The age-herald., 1898-12-17
REGIMENTS OF REGULARS
To Take Place of All Volunteer Soldiers
 as Soon as Practicable.
WILL PROBABLY OCCUR IN SPRING
Lieut.. Whitehead, Just from Santiago, Brings Interesting Budget of News of the Doings of the Alabama
 and Mississippi Soldiers.

Adjutant General Corbn of the United | States army has stated positively to the | congressional delegations from Alabama ! and Mississippi that the Fifth regiment, United States volunteers better known as the Fifth immunes, would without doubt be mustered out of the service just as soon as regulars can be conveniently had to i'll their places
 This was the news brought to Birming- ham yesterday by First Lieutenant G, G. |, Whitehead, of Greenwood Miss. He, Cap tain Vardeman and Lieutenant Jennings, all of the Fifth, landed off the transport obdam at Fortress Monroe several days ago. They went immediately to Washing ton, where all of the Alabama and Missis- | sippi congressman who were in Washington all the time. General Shelley and others, called on General Corbin at the war de- pertinent, and at that time he gave them the unwelcome information.
 The Fifth immunes, officers and men, don't want to be mustered out of the ser- vice, from all that can be learned and they and their friends have been bringing strong pressure to bear the war department to be retained in the service of the regiments of regulars in the increased army. The regiment has ever since it was mustered in been a model military organi- zation in every respect. It is well officered, is splendid regiment physically, is we'll drilled, and both in this country and in Cuba has behaved itself admirably. As the men are anxious to remain In the service, they have naturally brought every possible influence they had to bear on the powers that be.
 All Volunteers to Go
 But the war department thinks other wise. General Corbin told the gentlemen who called on him Thursday that the policy which the administration had adopted is to muster out of the service just as soon as practicable every volunteed regiment which has been organized since the Span ish war began.
 The impression is that this rule will not effect the Fifth regiment until next spring. In the meantime the friends of the regi- ment have not lost hope, but will work to the last to have the regiment retained in the service. This is the important news which Lieutenant Whitehead brought from Washington.
 Captain Vardeman and Lieutenant Whitehead passed through the city yester- day, and Lieutenant Jennings the day be- fore. MT Whitehead, who Is one of the officers of Captain Wm. M. Walkers com pany, remained over in the city until last night. during which time he saw numbers of relatives and friends of the Birmingham boys now with the regiment.
 'We sailed from Santiago on December T." said Mir Whitehead, in describing their voyage, 1..bound for the states. There were about 150 soldiers on board the transport. from all the regiments stationed in and around Santiago. Most of them were on sick furoughs and a number of them were aff in ita1 al MOprOa tain Vardeman. Lieutenant Jennings and I are all on thirty-day sick leaves, and will return to companies at the end of that time. We left Santiago clad in light uni- forms, with underciothing correspondingly thin. Christmas makes no difference with the weather at Santiago, for 1t was 95 in the shade when we left. At night. however, it is much more pleasant, and blankets are not all, uncomfortable. When we ar rived in the colder climate or Virginia and Washington we nearly froze before we could get warmer clothing. After putting us off at Fort Monroe, the transport kept on to New York.
 Health of Regiment
 ''There is still a great deal of sickness-in the regiment, though not nearly as much as there was a few months ago. It is mostly dysentery and malaria fever. We have had the best health record of any regiment that has landed on the island of Cuba since the war began, having had only fourteen deaths since we were mustered in, which is, I un- derstand, about the same number which the First Alabama lost during it's six months service. Our remarkable health record we think, is due largely to the pains which Colonel Sargent and the other officers have taken in keeping the camp and the men in the very best possible sanitary condition. Colonel Sargent is even more popular, if possible, both with the officers and men than he was at the beginning of our ser vice.
 Chaplain Simpson is also exceedingly popular with everybody. He works almost constantly with the sick men of the regi- ment and is willing to do almost any thing for them. The men don't turn out to hear him preach on Sundays as they should, but they love him none the less dearly for that It is so hot on Sundays when the ser- vices are going on, that only a compara- lively few of the men, I regret to say, respond to the church call.
 The Camp Duties
 "Nearly all the companies are encamped The regular duty of the men consists in drilling from to soclock in the morning, and policing and cleaning up the camp. Of course there is also a good deal of guard duty both around the camp and on provost guard in the city.
 1.-Two of the companies, Captain Harri- sons and Captain Underwood's, under the command of Major Liddell are stationed in Morro Castle. where they do very little else CAs sTo RIA. n-.. |