The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-23
ARE PRIVATE CITIZENS NOW.
GUARDS BATTALION MUSTERED
OUT OF SERVICE.

Them a Happy Future nnd Fleas-
ant RecOIIections of Their Ser
vices-Capt. Austin Complimented
by the Men of Company M-Men
Glad 10 Get Back to Private Life.
Country Members Return to Their
Homes.
The first battalion of the Second Georgia
Regiment was mustered out of the service
of the government yesterday and the men
are now all free American citizens again.
The muster out was completed by 3
O'Clock in the afternoon
The men met at camp at O'Clock and
the work of finally breaking camp was
begun. The tents which have been oc-
cupied by the battalion for the last sew
eral weeks were taken down, rolled up,
loaded aboard wagons and dispatched to
the quartermaster' department The or
dnance had already been checked in and
sent to the Augusta arsenal There were
various little details which occupied Off
GERS and men until noon
There were several little incidents of
pleasant nature which occurred uring the
morning. Col Oscar J. Brown of the Sec
ond Regiment, arrived on the scene about
Il O'Clock and was greeted with three
hearty cheers by the men. There were
cries for speech" but Col. Brown re-
piled by saying that he had no speech to
make He assured the men, however, of
his appreciation of the services which they
had rendered and his good wishes for their
welfare in the future.
Col. Brown said that he trusted that they
would have only pleasant memories of their
experience in the Second Georgia. While
they did not get to go to Cuba or Porto
Rico, he said they had undergone the
hardships of camp life together While
there were many unpleasant features and
incidental hardships connected with these
experiences he hoped that these would be
forgotten and only pleasant memories re
MAN. Col Brown said that he felt sure
that their experience in The Second Geor-
gia would prove beneficial to the men ana
would always be remembered by them.
Capt w G. Austin of Company NJ, was
complimented by his company by the pres
entation of a handsome gold watch chain
and charm, with diamond setting. The
presentat ton was made by Lieut.. Dixie
Screven who assured Capt. Austin that
the appreciation of his men of his con.
slant and unfailng attention to their well
fare Capt. Austin, in replying, expressed
his appreciation of the gift, and assured
his men that he wished for them the ut
most happiness and success in the future
He trusted that they would preserve only
pleasant memories Of their service and
that the hardships of the camp and the
march and the various little things which
interfere with the enjoyment of a soldiers
life would be forgotten. The guara duty,
the kitchen detail the camp police and
other things of this kind would become
only pleasant memories as time went by,
he assured them. At the conclusion Of
Capt. Austin's remarks the men of Com.
pany NJ gave him three rousing cheers.
The paying off of the men begun short-
iy after noon ard continued up to
O'clock in which time some $4,000 was dis
pensed by the paymasters. The average
sum received by each man was between
$50 and $50, while some who had been alb
cent on sick furlough a good part of the
time received much more in pay and
clothing allowance. Each man as he was
paid off was handed his discharge, certify
ing to the fact that he had enlisted on a
certain date to serve two years in the
volunteer army of the United States and
that he was discharged because of the
regiment being mustered out On the back
of each discharge was indorsed the words,
Honest and faithful service" If there
We're any otherwise indorsed they were
not exhibited.
BY o'clock the camp was deserted and
the men were down I'm the city enjoying
their liberty and congratulating each other
upon their successful escape from what
promised to be an arduous and unpleasant
service. Many OF the men invested at
once in new suits of citizens clothing.
II.rhf 4 ha
mehts of the express company and post
ONCE and forwarded various amounts TO
friends and relatives elsewhere. One man
showed a Morning News reporter an or
ger Tor 800 which he was about to send
to his little children in a distant state.
The majority of the country members
left the city on the night trains. They
have done yoeman service for the bat-
TALON and have the respect and esteem
OF their comrades from the city Nearly
al the counties in this vicinity contributed
their quota TO the battalion. OF these
Waynesboro and Burke county NAV wen
De proud OF the contingent furnished to
company IS. They were signal element
oil strength in the company and held the
confidence and respect of their comrades
throughout. The majority of them were
members of the Burke Light Infantry and
readily took rank with the original mem
bers of Company who volunteered for
the war
The mastering out of the First Battalion
- the beginning of the breaking IN OF thc
Second Regiment. the other two battaljons
oeing several days behind the first in their
work. the tirst and second Heutenants Of
the TOUR companies here were mustered out
yesterday. The captains have not vet been
released, they being responsible for every
thing ISSUED to their companies. The can.
tains are never discharged until all com.
pany accounts have been satisfactorily,
made up and all government properly is
sued the company accounted for.
ASST6aNu,r mo ,u,.-...