The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-10
GOV. ATKINSON'S MAGIC HAND.
HE ARGUES WASHINGTON INTO HIS
WAY OF THINNING.


l. to Remain In Service-The Gov
errors Original Ideas Are COnSe-
ouentIy Adopted BY the War De
Unrtment-COI. Brown Remains al
the Head of His Observation-Disclosures
Bacon Alleged to Have Used the
Governors Thunder Governors
Hasty Trip to washington.
Atlanta. Ga, Sept. Gov. Atkinson has
suggested that the Second Georgia Regi-
ment be retained in the service. while the
Third and the First are mustered out
The Second is Col. Oscar Browns regi-
ment II is now stationed at Huntsville,
having recently been ordered there from
Jacksonville.
While the Governor never said SO, it was
nevertheless believed by those who under
stood the situation that he would name
the Second for retention if it came to
selection between the three regiments. The
announcement that this line of action had
been determined upon by the war depart
ment was made from Washington to-day.
1t came in the shape of telegram from
Gov. Atkinson TO Col. Obear, assistant
adjutant general of the state.
Yesterday forenoon, when he received an
inkling of what was going on at Wash
ington. Gov. Atkinson quickly made up
his mind to pay flying visit to the capt.
tai. SO as to take a hand in the matter.
He left on the vestibuled train without
any one, except his family, knowing
whittier he had gone and they would not
tell. The Governor did not want any one
TO know of his intended trip to Washing
ton until he should appear upon the scene
there. ready for action. The President
had already given orders before the Gov
ernor's departure for the mastering out
of two of the Georgia regiments but the
regiments to be disbanded had not been
designated Senator Bacon, so the dis
patches said, had politely declined TO take
the responsibility of selection without con-
ference with his colleagues, and just here,
in referring to the part Senator Bacon
has been taking in the arrangements for
mastering out the Georgia volunteers, It
may not be amiss to say that Gov. At
kinson's friends think the senator has
been trying to appropriate some Of the
Governors thunder The Governor him
self thinks so, and this little irritation
over the newspaper reports giving the SEN
ator all the credit for urging a consolida-
ton of the willing Barkises" in the
three regiments into one, to be retained
while the men who want 10 go home were
allowed to do so, may have had something
to do with the Governors rather hasty
trip to Washington yesterday.
A week before Senator Bacon laid his
plan before the war department Gov. At
kinson had telegraphed Adjt. Gen. Cor
bin almost denticaliy the same IDEAS as
may be verified from the files of the Morn
ing News, which was the only paper at
the time to publish the fact that the Gov
ernor had undertaken to settle the trou-
bic over mastering out by getting the war
department to make up one regiment from
among those of the three regiments who
still desire service in the army. But lit
tie was said of the Governors action,
however, and he was in a fair way TO
be lost in the shuttle, TO the advantage of
Senator Bacon, who was being given credit
in the newspapers for the Governors
plans.
1t may be easily imagined that the Gov
ernor did not relish the idea of being lost,
and with the situation as it developed
after the conference between Senator Ba-
con and the President staring him in the
face, he concluded that it was high time
he drew a hand, so he quietly got aboard
the vesibuled train yesterday, and no
body here, except his family, knew where
he was until he turned up in Washington
this morning, although repeated inquiries
were made for him both at the capitol
and at the executive mansion yesterday
afternoon and last night.
Shortly before noon Col Obear received
the following telegram, which fully ac-
counted for the Governors whereabouts,
and at the same time told of the sue
cessful issue of his trip:
eral:-The war department decides TO
muster out the First and Third Regiments
the First to be mustered out at Macon,
Savannah and Albany. All wishing to re-
main in service viii be transferred to
the Second and a like number wishing
TO retire will be discharged from the Sec
ond w. Y. Atkinson, Governor"
The Governor did not say that the action
of the department was due in any measure
to his advice or influence, but there is
every reason TO believe that it was his
views that prevailed in the determine
ton of the regiments TO be mustered out.
The Governor having appointed the officers
of all the regiments it was only natural
that he should be consulted in regard to
the mastering out and, in fact, there is
little doubt that his trip TO Washington
was for the sole purpose of having his
say in the matter, His telegram to the
adjutant generals Office shows that he
succeeded in getting the authorities TO
practically adopt his original suggestion
In regard to the transfer OF men from the
regiments mastering out to the one to
be retained
The only difference is that there is TO
be no reappointment of officers. The dis
bandment of the First and Third regi-
ments will release from the service a lot
of well-known men-from the First, Col.
A. R. Lawton and Lieut. Col Jordan Il.
Brooks, both prominent Savannahians,
and Mai w e. Wootten solicitor of the
Albany circuit, will 80 home, while the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of the Third will release
Col ]. T. Gambler, judge of the Stone
Mountain circuit; Lieut.. Col Robert l..
Berner erstwhile candidate for Governor;
Mai Marcus w. Beck, judge of the Flint
circuit; Capt. Robert Hodges, solicitor of
the Bib circuit; Lieut.. Leaken, assistant
district attorney for the Southern district,
and several others prominent in civil life
before the breaking out of the war.
The following is a list of the officers of
the Second Regiment, which is to be re-
tanned in the service: Cot. Oscar ].
- Z r,1