The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-24
THEY WANT TO GET HOME.
FIRST GEORGIA PRIvATEs ASK TO
BE MUSTERED OUT.

Letter sent to President Mckinley
Giving the Situation as Many of
the PrivateE View It-NOt a Word
| Has Been Heard From the Second
Georgia on This Matter-Suggested
That All Desiring he Mustered Out
and Those Remaining AmaIgalna-
ted.
If the officers OF the First Georgia Regi-
mont, of which Col. A. r. Lawton is In
command, want TO go to Cuba to do gar
rison duty for the next year and six
months, the privates, drawing $3.50 a
month, certainly do not want to do so.
The men in the ranks have placed their
sentiments on record in the matter, and
left no doubt in the minds of the officials
at Washington that they did not enlist for
any such service in time of peace, and
have no desire to continue in the army I'M
der the revised circumstances.
A number of them have positions being
held for them which they cannot expect TO
be kept open indefinitely after peace has
been established. Then, having no epau-
lettes, large salaries, and social position
and privileges such as officers enjoy, they
are not enamored OF military life and have
no objection TO exchanging the Springfield
rifle for the pen OF the yard stick They
| have accordingly. to a very great extent,
| united in a formal letter to the President,
as follows:
Camp Thomas Aug 20, 1S9S-President
William Mckinley, Washington ID. c.:
Nine hundred volunteers of the First
Georgia Regiment respectfully request that
you muster out the First Georgia Rcgi-
ment We feel that we have done our duty
by being ready to defend Americas honor
and that it is our duty now to return to
our families, homes and business. Many of
US have wives and children that need our
protection and support We expect nothing
from our officers, but have all confidence in
America showing that our services have
been appreciated and you will not hesitate
to discharge us at once. Believing the
above truths will have a satisfactory effect
and we win be mustered out without delay,
respectfully
The letter is signed by committee First
Georgia Volunteers"
The statement is made Ia some Of the
state papers that a few officers of the reg
iment were opposed to allowing the men
10 protest in any way, or petition against
| being required TO do garrison duty. If so
they apparently have not succeeded. In
some other regiments the colonels have
openly stated that they would punish for
INSTRUMENTATION any man getting up a pc
tition or otherwise leading the men to give
vent to their feelings in this matter Pa
pers all over Georgia, and in fact, through
out the country, sustaining public opinion,
are insisting that the voice of the privL rs
shall be heard and the department not be
governed in this matter by the wishes of
the officers.
No word has come from the Second Reg
| iment, which has just moved to Huntsville
from Tampa, as 10 whether it's men are ag-
itated over this matter or not. If they are
not, it Is probably the only volunteer regi-
ment in the country that is not discussing
this phase of the military situation.
| The suggestion has been made, and may
be adopted, that all men DESTROYS of being
| discharged, be mustered out honorabIy, and
new regiments filed up from those who
prefer TO continue in the service. One OBJ
| lection to this In the eyes of some will be
that it will leave a lot of officers without
! jobs. 1t would apparently be a case of
| straw pulling for places on their part.