
Reports of better conditions in the vari-
Gus camps are being received, and espe-
cially do hattering reports come from Mon
tauk Point showing that the soldiers are
being well cared for there. Preparations
have been going forward for the movement
of the troops from the camps which were
originally established in order to scatter
them about the country.
The first report concerning yellow fever
among the United States troops in this
country came from Key West to-day. Sur
geon General Sternberg believes that 1t can
be kept under control. Surgeon Borden. at
Key West, reported: Three cases OF yell
low fever and three suspected cases, OFF,
cially reported at Marinet, are at the bar
racks here. Have fifty men here, mainly
from the Fifth Corps, and thirty-one con-
valescents able to travel"