Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-18
THE SECOND VIRGINIA.

Newspaper reports on the subject Of
the Second Virginia Regiments home
coming have been conflicting, but they
are now set at rest by dispatches that we
have from Pablo Beach. announcing that
the command will leave there for Rich
mond tomorrow morning.
Upon the arrival of the regiment here
is understood that the officers and men
will be furloughed for thirty days. when
hey will be mustered out, and the Sc
,ond will cease to exist as volunteers IN
The United States army Nor will any
81 its men have TO return TO the militia
service of Virginia, unless they elect SO
10 do.
We say that the regiment will be mus
.ered out at the end of the thirty days,
and that is the expectation. But. so far
AS we know no regiment has yet been
mustered out. except Roosevelts Rough
Riders. Mr.. Roosevelts influence at
Washington was great enough to secure
muster-out orders without any fooling
about furloughs.
We may expect the Second to reach here
been made for lodging and feeding them
In Richmond. We earnestly trust that
unless red-tapeism positively forbds. ar
rangements will also be made for taking
care of all the men who do not wish TO
accept Burroughs.
furlough should be forced upon no
one. Some soldiers have no homes to
20 to. no money to pay railroad fare,
and they would rather stay in camp here
than be furloughed till the time comes
TO be mustered out of service. And it is
far better for all concerned that this
should be arranged. The spectacle
OF soldiers in the uniform of the United
States begging for a nights lodgings. or
a meal. is very unpleasant. Soldiers are
proverbially thriftless. and when ours
come TO be furloughed or mustered out
It will be found that many are WELL
nigh penniless. SO We earnestly trust that
ample provision will be made for keeping
here such Of the enlisted men as do not
care to accept the furloughs that will be
offered them.
There is question whether few or
many OF the enlisted men OF the Second
wish TO continue in the army. When
II was learned that the government had
determined to muster out the Second and
retain the Fourth and Sixth. nearly every
body was surprised. The kilograms on
this subject sent TO Governor Tyler by a
number OF the officers of the Second are
said TO have been very tart, indeed. But
of course. he had nothing 10 do with the
governments choosing the Sixth instead
OF the Second.
The inside history OF that order has
never been made public, but we suspect
there are some influential Republican
politicians in Virginia who know a good
deal about it. However. the Dispatches |
Information is 10 the effect that an inn |
mense majority Of the enlisted men Of the |
Second wish TO be mustered out of SER |
vice We gather this from letters that |
We have received from soldiers and from |
letters written by soldiers to their friends |
At home. SO. no matter who caused the |
Second 70 be ousted, as 1t were. the action /
OF the War once, we think meets the
hearty approval OF the mass Of the en-
listed men
We do NOT profess to be able to reconcile
the conflicting reports that come from
washington. but We hope arrangements
VIII yet be made by which members of the
Second who desire to serve in the Fourth
may be permitted 10 do so. We note that
good many members OF the Fourth are
getting discharges for one reason or an
o'her' anu II that regiment is to keep its
ranks iui, We do not see how that OBJ
,ect could be better accomplished than
~ getting recruits from those who have
served In PIE Second ana Third
The people OF Richmond gave a eors,s,
welcome home 10 the Third Regimen,
and We are prepared TO do likewise FOR
the Second. We consider these soldiers
just as much entitled to our respect and
good wishes an II they had served IN
Cuba or Porto Rico. Certainly they tried