The record-union., 1898-05-29
Soldiers at Camp Richmond Greatly
in Need of Clothing.
No Orders to Prepare 10 Break Camp Re-
celYed by Any of the Regiments Not
Known What Commands Will
Go to Manila.

| SAN FRANCISCO, May %. - The
First Regiment of Montana volunteers,
numbering 1,030 men, under command
| of Colonel Kessler, arrived here this
morning. They were given the same
hearty reception that awaited the vol
unteers from other States who have
preceded them, and the Montana boys
| showed their appreciation of the little
kindnesses shown them in the same
hearty manner. The men gave cheer
for cheer as they marched off the. ferry
boat, and after they had been break
tasted by the ladies of the Red Cross
and given bouquets of California flow
ers they were lined up for the march
to their camping ground at Fort Rich
mond. All along the line of march
they We're greeted with cheers and 9TH
| er demonstrations of welcome, and as
they marched along the people on the
sidewalks presented them with Cali
fornia oranges and flowers.
| The Montana men are as sturdy a
| lot as has entered this city. but they
are sadly lacking in equipment. Many
of them are without overcoats. and
their shoes are in a terrible condition.
They also need arms and ammunition.
They are far behind other regiments
in this respect, however, and as Cen
eral Merritt has taken up the matter
OF equipment the men will soon be
comfortably clothed and equipped for
service.
Many of the soldiers camped at Fort
Richmond are greatly in need of proper (,
clothing, and owing to system of red
tape or from some other cause the au-
thorities here seem unable to cope with
the situation. There has been much
suffering among the men, but few COM:
plants have been heard Private en-
terprise has undertaken to remedy the
deficiencies of the Commissary Depart
iment, and were it not for the contribu-
tions of food by the Red Cross Society
and others there would have been real
suffering in more than one of the
camps at Fort Richmond.
The Kansas boys seem to have been
more neglected by the Government than
any of the others, and were it not for
public donations many of them would
be walking without shoes, socks, un-
derclothes and other necessaries.
1t is generally understood that Gem
eral Merritt will issue orders to have
all the volunteers fully equipped at
once, and that if the Government can
not supply the necessary outfits that
private concerns will be called upon.
Governor Budd has been asked by the
War Department at Washington if he
can supply the 1.O76 men necessary to
fill the volunteer organizations from
this State, and through Adjutant Gen
eralBarrett has replied that he can fur
nish more THAI the number required,
and all fully equipped.
No orders to prepare to break camp
have been received by any of the regi-
ments, and the statements Of what
commands shall be assigned to the next
| transports are founded upon specula-
tion, but it seems certain that the four
| troops of the Fourth United States Cav
| airy will be among the lucky ones
| chosen to embark on the next fleet of
Manilab bound transports. They Will
take their own horses When forty adj
| ditional members of the cavalry arrive
from Chicago tomorrow morning, it
| Will bring the troops up to the required
| strength of 100 each The men are
| fully equipped for active service.
| The work on the transports now here
| is being rushed, but the Centennial and
| Ohio will not be here for some days
| yet, but as they We're built for the
Klondike trade and capable of carry
| ing from 800 to 1,000 men, they Will
/ need very little alteration.
| 1t is expected that an order will be
| issued early next week for the reorgan-
| ization of the National Guard of Cali
| fornia An opinion of the present legal
status of the guard has been asked of
Attorney General Fitzgerald and Colo
| mel !. J. Dwyer Judge Advocate on the
| division staff. and it is believed they
| will reply that the only way of reor-
ganization will be to simply recruit the
| guard to the desired strength. More
| than 1000 will be needed, provided the
| Second and Fifth Regiments go into
| the volunteer service.
TROOPERS FROM NEW ORLEANS.
LOS ANGELES, May 2S. - Four
/ trains. bearing 300 soldiers each, bound
/ from New Orleans to San Francisco,
passed through this city at about noon
| to-day. The first division was the
| stock train, which arrived here at
L <Con+;puod on Fifth Pacel