The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-16
Large Portion Of the Men Still
Without Uniforms.
MEN HEALTHY AND MERRY.
Drilling by Companies Not Yet
Begun.

Griffin, Ga. May 15.-Sunday has been
quiet in the military camp of the Georgia
volunteers.
Excepting guard mount, this morning
and the occasional glimps of a corporal
guard as it marched to its work, there
was absolutely nothing in the way of mil
hary maneuvers to interest the half thous-
and visitors who flocked here to see the
Georgia boys, who may soon be called
upon to give their lives for their country.
The camp presents only a semi military
aspect just now. This is due largely to
the absence of uniforms on most of the
men, and the presence of so many raw
recruits in the regiments and batteries.
The new recruits are rapidly becoming
accustomed to military duties however,
and it will not be long before they are
well drilled.
The mastering in of the Chatham Ar
tiHery this Afternoon completed the muster
of the Savannah troops, and now every
command from Georgia is in active service
of the United States.
The muster in of Capt. Walkers light
battery was impressiveN The men were
lined up double file to the north of their
quarters First the muster rolls were
read and as the name of each man was
called he answered and stepped off.
The artillerymen were then faced about
and the oath of allegiance was read by
Capt Mills, the United States mastering
officer One man, more anxious 4han the
tbor I,o moi a
swer quick enough, answered 81 do" be-
fore Capt Mills had hardly finished read
ing, and then the voice of the battery,
almost as ore man, rang out clearly II
do"
The number of men mustered in for the
Chathams was 12S.
The condition of the camp is good. The
stories that have been told by some men
who deserted from their command and by
few others who are dissatisfied have
been largely magnified. Men who en-
listed with the expectation of having all
the comforts of home are naturally dis
appointed. Camp life is anything but
frolic, and there is very little opportunity
for play Even what little there has been
viii stop now. and the work from now
on will be serious and hard. The men
realize this and are becoming reconciled
to the conditions.
The organization of THE camp was a ire
mendous task. Imagine quartering and
providing for 1900 men, to say nothing of
the organization of the military part of
the camp, and it will be seen what huge
contract the states officers had on their
hands.
For the first day or so after the ar
rival of the soldiers things did not work
in the best of ways. Some of the men
doubtless expected to find a downy couch
in a pretty little tent all to himself, with
nothing to do but walk to a well-kept
mess hall and get Delmonco meal These
are the men who are sending out bad -e-
ports of the camp of the scarcity of food
and of the badness of it at that These
men, 1t is unnecessary TO say, were not
the men who originally composed the vari-
Gus companies. or the men who enlisted
because of motives of patriotism. They
We're principally those recruits who ell
listed because they thought they saw an
opportunity of being cared for without
working
thorough canvass of the enlisted men
ana the privates especially, elected hardly
KICK on the camp conditions. Some of
me men said they we're harder than they
expected, but there was no material dis
satisfaction expressed.
Inc Savannah companies are among the
pest quartered at the camp. The Guards
especially, are well fixed. The battalion is
chartered together on the slope of a hill.
Inc officers tents are in front of the COM
pany tents and to the west of the drill
a ground.
To the south of the Guards battalion
are the companies of Lieut.. Col Brooks
battalion
81 The mess halls are roomy one-story
wooden affairs, Immediately back of the
company tents, and the kitchens are back
OF the mess halls. Each company has two
n COOKS besides table attendants. The fare
IS good but plain, and there is plenty of
1000 Coffee, bread, hard tack, Irish po-
tatoes, meat, bacon, rice and beans are
the principal articles of food. The meat
4 Of H.
The Chathams are quartered in two
srse buildings which were formerly used
Us stables. The partitions have been re-
"A led. and the ground covered thickly
VI with straw.
The company tents are OF different sizes
Ihere are some shelter tents. but not
great many. The majority of the tents
are tents. though there are a few large
round tents capable of accommodating
ABOUT dozen men. Some of the tents
nave board floors, but the majority of
them are covered with straw.
Inc officers are better cared for, of
course. Some OF them have all the home
4 conYenienees in their tents.
The Savannah soldiers to a man look
well. Their compilations are rudy and
Iney appear to be not only contented. but
actually happy
Guard mount was held at o'clock this