The Indianapolis journal., 1898-05-06
AT THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
Proposed Change In the Bill PrOvid-
ing for "Immunes"

ing for "Immunes."
WASHINGTON, May 5. 1T is the under
standing at the War Department that the
bill now pending in Congress providing for
the enlistment of over 10000 'immunes"
and a brigade of engineers will be modified
so as to leave it discretionary with the
President to recruit probably $1,000 men
made up of such special classes as he may
deem best for the service. These classes, it
is expected, will include '.mmunes," signal
corps, cowboy companies and artillery and
engineer regiments This course is regarded
at the War Department as better than that
proposed in the bill. in that it will enable
the President to provide for obtaining such
troops as he may think best.
Among those VINO have been prominent in
urging upon the officials the formation of
brigade of engineer troops is Mr.. Eugene
Griffin, the vice president OF the General
Electric Company Mr.. Griffin is grad
| uate of West Point, who served fourteen
years in the corps of engineers, including
service as aid-de-camp with Gen. w. S.
Hancock. He has rendered his services to
| the government in connection with the pres
ent war, and in doing so wrote an interest
ing letter to Secretary Alger, Giving his
reason for urging the formation of a bri-
gade of engineers, not exceeding $500 men,
who should be enlisted and commissioned
in the service of the United States. Each
of these regiments, he says, should be COM
posed of civil and mechanical engineers,
electrical engineers and practical electri-
clans, mechanics artisans, craftsmen and
men familiar with all kinds of engineering
work, capable of being rapidly converted
into military engineers with proper train
ing. He gives figures to show that the
strength of the volunteer engineer brigade
of the Army of the Potomac under Generals
Grant and Meade, in January, 1866, was
about 4 per cent. of the total number of
troops under their command, not including
the regular battalion of engineers with the
Army of the Potomac, nor the en-
gineer regiment with the Army of
the James; the engineer troops with
the Army of the Cumberland in 1864
amounted to per cent OF the total, and
those of Sherman's army in the march to
the sea amounted to 7A per cent. In the
contemplated occupation of Cuba, he says.
the character OF the country and the prob
ability of siege operations against Havana
makes it obvious that an unusually large
proportion of engineer troops will be re-
quired. Five per cent of the number of
volunteers would be a reasonable minimum
number, he suggests, to fix as the strength
of the volunteer engineers. The proposed
brigade is about one-half of that number.
Mr.. Griffin shows the many uses to which
electricity and photography will be put to
in the war and how necessary it is that
men skilled in those lines should be ready
to conduct whatever operations are neces-
sary. From letters received Mr.. Griffin
says he believes he could readily organize
the brigade proposed
Great pressure is being brought to bear
upon the War Department to secure ap-
pointments to second lieutenancies author
lied by the recently enacted Hull bill. The
list of applicants includes many bright
young men, for the regulations require them
to be under thirty Among them for
mer students at West Point, newspaper
men and others with political influence back
of them.
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt will leave
here tomorrow for San Antonio, Tex, for
the purpose of assuming his duties as lieu
tenant colonel of the regiment of mounted
rifemen commanded by Col. Leonard Wood.
He will practically sever his official con-
nection with the Navy Department at the
close of business to-day, although his resig-
nation may not take effect until after the
appointment and qualification of his sue
cessor. Who this will be has not yet been
disclosed.
Fighting Joe'' Wheeler, who yesterday
was nominated to the position of major gen.
eral in the volunteer army, reported at
army headquarters to-day. He was the first
of the major generals to signify to Secre-
tary Alger his readiness for active duty.
The President, however, as yet has not de-
termined finally upon the organization of
the volunteer army, and in the absence of
any action in this direction it is not likely
that any designations will be positively
made. The probability, however. is that
General Wheeler and Gen. Fitzhugh. Lee
will receive commands in the section Of the
country from which they come. General
Wheeler has not yet determined whether he
will resign his seat as a representative in
Congress from the State of Alabama This
will depend upon the duration of the war.
Secretary Alger and General Miles COM
manding the army, were in consultation for
a long time to-day concerning the pro-
gramme to be followed in subdiyiding the
volunteer and the regular armies into corps.
divisions. ETC.. and the assignment of the
major generals to their several commands
Without reaching definite conclusion the
matter went over until tomorrow. when
General Miles says, some definite concn-
sion probably will be reached. One of the
first assignments to be made win he thai
Of a major general to command the troons
to be concentrated at the national canjtaI