The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-26
DISCHARGES HARD TO GET.
Soldiers VIII Have to stay in Until
Mustered out.

mustered ont
Getting discharges from the army does
not seem TO be quite so easy as it was
three or four weeks ago, when so many
men were released through influences
brought to bear at Washington. II then
seemed, judging by the number of dis
charges that were made, that to secure
them was not much of a task; that all
that was needed was a little of the right
sort Of influence. Prominent politicians
were at work on the applications of young
friends Ia the army influenced In their
cause either by the soldiers themselves or
through an appeal from others interested
in their being turned out from the service
of the government.
Mr.. william r. Leaken, who is now In
Washington, finds it is not possible to Sc
cure any more discharges from the army.
He wrote a friend here, in behalf Of whose
son he had interested himself, saying that
he had tried to get his discharge, but that
he could not accomplish anything. He
stated in his letter that the Acting Secre-
tary of War had informed him that no
more discharges will be granted at the
present time, unless they come through
the proper military channels. This means
that a man cannot get a discharge unless
his application, addressed to the war de-
partment, passes through the hands OF
his captain. his battalion commander and
his colonel, receiving their Endorsement
and approval This further means that
nobody else can get out IL the intention
made known to Mr.. Leaken is adhered to,
as the officers will not indorse the appli-
cations, except for the best of reasons.
The reluctance of the department to
grant discharges to members of the First
and Second Georgia Regiments is especial
ly marked. Mr.. Leaken was told that, in
view of the determination of the depart
ment to soon muster out those commands,
it had been decided to let any others
who are DESTROYS of getting out of tho
army wait until the regiments are mus
tered out.
Mr.. Leaken went to Washington with
many requests that he use his influence
in behalf of men in the First and Second
Regiments. The information of his hav-
ing been unable to secure the discharge
of the son of the gentleman referred to
will be received with regret Dy some tWen-
ty others, as he had been asked to try
to get about that many men out Of their
respective commands.
1t is probable that there will not be very
many soldiers for the Savannah Volunteer
Guards to entertain when the First bat
talon of the Second Georgia gets here
from Atlanta. Mr.. Shelby Myrick has
just returned from that city, where he
saw the Savannah boys and had talks
with them about their return.
Mr.. Myrick said the men who live be-
tween here and Atlanta and are members
- l. IN. L.
way down. There are a great many such,
From over about Cordele, Rochelle and
Abbeville many men are enlisted in the bat
talon, while many more come from the
line of the Central between here and Mil
len. 1t is very unlikely these men win
come down to Savannah if they are given
furloughs of thirty days while in Atlanta,
as the plan seems TO be. Unless they are
given the furloughs after they get here,
there seems to be no way by which they
can be kept together. Mr. Myrick said
buy few, If any, of the country members
will come on to Savannah.
The withdrawal OF most of those who dc
not live at Savannah from the ranks OF
the four companies win greatly thin them
If there is a parade, the companies will
not show up nearly so well as they have
everywhere else they have been This Is tC
be regretted, as report has it that the men
have received fine military training and
that they are well up in drills and evolu-
lions. Both officers and men would like
for the people of Savannah to see the
change that has been worked in the CON-
panies that left here last May looking sc
altogether unmilitary. il seemed then thai
breaking in that crowd of recruits would
be no small job and ii was not, but it has
been we'll done, and the evidence of thai
fact would be OF interest to Savannahians
An estimate of the number of Savannah
boys in the battalion would be hard t
give. Including the members of the Guards
and those of the recruits who lived in Sa.
vannah at the time they volunteered, there
are now about IT'S men from Savannah.
All these VIII probably come back or
their furloughs, and it is not unlikely tina
some fifty more of the members from thu
| country near Savannah will also come
here with the companies. This will make
by rough estimate, 90 TO be entertained
by the Guards.
Mr.. Myrick saw the reception the boys
received when they reached Atlanta.
was a revelation TO them, and a new fea
| ture of their soldering. At no other pac,
| had they run up against anything ap
| preaching it. The men were immensely
pleased An of them were looking well
Mr.. Myrlck said, and they did not seen
! greatly to regret the prospect of a stay il
/ Atlanta. They are using the buildings il
the Piedmont exposition grounds as steep
| ing quarters.
! Coming down on the train from Atlanta
! Mr.. Myrick was with Lieut.. A. A. Law
/ renee Of Savannah, who is in the Thr,
| Georgia. Lieut.. Lawrence told Mr.. Myricl
| that he had rendered his resignation to tn,
war department, and that he would b.
! back in Savannah, Oct /.
!