The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-09
MATTHEWS AS a SOLDIER
EX-GOVERNOR MAY RAISE REGI-
MENT IN EVENT OF WAR.
Col. Durbin Tells Governor What
Troops VIII Be Ordered Out
Offers of designations.

In the event war is declared with Spain
and more than one regiment is called from
indiana, it is probable that Ex-Governor
Claude Matthews will command one of the
first Indiana regiments. He has been in con-
sultation with Governor Mount recently
and has taken a keen interest in all the
steps which have led up to the present criti-
cal situation When the situation became so
uark that it seemed that war was inevi-
'dpie ne made an application to Governor
mount Tor permission 10 raise q regiment
thursday he had another talk with the
Governor and when he returned to his own
once he had been promised a commission
both Governor Mount and Ex-Governor
Matthews are out of the city. Mr.. Matthews
went to his VermillIon county home yester-
day afternoon and Governor Mount went to
Greencastle, where he presided last night
at the joint debate between representatives
or De Paw University and Earlham Col
lege. Mr.. Matthews has talked about his in
tentions TO his friends and has already had
number of applications from men who
would like to serve with this popular Off
cial
There may be a question as to whether
any strictly volunteer regiment can come
III ahead of the National Guard in the first
call for troops. It is understood that the
government will call for only seventy-fivo
thousand men at first. 1t will assign TWEEN
tS-five thousand regular troops to the serv-
Ice, making an army of one hundred thou
sand. Under the apportionment TO States,
indiana will probably have only one regi-
ment of infantry and one battery to raise.
1t IS as good as settled that Battery A, of
this city, will have the honor of represent
Ing Indiana. Captain Curtis yesterday re-
ceived a letter from Representative Over
street, which he laid before Governor
Mount and which seemed 10 please both.
1t was not made public, but probably con-
tanned information regarding the new guns
which Battery A has been trying to get
The guns it now has are mere toys in mod
ern warfare. Governor Mount has asked the
War Department to furnish some modern
field pieces and some favorable action on
the application is believed to have been
taken. 1t is expected that the battery will
be assigned to coast defense work and will
be furnished with guns at the point it is
assigned to defend.
How the regiment shall be raised is not
Settled. 1t would be no trouble to raise
several regiments from the membership OF
the Indiana National Guard, taking only
such men as are ready and anxious to go
to the front 1t is argued by these men
that they. ought to be given precedence over
any regiment organized from men not
identified with the militia. The militiamen
will be greatly disappointed if they are not
called upon first. In fact. they are expecting
to be called early next week to go into
camp somewhere near Indianapolis and be-
gin training for active work at the front.
A MESSAGE FROM DURBIN.
Col. w. It, Durbin, a member of the Gov
ernor's military staff, is now in Washing
ton as the agent of Governor Mount MAX
ing an effort to secure better equipment for
the batteries of the Indiana National
Guard He has met with encouragement,
as his reports show. Yesterday he wired
the Governor as follows:
First call, if made, will be for one regi-
ment and one battery of the National Guard
from Indiana. 1t is preferred that these
assignments be designated by yourself.
They will be equipped with the best guns
at the command of the government. The
rendezvous will probably be Washington.
The enlistment of National Guards into the
United States service will be voluntary, not
compulsory. The conservative classes here
are still hopeful that the Queen Regent win
take matters in her own hands and thus
avoid war;
Office and in the adjutant generals depart
ment that, in case the Indiana batteries
are called into service. they viii be placed
places, and that there will not be any me-
cessity for field pieces of the. kind ordi-
nariiy supplied to the National Guard.
WANT TO BE RELEASED.
LAS the war cloud thickens, the patriots
thin OUT said Colonel Wilson, the Gov
ernor's private secretary, yesterday after
noon. He had just finished reading num-
Der of letters (the first batch to reach the
Governor) from members of the Indiana
National Guard. who want to be discharged.
There were q dozen or more of the letters.
Two or three were from the men them
selves and the others were from wives and
mothers. One man gave as a reason that he
had recently married Others found their
business affairs in such shape that 1T would
mean a great financial sacrifice for them
to go to war just now. One man asked only
that he be released from immediate service,
saying that by the time a second call for
troops is made he would probably be pre-
pared to go. The letters from the men had
no smack of cowardice, but were letters
which treated the situation from a business
standpoint. The letters from women We're
illogical, and no good reason was offered
for discharge.
Tshe serious illness of F. G. Darlington
may make 1t necessary for the Governor to
appoint new master of transportation for
the Indiana National Guard. Mr.. Darling
ton was appointed only short time ago.
1t is not likely that a successor to him
will be appointed, however, until the actual
need of a master of transportation is APP
parent.