The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-10

Il have no idea when we will be
sailed or where we will be sent. but
the national guard of this state is in
good condition of drill and discipline
and is ready to obey promptly any or
der il may get
So said Gen. Bend. commander of
the Minnesota state militia, to a report
er for The q o b g yesterday.
If war is declared the members of
the First regiment expect to be sent
To the front and they have been max
ing preparations with that possibility
in view.
1t has been suggested that they Will
BE needed at Fort Smelling after the
departure of the Third United States
infantry now stationed there, but this
is a remote possibility. 1t is usual for
SUnited States troops to leave behind
al a fort a sufficient number of men
no guard it, and it is now believed that
Capt Gerlach will be detailed to pro-
.tect the fort with a force of about
twenty five men who, by reason of
ILLNESS. are not capable to perform ac-
tive military duty.
Under the law the president, as COM
'mander-in- chief of the military forces
iof the United States. has a right to
kall out for service such troops as he
may deem necessary, but it is expected
10 go South he Will give them forty
eight hours notice. But if he should
mot do so and should call them out for
immediate service, they could be sum-
-moned within an hour and started for
the scene of activity within another
hour.
The total strength of the national
guard of Minnesota is 1874, officers
and men. From this number should be
Seducted the three bands of sixty must
F,ians They would not be taken to
flight unless they enlisted and eXchang-
ed their trOmbones for guns. The full
military strength of the state author
dzed by law is 2,460 But the state APP
7propriatiun is insufficient to allow it.
SThe Third regiment has only eight
companies on that account
The First regiment is divided be-
tween St Paul and Minneapolis, there
being four companies of infantry and
one battalion of artillery in each city.
Gin Duluth there are three companies
of the Third infantry, and in Winona
two companies of the Second infantry.
saltwater and Red Wing have each
yone company of the First regiment.
There is one company of the Second
regiment in each of the following
towns: New Ulm, Faribault, Fair
;mont. Spring Valley. Austin, st.
Games. Albert Lea and Waseca.
In each of the following towns there
is one company of the Third: Anoka,
Humbrota, Merriam Park, Fergus Falls
snd Olivia.
The First regiment is commanded by
Col c. McC. Reeve, of Winona; the
Second by Col. George Bobleter, of
New Ulm: the Third by Col. c. A.
Nan Duzee. of st. Paul, and the artil-
1ery by Maj. E. D. Libby, of st. Paul
But there is not much apprehen-
Of +tN
guard that the Minnesota troops will
be called into service even if war is
declared. Ii is thought that the South
.ern troops in Georgia, Mississippi, Tex
as. Alabama, Florida and other states
in that section will be first called upon
because they are acclimated, and, If an
Invasion of Cuba was contemplated,
they could stand the Cuban climate
(which would kill the Northern troops
1t may be that the Northern forces
may be required for service along the
Pacific coast, though an invasion from
shat direction by Spanish troops is not
considered probable. They might be
needed for the coast defenses, but
california has enough soldiers to man
the Pacific guns.
If war should prove to be a prolonged
contest, then the Minnesota men may
see some fighting. But it is thought
by army officers that. unless foreign
governments become involved in the
war, it will be of short duration. With
the insurgents fighting the Spanish
on the island of Cuba. and all their
food supplies cut off by the United
States, it will net require much time to
reduce the Spanish to subsection by
the simple process of starvation. That,
aided by a few rounds of ammunition,
it is thought will quickly settle the
fate of the Spanish in that island
without the assistance of many regi-
ments of the national guard.