The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-04
GUARDS CONE TOMORROW.
THE BATTALION's HOME COMING
AT LAST IN SIGHT.

Equippnge VIII Be Brought and
the Companies VIII BE Mustered
Cut Here Mt the Expiration a.:
Their Thirty-Day FurlOuShs-Win
Camp a Few Days While Being
Mustered Out-Guards' Han Beau
tifuIIy Decorated.
The Grauds Will get here tomorrow
morning. A telegram was received last
night from an officer of the Second Geeor-
gia Regiment, battalion of the Guards
stating that the battalion will leave The
camp at Atlanta tonight and that it will
arrive here the next morning.
This will be welcome news to those who
have so long waited ana wished for the
coming Of the Guards. It is the first
definite and seemingly indisputable report
they have heard. For the past two weeks
many have been asking when the Guards
would get back, but none could say with
certainty.
The regiment was paid off yesterday In
Atlanta, the men having been mustered
In Saturday. All will get home with money
in their pockets
The government will nay the expense of
the transportation of the men from Allan
ia 70 Savannah This is because they will
not be given their furloughs of thirty days
until they reach here. Had it been other
wise, the men themselves would have had
TO pay their own way back home. The
government does not pay the travelling OK
penses of men on furlough.
After they have been here thirty days
the men will go into camp and be muster
ed out. Just how long the process of mus
tering out will demand is not known, but
it is thought il will be several days, and
during this time the Guards will be IN Sa-
vannah. A camp site will be located, and
they will not have TO return to some point
in the interior of the state, as will che
other commands that have preceded them
in the business of furloughs. 1t is under
stood that all the camp equipage of the
battalion will be brought down from AT
lanta with the men.
The arrangement is regarded with great
favor 1t is considered a great benefit to
the men, who win not be put to the
trouble that those of the other commands
will have, nor will they have to pay out
the money for transportation that those
others will They viii have no travelling
at all to do at their own expense. on the
other hand, they will not get any travel
pany on their final statements when they
are discharged. This is something to be
considered, as the men who are mustered
out at Griffin or Macon will get $12 or SIS
travel pay. This viii be almost enough
TO reimburse them for their fare to and
from Savannah, and to pay their way
back again. So far as the pay is con-
cerned, therefore, the men will split about
even.
Preparations are getting on for the re-
ception of the battalion. Those who are
interesting themselves in the matter
would have preferred the hour of arrival
to fall during the afternoon or evening to
the morning, but they propose TO make the
best they can of things, and no doubt
there will be great time when the troops
get in. The ladies of the Guards Aid
Society were busy all day at the
Guards hall yesterday putting ev-
erything in readiness. The han
is now beautiful sight the
committe on decorations having done
splendid work. Many of the ladies have
been heard TO say the hall Is now more
beautiful than any they have ever seen.
II is gorgeously decked out with flags of
all nations, and graceful palms wave in
profuson throughout the hall. The five
large tables are handsomely set, the china
service of the Guards showing nicely in
the splendid setting of decorations that
has been given it. All who see the hell
congratulate the ladies upon their sue
cess. 1t will be a sight for the soldiers to
feast their eyes on.
Two of the firemen from headquarters
are largely responsible for the beauty of
the decorations. They were indefatiga-
bic in their zeal and the ladies are deeply
grateful to them for their assistance. They
knew just how to manage the flags, and
had 1t not been for their ingenuity, the
ladies would have been at loss.
To-day the ladies of the society and the
committeeman on entertainment will
spend in getting everything finally in read
mess for the coming of the battalion Tho
ladies have a great deal to do In the way
of preparing the feast that will be spread
before the men. Two hundred and eighty
eight places have been arranged at the ia
bles. and 1t is expected that they viii all
be occupied
Just what the programme will be on the
arrival of the battalion is not known IL
is thought however, that the men will
march direct to the hall from the depot,
amid the ringing of bells, the shrieking of
whistles and the yelling and handclappings
of the thousands who will be on hand to
welcome the boys back.
At the arsenal the arms will be put up
and the men will discard their blanket
rolls. They will get into some sort of
case to enjoy themselves at the tables.
Col. John Screven will deliver the address
of welcome to the soldiers. The ladies' of
the society Will be al the hall to receive
the companies
The local members Of the Guards will he
out in uniform. to welcome their comrades
They VIII march down under command OF
the provisional officers to act as an escort
for the troops from the depot. At the
armory they win wait upon the soldiers
at the tables
The captains of the companies that Will
arrive from Atlanta want to have all their
furloughed and discharged men in Savan-
nah meet them at the depot to march TO
the armory with them. They want the men
to wear their uniforms even if they are
discharged. Nearly all the furlougbed ana
discharged members of the battalion who
are here have announced their intention
of going down as their captains desire