The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-16
SENTIMENT HAS CHANGED
OFFICERS OF DETAILED COM
PANIES ARE ANXIOUS TO GO.
ALGER IS CONSIDERING THE CASE
Wires Col. Can--No Word from Atlanta or
Washington Received Yesterday and
No Reason for The Delay
is Known.

The companies ordered away from
Camp Dan Russell have had another
day of uncertainty and anxious waiting.
Colonel Burgwyn was sure the tru .ps
would get away yesterday, since they
were held only by lack of transportation,
but the day passed without word from
washington or Atlanta, and he was as
much in the dark as to the reason for the
wait as any private in the ranks. 1t
was merely the old story of the First
over again. Waiting and suspense with
no reason assigned for it except tLat
somebody somewhere who was looking
after movements Of troops had neglected
his business. The companies packed up
when the order to move came and they
remained packed up all day yesterday.
The walking was understood to be bad
across South Carolina, so they did not
move.
About noon of yesterday Colonel Carr
wired:
Have just returned from the War
Department. Secretary and Adjutant
General are considering your case"
Beyond that nothing was received to
Indicate whether the troops would re-
main here, go i'll Il body, go as ordered.
or he disbanded. Colonel Burgwyn re-
piled thanking Colonel Carr for his eff
forts i'll behalf of the regiment.
The probable reason for delay in send
ing transportation. of course, is that the
strength of political pulls must be care
fully estimated before decision is
reached in Washington as to the route
While you wait. however either re-
markable revulsion in sentiment has oc-
Cured in the regiment or sentiments
that were not paraded ut first have come
to the surface. On the afternoon when
the orders to get ready came not an Of
ficer could he found who seemed pleased
with thin. Many were outspoken in their
displeasure. some were gloomily silent.
but no one expressed approval. Possibly
only regimental officers were visible. or
those who were to be left ut Camp Rus
SELL In any case the only expressions
to be had were unfavOrable to breaking
up the regiment.
Yesterday there was difference in
the morning Captains and subordinate
officers of the companies ordered away.
declared that grave injustice had been
done them in stating that they were dis
pleased with their assignments. They
said that it would be a pleasure as well
as a duty to obey any orders sent them.
and that they found the assignments
just to their liking. if there was no pos
sibility of being sent to the front. and
ut present there appears to be no such
possibility. The officers Of the com
panies detailed say that they consider
it IN honor to be given responsible
and independent commands and do not
wish the order revoked, if revoking it
means they are to be kept in camp here,
of which pastime they declare themselves
exceedingly tired.
They further say that only those who
We're not detailed have been at all dis
satisfied.
The men in the companies left behind
are anxious to be transferred to the
companies that are going. One captain
stated that Il man from one of the COM
panieS held in camp came into the street
of his company and waved IA ten dollar
bill which he offered to any man who
would give him his place in the company
leaving. but no man would transfer with
him. This. he said, was fair instance
of tile eagerness of the men to get away.
The officers further say that it is Il dis
tinction to be sent to take the places of
men from the Fifth regiment. and the
officers would have more latitude than
i'm regiment or brigade to show what
is in them. Thus ran the talk among
the officers of the companies, now con
sidered lucky. who are waiting for trans
portation. The majors detailed seem
quite as well pleased as the captains
and subordinates. The regimenta Off
GERS who are to remain here are still
unanimous in expressing IL desire to have
the regiment kept together. The line is
sharply drawn ut present. Ev-
erybody who is ordered to leave
is pleased; everybody who is ordered
to stay is not pleased. 1t is only fair to
say. however, that whatever the regi-
ment is ordered to do it vii endeavor to
execute to the letter.
There was a rumor current in camp
that the orders to leave had been re-
voked, but there was no foundation for
it. 1t probably grew out of Colonel
Carr's telegram. The delay in sending
transportation hardly has any connection
with Colonel Cars visit to Secretary
AIger The orders to move came at 4
o'clock of day before yesterday. while
Colonel Carr did not see the War De
partment officials until noon of yester-
day.