Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-22
GET OUR FULL QUOTA.
VIRGINIA COMMANDS WILL SOON
ne UP TO FULL STRENGTH.
a LARGE SQUAD SENT YESTERDAY.
Reported Sickness at Camp Cuba
Librc Said to BE Exaggerated
Captain PeGram Says the Camp II
Singularly Healthy.

| luii quOtd Oh foibutcciS
der President McKinley's second call for
1900 troops bids fair to be soon furnish
ed. The First Battalion OF colored troops
Is now complete. and Major Johnson, the
commander who was recently mustered
into the Federal service. left yesterday to
take command at Camp Corbin. Major
| Shanks is busily engaged in Petersburg
| getting the other battalion In readiness
| for muster. and In few days now that
battalion will also be in camp. Colonel
Croxton will then be mustered in, and
will report his two battalions as ready
for orders from Washington.
The white recruits apportioned to the
three regiments under the second call are
also being gotten rapidly now. The re-
cruiting officers for the Second and Fourth
regiments are making shipments OF re-
cruits to Jacksonville almost every day,
and think they will have concluded their
labors in about two weeks. Thus far
they have gotten about IS per cent. of
their number, and they are now reaching
out into the country districts and securing
men from all over the state. Sixteen re-
cruits were sent to Jacksonville yester-
day at noon, and more Will probably be
sent to-day, as seven recruits arrived here
yesterday from Clifton Forge. where they
were secured by the mastering officer who
has been on tour of that section.
THIRDS OFFICERS SUCCESSFUL,
TOO.
The officers of the Third Regiment have
been equally as successful as those of the
other two. They have been securing the
State for recruits, and though, as a rule
enlistments in the two regiments at Jack
sonville are more popular. the Camp AL
ger officers have met with little difficulty
in securing men. Altogether. ii is thought
that Virginia will have fulfilled her duty,
so far as the first and second calls are
concerned, long before another call for
troops issues, If such a call does issue.
There are p Virginia any number OF
men who are1nxious 10 go to the front,
but the majority Of them want 10 go with
the officers OF their own selection. They
have joined embryo companies which are
awaiting the third call, and If the Presi-
dent sees fit TO call for more troops and
asks Virginia for a regiment or two, there
will be a prompt response to his appeal
Colonel 10. Lane Stern will undoubtedly
go in command of the First Regiment,
which is organized in Virginia. and he
will have a wealth of material from
which to pick his command. There are |
on file in the Adjutant- Generals office |
upwards Of sixty applications from men |
who say they have companies already |
organized and ready to go to the front, |
and investigation has shown that many |
Of these offers are bona fide, and that |
the commands are ready as stated, though
Of course not equipped.
DON'T EXPECT THIRD CALL
The military authorities OF the State
DO not expect a third call now. and hence
are devoting themselves 10 securing re-
cruits for the organizations already in |
existence. This accounts for the exertions
which are being put forth to this end.
Some excellent material has recently been
sent to Jacksonville. Among those who
vent yesterday was one young man who
,nly presented himself for enlistment yes
erday morning. He was examined, pass
ID, mustered, and sent off in two hours.
Those who went were II. X. Peace. f. l.
Hayes. W. II. Jones. f. e. Hawkins, r.
:. German, H. f. Stull, and Joseph +.
Norris. who went to join the Second Regi-
nent, and Marion S. Hewitt, Charles
Krouse, L. p. Abernethy, j. II. Bolton.
". d. Weddle, A. +. MAXWELL, A. b. Dali
ON, C. F. Bait, and II. S. Edmonds for
he Fourth.
NO SICKNESS THERE.
"A report WHICH mas iLlS NitJ
and caused no little uneasiness among the
relatives and friends of the soldiers quar-
Tered at Camp Cuba Libre is TO the effect |
that a great deal of sickness exists among
the men, and that fever is almost epi-
iemic in the camp. The rumor, however,
appears to be without foundation in fact |
OF course there is some sickness in the |
camp. No large body of men could well |
be gathered together without some sick |
ness invading their midst, but officers who |
have just returned from the camp say |
that the reports Of a fever epidemic |
are misleading. Captain George Pegram.
of Company b, of the Blues, who reach |
ed here a few days ago on a short fur
Tough, says that the camp Is singuarly |
healthy There are some few cases OF |
fever, he says but these are all mild and |
as n rule only keep the men confined to |
their beds for a few days. IN his COM
pany of more than ninety men, he says, |
there are only three sick and these |
amount only to slight indisposition. While |
he can only give figures as TO his COM
mand he says that about the same pro-
portion of sickness exists in the others
as in his.
The boys at Jacksonville are not only |
but they are in fine spirits and anxious
for service. They are daily looking for
orders which will call them TO the front,
and now have hopes of being sent to
Porto Rico.