Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-11-21
MILITARY AFFAIKS

The announcement made on Saturday
10 the effect that recruiting detail
from the Fourth regiment was to leave
Savannah Sunday to enlist men from
the Second and Third regiments into
the Fourth, created great deal of in-
terest among tbs officers and men of
the Second, now in Richmond.
1t is most emphstically asserted by
acknowledgement officers that it cannot
ne done. The President and Adjutant
General Corbin are cited IS authorities
for the statement. President Mckinley
himself recently assured two officers OF
the regiment now in Richmond that
there was no law which could be con-
strued as giving authority for enlisting
more men at this time. A proclams-
ion calling for volunteers would be
cecesssry. The President said he
woul6 not thiak of issuing such proc
lanation.
Afterwards the officers referred to
above saw Adju!ant-General Corbiu.
He took precisely the same view as
that taken by President Mckinley.
The officers of the Second wished to
De allowed to enlist recruits in order 10
bring up the strength of the regiment
TO the number named by President Nc
Kinley as necessary to its retention il
the service. Naturally, they cannot uu-
derstand why it is that the Second was
not allowed to recruit up and the
Fourth is ordered to do so.
They were assured that the only way
in which mustered-out soldiers could
re-enter the service would be by enlist
ing in the regular army.
There is DO law against allowing vol
unteers to be transferred. Men from
the Second could be transferred to the
Fourth. 1t is doubtful if this could be
done against the will of the men. TIE
Hull volunteer-army bill provides that
the State organizations OF volunteers
shall be left intact. 1t is argued thai
this clause would not be complied with
if men were taken from one regiment
and enrolled in another against their
will.
Tbs great difficulty is that if the men
are transferred they do not get their
clothing Communication. Under the reg
ulations this cannot be paid the men
until discharged from service. 1t is
comparatively big thing. The mea
will not give it up. II mustered out
and paid off in full many men from the
Second would eulist in the Fourth. II
they are asked to transfer, the response
will be very weak.
One hundred men are to be dis
charged from the Fourth. Their places
will be filed by recruits. 1t is now un.
derstood that the Secretary will with
hold the discharges until the necessary
Number OF recruits are secured. The
recruiting officers will also endeavor to
enlist enough men to bring the total
strength OF the regiment up to |, 272
men. 1t is understood that it will re-
quire about $50 men to do this.
A rumor current Saturday to
the effect that the Second regi
ment may still be retained in service
seems to have no good foundation.
The Secretary of War, in conversation
with Governor Tyler last Thursday,
assured him that such thing was moi
to be thought of.
Sill, owing to the expressed wish OF
Secretary Alger to retain the regiment
ia service hope is expressed in some
quarters that the order may be rescind-
ed. The enormous number of appli-
cants for discharge being made by men
from the Fourth regiment, and the IN
settled condition of things in the Sixth,
leads to a hope that the regiments msy
be mustered out and the Second retain
ed, as having in it more men who wish
to stay Richmond Dispatch.