Evening star., 1898-04-22
w AR D E A r T M EN- T
Active Preparations to Organize the Vol.
unteer Forces.
Gen. Colby and the Cuban Legion
Details OF Omcers-Many Appli-
cations ON File.

I
American-Cuban Volunteer Legion. arrived
| in the city last night from Nebraska, and
will offer the services of the legion to the
| government as part of the army Of invasion
! In Cuba. The AmericanCuban Volunteer
Legion consists Of about 25,OOO men who
have bean enlisted and mustered into ser
vice and stand ready at any time to go to
| Cuba
Two Local Companies.
Two companies OF the legion have been
| organized in the District of Columbia, have
| been drilled and are ready to move at the
| order of their commanding officer.
The legion will be composed OF cavalry
| most of which 1t Is proposed to secure from
i-Texas. to be composed of cowboys skilled
| In the handling Of horses and arms; artil-
| lery and infantry.
Gen. l.. w. Colby, the organizer of the
legion, has seen extensive military service.
He Is college graduate. lawyer by pro-
fesslon, and is regarded one of the ablest
attorneys of the west. Under President
Harrison's administration Gen Colby was
assistant attorney general of the United
States, and in that capacity became well
known in this city. He has also served two
terms In the Nebraska state senate and is a
prominent republican of that state
Gen. Colby served in the war Of the re-
bellion, had command of a company in the
Sioux and Cheyenne Indian war in 1861,
commanded a battalion in the Indian cam
paisn of 1S16-7S was colonel in command
of the regular and state troops during the
strike in Omaha in 1882, and was briga adier
general in command of the Nebraska nil
itary forces in the Sioux Indian war in the
winter of 1S!W-91.
He has served in the infantry, cavalry
and tine artillery and in every military ca
pacity from private to brigadier general
He has been three years captain, six years
colonel and nine years a brigadier general
He has always been successful in his mill
tary campaigns, and in the last Sioux war
received the personal congratulations for
himself and his troops from General Nell
son A Miles of the United States army.
and was given gold medal by the state
of Nebraska for gallant services.
During the past year General Colby has
made two visits to Cuba and has familiar
ized himself with the situation there. max
ing study of the country and the posts
of the enemy in order to be thoroughly
familiar with the ground on which his
campaign might be waged. He is regarded
as a thorough tactician and organizer, and
Is looked upon as cautious and full of re-
sources, while he is active and courageous.
Only n few days are needed. General
Colby has stated, to have his forces speed
ing to a central point to be embarked for
Cuba.
To Organize Arkansas Troops.
AT the request of Gov. Jones of Arkan-
sas, the Secretary of War has detailed
Lieut.. Elias Chandler of the 10th Infantry
n SpaciaI N with ba
ganization of regiment of selected COM
panies of the National Guard of the state
OF Arkansas for service In the national de-
Tense under the proposed call for voIur-
teers. This is the first assignment of this
kind made in anticipation of war witk
Spain.
Army officers detailed as instructors at
Institutions of learning have been ordered
to report with their regiments.
Officers of Volunteers.
In anticipation of the enactment of the
bill for an increase of the army prepared
at the War Department, and known as the
volunteer army or departmental bill. Gem
Miles has prepared a table showing the
exact nj mber of officers that will be COM
prised within the proposed volunteer Or
ganzation. The volunteer army will call
for the appointment Of officers as follows:
Four major generals, nine brigadier gen.
erals, four assistant adjutant generals
rar king respectively as colonel, lieutenant
colonel. major and captain: one chief en-
gineer, with the rank of colonel
Two inspector generals, with the rank OF
colonel and lieutenant colonel. respectively
Two chief quartermaSters,, with the rank
Of colonel and lieutenant colonel, respec-
lively.
One assistant quartermaster, with the
rank of captain.
Two chief commissaries with the rank of
colonel and lieutenant colonel, respectively
One assistant comInissary with the rank
OF captain.
One judge advocate. with the rank of
general
Two chief surgeons. with the rank or
colonel and lieutenant colonel, respectively
And aids-de-camp authorized by law for
the regular establishment.
These officers are cOntempia ted for a
volunteer army organization, comprising
one army corps, commanded by a major
general; three divisions, each commanded
by major general; three brigades for each
division, each commanded by brigadief
general. making nine in ALL three resi-
ments to a brigade. making in all twenty
seven regiments, having the usual regimen
tai complement of officers.
Under the original provisions of the bill.
the appointment of all the general ard
staff officers is vested in the President of
the United States, while the appointment
of the regimental officers is vested in the
governors of the various states in which
the forces are organized.
Many Applications.
Applications for positions of all kinds
" hich will have to be filled as the result
of the raising Of the volunteer army are
being filed at the War Department. and
many senators and representatives already
have called to speak good word in behalf
Of the applicants.
Both Secretary Alger and Assistant Sec
retary Meiklejohn were overrun with Wis
itors during the entire morning, among
the number being Senators Carter, Lodge
and Mcmillan, and Representatives Spark.
man and Hopkins.
1t Is said that no final decision has yet
been reached by the War Department en-
the question of whether the first and Sec
ond classes of the cadets at West Point
shall be graduated In advance Of the time
ordinarily set for that purpose. It would