The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-26
GEORGIA BOYS KEPT GUESSING
SECOND COULDN'T TELL WHERE IT
WAS AT SATURDAY..

Orders and Countermands Followed
on Each Others Heels with En-
"sperating Rupidity-Ven Much
More Comfortably Located on the
flights Than When They Were on
the LowIands-POrtO RicO Now
OmciaIIy Announced AS It's Desti-
nation.
Tampa, Fla, July 25.-The Second Geor-
gia Regiment wiz not 90 to Fernandana-
The regiment has changed its camp TO
Tampa Heights. near the city, a great i'm
provemont on Palmetto Beach, the Nights
being dry and sandy and fairly well shad-
ed. The Second Georgia is not being kept
mere simply for provost duty, however. II
is shortly 20 see active service. A new
brigade has been created, or viii be
shortly, CONSISTING of the Fifth Maryland,
the Second Georgia ana the First Flor
ida Either Gen. Schwan or Gen. Kline,
both Of whom have formerly had the Sec
ond under their command. will command
the new brigade. The arrangement Is very
satisfactory to the Georgians. The Fifth
Maryland is composed of a fine lot of boys,
being noted regiment In peace as well
as in war, and the Georgia and Florida
boys are already we'll acquainted The
brigade, 1t is officially stated. win be or
transports for Porto Rico.
The orders from division headquarters
for the removal of the regiment from
Tampa TO Fernandina were received al
camp Friday afternoon, and read out at
regimental parade the same afternoon.
Orders were also issued for breakfast at
$50 the next morning 10 be followed i'm
mediately by the work of breaking camp.
The report that orders had been issued
for removal to Fernandina had already
spread throughout the camp and when
officially confirmed the men were delight
ed. They did not know whether they were
TO 90 TO Fernandina to take transports or
10 go into camp for the summer, but they
were tired of Palmetto Beach, and ready
for change of any kind.
There was much cheering in the com
pany streets after the parade. There had
been so many reports of moves and even
a few orders to move, which never
amounted 10 anything that there were
still few skeptics, but the majority took
1t for granted that sthe Fernandina trip
would be "a go. 1t seems that the skeptics
were right. Immediately after breakfast
the next morning the work Of breaking
camp was begun.
The men were instructed to pack their
surplus clothing and extra blankets in
their hammocks, these being marked and
consigned to the care Of the commissaries
for shipment as baggage. Each man was
instructed to put in his blanket bag one
blanket and one change of, underwear
Besides this the men carried their haVer-
sacks with meat can, knife, fork and spoon
and canteen. Shelter tents were issued
half TO each man. This was rolled with
the pouch on the outside and STRAPPED on
top Of the blanket bag. The men found
this as much as they cared 10 carry. Had
they been required to carry all the cloth
ing and equipment which has been issued
them by the government, they would have
found it very heavy load indeed.
BY O'Clock the camp had been wrecked
Tents were down and folded away and ev-
erything was packed in readiness to move
Bonfres blazed merrily with the debris of
the camp. The work of loading the camp
equipage proceeded rapidly and before
noon everything had been loaded aboard
cars. II was announced that the regi-
ment would move at l o'clock to take the
cars in Ybor City. On this account no
preparations had been made for dinner at
camp, the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
being supplied with two days
travel rauons, which were TO
Dc distributed ABOARD the cars. one
O'Clock came and passed and still no move
was made, The men grew hungry and
restless. The sun was very hot and there
was but little shade.
While the men sWeated and grumbled
ana swore, the Second Georgia was being
played with like a shuttlecock by the pow
ers that be. over in the little telegraph
office in Ybor City dispatches came and
went each order being contradcted al
most as fast as il was given. Now the
Second Georgia was to proceed to F'ernan-
dina at once and again it was to proceed
to Port Tampa to go aboard transports
And then again il was to remain at Tam
pa for provost duty. Now il was the Sixty
ninth New York that was to proceed to
Fernandina and so on. Late in the after
noon Gen Lincoln, the brigade comman-
der, rode over te the camp and Informed
Col. Brown that the Second would not go
TO Fernandina, but would go into Camp
temporarily at Tampa Heights. Col
Brown seemed pleased with this order
and stated that the regiment would prob
ably go aboard transports az Port Tampa
shortly It was thought that this meant
Porot Rico.
The march to Ybor Heights. about two
and half miles, was made in good shape.
though it was very hot Camp was pitch
ed in a grove of scrub oak adjoining a
camp of regular artillery The men soon
had their shelter tents pitched. though il
was their hrst experience. Two men oc-
cupy a tent, each carrying one-half on the
march.
Supper was served, and to make nm for
the loss of dinner it was a bountiful one
the two ratiOns being combined. Corned
beef, canned salmon, boiled ham. Boston
baked beans, bread hard tack and coffee
furnished the repast for Company r
though some others did not fare so well
1t is not often the soldier gels such a meal
as this though COrned beef and hard 70 Oh
being the usual travel rations
The new camp is Wen situated
and it seems that the remainder
of the stay of the Second Georgia at Tam
pa viii be a pleasant one, whether il be
long or short.
To show how the fortunes of the Second
Georgia shifted, it is only necessary 10
stale that the baggage team of the regi-
ment was on The move an of Saturday
night once il got half waV to Port Tam,