The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-22
GUARDS LAST DAY IN CAMP.
FIRST BATTALION MEN TO GET
OUT OF THE SERVICE.

The Paymaster Will Meet Them
With the Cash This MOrning-Men
Must Appear in Uniform to Receive
Their Discharges and Their Last
Cash From Uncle Sam-They Will
Then Bid Farewell to "TheiF I'M
cIee and Become Private Citizens
once MOre-Cnpt. Austin Treats
Company VI to a Thanksgiving
Dinner.
The men of the First Battalion of the
Second Georgia Regiment will be mustered
out of the service of the government to-
day. Everything is In readiness and the
only thing remaining for the men to do is
to take down and pack up the tents which
Che battalion has used since its arrival in
Savannah nearly two months ago.
The men have all been notified to appear
at camp at O'Clock this morning and In
uniform. Many of the city members who
have been living at their homes, most of
Of them having returned to work, have
been wearing citizens clothes since their
arrival in the city. They will have to don
the army blue once more to-day, however.
The paymasters are expected at the
camp about IL O'clock and will at once
proceed to pay off the men. AS the two
paymasters, Mai. Bulls and Mai. Haydn,
they viii make quick work of the job.
Maj. Bulls paid the Second Georgia in
Tampa last June, that being the first
money received by the men from the gov
eminent. He VIII also have the pleasure
of giving them the last. Each man will
receive four 10 five times as much as he
did then, however
After being paid off the men will re-
ceive their discharges. 1t will be happy
release to most of them The wait In
camp has been a tiresome one, and the
men will willingly bid goodbye to the
camp on Estlll avenue, Notwithstanding
the fact that they have had the easiest
time there of any place at which they
have been encamped. They have been well
fed, had ali the liberty they could ask,
and about all the work required Of them
was an occasional tour of guard duty.
Company M had its Thanksgiving din
ner yesterday. 1t was Capt. Austin's treat
and was done in royal style. AS the men
will not be in camp Thanksgiving day, and
as they are about to separate for their
homes Cap. Austin took this manner of
showing his men his appreciation of the
faithful service which they have rendered
him. He quietly instructed Quartermast-
ter Sergeant N. E. Harrell to make the
necessary preparations and to see that
nothing was lacking. The dinner that was
served at O'Clock was one that made
the mouths CT the boys in the other three
companies water. There were half dozen
big roast turkeys, roast pork, boiled ham,
sweet and Irish potatoes in several styles.
vegetables, salads, celery, bread, cake, cof-
fee, nuts, apples, oranges, raisens and
beer.
The dinner was not served out of pots,
nor did the men eat out of tin plates.
There was plenty of crockery loaned by
George w. Allen, and silverware provided
by the lady friends of the company. The
ladies who gave their aid in the prepara-
ton and supervision of the dinner were
Miss Cosens Miss Screven, Mrs. Austin
and Miss Garden. The members of Com
pany M will long remember the dinner as
perhaps the pleasantest experience of their
service with the government.
This treat was not needed TO insure the
AHeCllOndle IttltiHbldiiSS VI Ndpts austin
by his men. He had long since won their
confidence and esteem by his constant and
unfaiiing attention to their comfort and
welfare, being always with his company
when il was possible for him to do so and
sharing whatever hardships fen to its lot.
No officer of the Second Regiment has a
better record In caring for his men than
Capt. Austin.
Probably the majority of the company
members of the battalion, about 100 in
all, will leave for their homes tonight
Many warm friendships have been formed
among the members of the battalion from
different portions of the state, and the
breaking up of the command will not be
without lis regrets, but friendships formed
under such circumstances are lasting and
will go with the men through life.