The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-23
ORDERED TO BE IN READINESS.
GUARDS ARE PREPARED TO MEET
THE RETURNING SOLDIERS.

Though They VIII Be Ten Days in
Atlanta, the Savannah Troops
Would De Escorted If They should
Arrive TO-mOrrow-Guards Urged
tiOn-What Shall 1t Be-The Blue
or the Gray-The Old Question in a
Different Light.
An order has been issued by Capt. w
| W. Williamson to the Savannah Volunteer
Guards to hold themselves in readiness to
assemble at the armory to meet the First
battalion of the Second Georgia Regiment
on it's return. The order is as follows:
THE corps is hereby ordered to hold it.
self in readiness to assemble at the arse
nal, and then proceed to the depot and
escort the First battalion, Second Geor-
gia Infantry, U. S. Vols, on their return.
CAS- soon as definite information as to
the time of arrival is ascertained the hour
will be announced. The members are re-
quested TO watch the daily papers for or
ders.
THE gray uniform (caps and no leg
gins will be worn"
At the meeting Of the corps Monday
night, committee was appointed to draft
a letter to be sent to every member of
the Guards in Savannah setting forth the
reasons why they should turn out with
| the command to meet the returning SOL
diers and welcome them back to their
homes. 1t was particularly desired chat
those who were not present at the meet
| otcyht 10
reached by a committee consisting of those
! gentlemen who had been largely infuen-
| tial in getting the Guards to go down TO
the train in uniform. The letter is cs
follows:
'"The occasion of the return of the First
Battalion of the Second Regiment Geor-
gia Infantry, U. S. ", composed as It is.
of the representatives of this corps who
volunteered in the late war, affords an en-
portunity to the members of the corps in
Savannah to extend a cordial welcome to
! our returning comrades. At a meeting
Of the corps held this evening, 1t was
unanimously resolved that the members
of the corps in Savannah should meet their
returning friends and tender them an en-
tertainment at the Guards Hall.
GAS the welfare of the corps in the flu
ture depends, as in the past, upon that
perfect spirit of harmony which has al
ways characterized our organization, We
| sincerely trust that every one, active
honorary, veteran and associate, will use
this opportunity to join in the happy re-
union with those who went to represent
US at the front.
LAS soon as the time for the arrival of
| the First Battalion can be ascertained due
| notice of same will be given by the COM
manding officer, and it is hoped that a
large number of the members will meet
| at the arsenal to proceed to the depot to
meet our comrades"
The letter is signed by w. w. William
| son, captain command Company A, First
Battalion Infantry. Georgia Volunteers;
| George NJ Gadsden, captain commanding
| Company B, First Battalion Infantry,
Georgia Volunteers; c. S, Richmond, cap
| tain commanding Company G, First Bat
! TALON Infantry, Georgia Volunteers;
| Wright Hunter, captain commanding Com
pany D, First Battalion Infantry, Georgia
! Volunteers and George T. Cam, Charles
| II. Strong John Screven and Henry c.
| Cunningham, committee.
There are probably twenty young men
| in Savannah who have been discharged
| honorably from the First battalion of the
| Second Georgia. With some of these 1t
! is a matter of doubt as to what they shall
| do on the occasion of the parade. They
don't know whether to march with the
battalion from the army or with the
| Guards. Others have made up their minds
! about the matter some to join in the pa
rade with the Guards and others to again
| don their blue uniforms and march with
the returning soldiers.
There is a clause in the military regula-
lions that prohibits any one not a sol
der of the United States wearing the uni
form and bearing arms. If this is TO-
lowed TO the letter, the question is set
tied, in so far as the discharged soldiers
marching with the battalion is concern
ed. 1t looks as if this regulation may be
disregarded. however, as Mr.. W. H. Lea
by, who was a corporal in his company,
yesterday received telegram from Capt.
Thomas Screven, Company b, stating that
he would be pleased to have Mr.. Leahy
and the other Savannah young gentlemen
who have been discharged from Company
B meet the command al the depot on its
arrival and march with it to the armory.
Mr.. Leahy expects to avail himself of the
opportunity of again marching with his
camp comrades.
A number of the discharged Guards
think it the better plan to go down with
the corps to escort the soldiers to the
armory. They say they are no longer in
the army. but are now members of the
Guards, and should turn out with them.
The discharged members, while they know
they are entitled to the honor of being
escorted by their friends who did not vol
unteer, are nevertheless, not at all averse
to themselves acting as an escort for
their comrades who will remain in the
service until they are mustered out. They
will go down in the gray uniform with
the Guards. IT is possible that all the
discharged members may get together and
decide upon one course, either to march
with the escort or those escorted. 1t
has been suggested that such a concert
of action would be a good plan.