Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-10-05
SEND MORE TROOPS.
One Regiment of Regulars and TWO
of Volunteers Ordered to
Porto Rico.

Washington, D. c., Oct. 3.-The war
department has decided to send more
troops to Porto Rico. Orders have been
ISSUED directing that the Fifth Regular
cavalry now at Huntsville, Ala, the
Sixth United States Volunteer infantry,
now at Chickamauga, and the Forty
seventh New York, now at Fort Adams,
shall proceed to such point in Porto Rico
as may be desired by the commanding
general in that island. The Eighth
United States Volunteer infantry and
two companies Of the Indiana Colored
volunteers, now at Fort Thomas, KY,
will relieve the Sixth Volunteer infantry
at Chickamauga.
All the troops at Camp Meade Will soon
be ordered to points in the South. Some
of them will go to Cuba. But the major
ity will for the present occupy the new
camps recently selected in Georgia and
South Carolina, 1t is said that tue troops
sent to garrison duty in Cuba will not re-
main long, but when they have seen
service for a few months will return to
this country. The same is probably true
as to Porto Rico. 1t is also intimated
that when the troops return the volunteers
will be given sixty days furlough and be
mustered out. By that time Congress Will
have had an opportunity TO determine
what shall be done III regard to garrison
ing the new possessions.
This determination is no doubt due to
the pressure that has been brought by
members of Congress for the mastering
out of the volunteers from their states
and districts. The responsibility for tur-
nIShing troops for garrison duty ana Ter
army duty generally will be upon Con
9resS- The recommendations CT the
President and the war department VIII
bnyn hoop ,nnIa hpforp thp tr0GnS are
withdrawn from Cuba or Porto Rice and
the necessity of the case made known.
Although there has been less pressure
for the mastering out of volunteers since
the announcement was made that the
troops could not be spared, the demand
continues with sufficient persistence to
convince the war officials that a r~eorgani-
cation Of the army will be necessary, and
that some arrangements will nave to be
made to secure a force for garrison serv-
ice in the islands and the states which
will not be subject to difficulties expert
'enced in the case of the volunteers. AL
though the pressure for the muSter-out
of entire regiments is not so great, the
demand for the discharge of individuals
has overwhelmed the department.
There is not a senator or representative
scarcely who has not presented requests
of this kind, and there is a constant de-
mand for the discharge Of one man or an
liz uDOA Jill DLNNNAb, IN WIN -
be deemed valid in the case of men III the
regular army. Personal appeals are made
by fathers, mothers, wives, sisters and
sweethearts. Every man in the depart
ment who is supposed TO have any i'll
tiuence is sought to secure the discharge
of enlisted men, who have tired Of the
life Of soldering.
These requests and the demands foc
mastering out have no doubt had their
effect IN making the war officials seek
some more satisfactory method of army
organization for the purposes for which
the army will be needed in the future.
Secretary Alger today announced that
Savannah, Ga, had been selected as the
point of embarkation of all troops which
may hereafter be sent to Cuba or Porto
Rico. 1t is stated at the war department
that Savannah was selected because it
afforded the best facilities.
New York, Oct. 3.-The FOrty-seventh
New York regiment. which has been do
ing garrison duty at Fort Adams, New
port. K. l., since it was mustered in, haY-
ing been ordered to Porto Rico, will leave
either on the Manitoba or the Mississippi.
The Eighth United States volunteers Jim
munes) now at Fort Thomas, Ky, has
also been ordered 70 Porto Rico, and will
leave on the Manitoba or Mississippi if
those transports can be gotten ready in
time. 1t is thought that the departure
will take place Wednesday.
New York, Oct. 3.-Gen. Fitzhugn
Lee, interviewed in this city, said that
the Seventh Army corps, of which he is
commander, would probably go to Cuba
about the last of this month. He had
fifteen regiments under his command,
and the general health Of the corps was
excellent. Only about z per cent. had
been on the sick list since they had been
encamped at Jacksonville.
When asked whether Col. William J.
Bryan's regiment would be mustered out,
Gen. Lee said he did not know. One
Nebraska regiment would be mustered
out and the choice had been left to the
governor of Nebraska.