The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-07-15
WITH THE FIFTH
u.s.. VOLUNTEERS
Stationed at Camp WaIthaII Near
Columbus, Miss.
MUSTERED IN LAST TUESDAY
The Men Hope to Be Ordered to Cuba or
Porto RIGA Next Week-Birmingham
Leads Them All for OFF,
GERS and Men.
MUSTERED IN LAST TUESDAY

Special correspondence tc the Age Herald.
Headquarters Fifth United States Volun-
teer Infantry, Camp Waithall, Columbus,
Miss. July 1.--As announced in last Tues
days dispatches from this camp, the Fifth
Regiment of United States Volunteer In
fantry, more Familiarity known as the "im-
munes," were mustered into Uncle Sam s
service Tuesday morning, July u.
While it was the original intention of
Colonel Sargent, who has been recruiting
this regiment fer little over a month, to
obtain all of his men from Alabama and
Mississippi, these two states were found to
have been so heavily drained by the state
regiments raised under the PRESIDENTS
first and second calls that it was decided
to accept men from anywhere in the south.
Nevertheless, Alabama and Mississippi fur
nished very large proper ton of the thou
sand men composing the regiment, Ala
bama Being ahead of all CT them. Nearly
every company is filed to it's maximum of
eighty-two privates,
James X. Vardamar, of Greenwood,
whom Governor McLaurin refused to COM
mission captain Of the state troops, was
one of the first to begin recruiting a COM
pany for this regiment. He performed his
work so diligently that he was the first
captain to receive a commission, and Is
now the senior captain OF what we think
is the best regiment that will leave the
south during the present war.
Alabama has furnished more trained Off
GERS for the regiment than Mississippi,
Louisiana, Tennessee or any of the other
southern states from which its rank and
file have been drawn. This will give the
companies to which they have been as
signed a considerable advantage at first.
Nearly all of the commissioned officers,
however, are professional men of good edu-
cation, who will learn their duties rapidly.
Not Hobe Regiment
The report that the Fifth is regiment
of hoboes" is without the slightest founda-
ton. A number of sthis class have been
enrolled, but the percentage in each COM
pany is so small that the better class can
easily compel them to keep clean and be-
have themselves, the two requisites for a
good soldier.
The photographers of Columbus have
done a good business since Uncle Sam
began issuing uniforms to the men of
Colonel Sargent's command. Judging by
the samples in the display cases, however,
the majority of the boys are parading in
borrowed plumes with the evident inten-
ton of conveying erroneous impression
of their rank to the folks at home. One
lieutenant of graceful build who possesses
a very "fittable' coaty has evidently had
it fborrowed or appropriated by at least a
hearts should not put too much faith in
Photographic prints. A private from Mem
phis returned to his home on furlough last
week respondent in the uniform of men,
Der of the Biloxi band, who recently
Joined the regiment and doubtless easily
convinced the creduous home folks that
he had attained high rank outside his own
country.
The camp is now assuming a decidedly
military appearance. The efficient adju-
tant, Lieutenant Darby, has brought order
out of chaos, and is rapidly teaching the
men the necessity of obedience. When the
regiment leaves Columbus for Tampa or
Jacksonville, which will probably be some
time next week, it will be as thoroughly
trained and disciplined as any organization
of raw recruits could be in such a short
space of time.
1t is conceded in all quarters that the
United States volunteers will be the army
of occupation in uba, Porto Rico and per-
haps the Philippines after the close of the
war, so that we have a good prospect of
serving the full two years for which we
enlisted.
Regimental Organization
Field and Staff Officers-H. H. Sargent,
colonel; A. A. Wiley, lieutenant-colonel; H.
D. Money, Jr., and ]. M. Liddell, majors;
w. E. Darby adjutant; Christopher Bryan,
uuartermaster; S. w. Winchester, surgeon;
C. T.-Pollard and C. w. Anderson, assis tant
surgeons.
Non-Commisioned Staff. ]. Lpop, ser