The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-09-07
Effort Being Made to Be-
tain the First.
COL. ALSTON Is HERE ON
THAT MISSION.
From The State, Sept. 5.

discussion on the streets. and many
wild stories were flying about to ac.
coun. for their trip here. The news ct
the muster out of the First regiment
and the retention of the Second had
been received aud it vas surmised that
the officers from Jacksonville we're here
20 make an effort to, have the orders
knocking ont the First revoked. and it
was thought that if this succeeded the
Second would have to 60 So, natu-
rally, much interest was censered 10 the
visit.
The two officers upon arriving went
nj. once to the executive msusiou, where
they bad long conference With Gov
Ellerbe, bat it was stated that no ded-
mite understanding was arrived st be-
tween the conferrees, the matter being
left over until to-day for further talk
When he @as. visited Gev Ellerbe
did not have much to say. He svaded
tbe direct questioa as to whether the
officers had made an appeal to him TO
use his influence 60 have the First re-
ssiued, and said thss the officers wanted
the regiment to stay IN. which vas
quite evident
Col. Aston, who vas seen later, said
he was here to get definite news. He
had received no official notification of
the coming muster out. aud he wanted
TO End DOT s.where he was st" He
does not believe that majority of the
men 10 the regiment desire to come out.
and he alleges that what dissffection
there has been was caused by politlcal
sshemers. The men have been misled
into believing that it the organisation
Was retained in the service it would be
broken as whole aud the men dissri-
bused among the northern regiments.
which, of course, would be very repug.
nsns to the South Carolinians. Speak
ing Of the petition gotten mp TO have
the regiment mustered out. Col Aston
said be and his officers had not been
able Co see it The paper was alleged
to bear 800 names, but nan who had
seen It, aud carefully counted all the
psmes, said to Col. Alston that the
petition bore only 600 names. aad it
wss stated thas many Of the s:gners
were not members Of the SoEia Caro-
lima regiment.
Maj Earle said that an effort would
be made to have the regiment kept 10
the service, aud he was hopeful that
it would succeed
Col. Aston said that the question OF
the retention Of either or both regiments
lay entirely with Gov Ellerbe. Ii the
governor wanted the First to stay 10.
there it would stay, aud iss disposition
one way or the ether would not affect
sbe fate Of the Second, as from several
States three and four regiments bcd
bseu retained. BE said he had not ASK
ed the governor wbether OF oo: he
would lead his efforts to the retention
of she First. He had simply bad
talk With the chief executive and it to
farther confer wishS him today. Col
Alston SAID be wonld not decide uatil
today whether be would go to Washing
tor or@nos.
o. course considerable pressure will
be brought to bear 90 toe governor from
both sides. His position is naturally
unenviab!s uoder auy circumstances,
pdparsicuiarly so iin view of the fact.
:bat bis predicament comes on the eve
of election. Whichever side is not fav-
ored 10 his decision will of course fight.
Both sides, it is stated, are confident OF
Winning.
That the orders have goue out from
she war department to muster oct the
Firs, is shown by the following tele-
gram, give out the press yesterday
by Capt. FuIler:
Washington. D. c., Sept. 4. 1898.
Capt. e. 3. Faller. Uoised States Mus
seriug Ofieer, Columbia. S c.:
Secretary Of war directs that you per-
form the duties of Uaised States mus
.esing officer 10 COZ oecsion With the
farloughiog for 80 days and muster out
st the expiration of this date, ordered
by the secretary of war, of the First
South Carolina United States volunteer
infantry at Columbia. S. c., according
30 the provisions of general orders 123.
A. G. O. current series, as amended
by general orders lS0. A G O.. cur
ren: series. Lieut.. Wm. Newmao,
Thirteenth infantry. uow understood to
be with you as commissary. will per
form the duties of acting assistant
quartermss.er couuissary and acting
ordnance officer. You will direc, TO re-
port TO the heads of supply departments
for special instructions. You will
telegraph direct to heads of departments
10 all matters relating thereto, 10 order
TO relieve this department of the burden
of correspondence, to which toe force
is the ofioe caunos attend Com
rnc;cat "a freeiv With the chief musteriug Q