The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-08-18
Special to the Scranton Tribune.

from this place to Middletown, Penn
sylvania, has already begun. The
headquarters of the Second Army corps
were broken yesterday, and soon af-
terwards the Dunn Loring station was
the scene of the greatest commotion.
At o'clock in the morning details be-
gan to arrive from every direction, and
after them came the big, heavy army
wagons carrying rations and all the
other incidentals necessary to camp
life. The doors of the long lines of cars
placed conveniently on the temporary
switches of the Southern railroad were
flung open, and in an instant scores
of strong, bronze-faced soldiers were
hard at work transferring the contents
of the wagons into the freight cars.
Before night came corps headquarters
the Ninth Ohio battalion (colored) and
the Signal corps were bidding adieu to
Virginia. The movement of the Sec
ond division comes next, as they are
sheltered only by temporary and inn
perfect cover at Manassas. That di-
vision is now on the move, and may
be in Pennsylvania by the end of the
present week if the quartermaster can
succeed in procuring sufficient trans
portation facilities.
The status of the First division, to
which the Thirteenth regiment belongs,
is now very much in doubt. The ap-
pointment of Major General Butler as
one of the three military commission
ers to Cuba has served to complicate
matters very much; and, while two
days ago, 1t was well understood what
was going to take place next, now a
state of uncertainty and of doubt
seems to be the normal condition of
things. 1t is understood that General
Butler. who was appointed to such a
high command in the army and then
to the important post of military COM
missioner, is either so well liked by the
administration or has such a tremen-
dous influence with it. that he can get
practically whatever he wants-and he
may ask to have his division sent with
him, 0r transferred to Havana as
speedily as possible thereafter. This
would result in giving the men a good
long introduction to life in Havana
and In Cuba in general, points of inter-
est which they had given up all hopes
of seeing as soldiers
PETITION TO COL. COURSEN.
From the beginning the members of
the Thirteenth regiment have been
anxious to be sent to the front, where
they could get a change of scenery. at
least, and see some actual service
lhey were prompt to volunteer their
services, and had every reason to hone
ana TO believe that they would be sent
10 cuba with the first expedition This
was denied them and then they peti-
uoned the war department in body
TO send them to the front. Then came
all the expeditions to Cuba, to the
Phlllppines, to the Sandwich islands,
and to Porto Rico. and still the Thir-
teenth regiment and the brigade divis-
ion, to which it is attached, were left
here sweltering under the Virginia
sun. Later came the rumors of peace
the signing of the protocol, and the
white flag, which announced the ter
mination of hostilites. 1t was Zen
felt by the men that the purpose for
which they had volunteered had been.
TO all intents and purposes. accom-
pushed. 1t was at this juncture that
the announcement was made that we
We're to be moved to Middletown. a
change which suggested a probab bly,
prompt discharge Of the men. To mix
matters up still worse comes the news
OF General Buffers appointment. This
time 1t is the commissioned officers of
the Thirteenth who have spoken and
have asked to be heard. Today they
drew up and circulated the following
petition:
To Colonel II. A. Coursen. Commanding
Thirteenth Regiment, T. V. l.:
We the undersigned, line officers Of
your regiment, respectfully petition you
TO use your honorable and best influence
toward
teenth Pennsylvania Volunteer infantry
included in any expedition that may be
sent TO Cuba, Porto Rico. or any other
foreign possession of the United States
Every line and staff officer of the
Thirteenth now in camp has signed
this petition. 1t has not yet beeen pre-
sented to Colonel Coursen, but will be,
perhaps, tomorrow. Chaplain Stahl
was also one of the signers.
The old hours for drills, guard mount
and dress parade which were adapted
two months ago to meet the exigencies
or the hot weather, We're changed to-
DAY for the first time. For the future
the guard will be mounted at O'Clock
IN the morning instead of at half-past
SIX in the evening. Dress parade has
peen nXed FOR p. m, instead of D. m
Ihese changes are entirely appreciated
py the boys They are more convent
ent for the reason that the DAYS are
becoming appreciably shorter.
Those of the boys of the Thirteenth
VINO were the first TO go home on fur
Tough are being made glad. At first
there was some mistake, and they were
refused the money which they were en-
titled to for the rations which neither
they nor their companions used while
they were at home. Now, however.
everything is being Strengthened ont
and this money is daily paid out TO the
men. 1t is not very large sum, but
II means much to the boys here. who
value even dollar more highly than
they would value five at home.
CAMP GOSSIP.
The Thirteenth now has a small hos
pital, or dispensary, of its own. Those
who suffer from a slight sickness are
brought there, where they can be more
carefully attended to than in quarters.
Private Morris Thomas, of c, orderly
for General Butler, has been acting for
the past week as orderly for the court
OF inquiry investigating the Third Vir-
ginia trouble.
Corporal Berry and Private Reese,
or B, are in Washington today.
Private Walter II. Loomis, of G, was.
by order published last night, trans
ferred to the hospital corps of the
United States army, and assigned to
the First division hospital.
Private George Il. Blackwell, of d,
who was court-martialled recently for
some alleged neglect on provost duty
last week, has been found mot guilty."