The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-11
State Will Equip the First Contin-
gent, and There Is Great Hust-
ling for Supplies.
MUSTERED IN YESTERDAY
THIRD REGIMENT SUCCEEDS IN GET
TING UNDER THE WIRE FIRST.
Places for the Brigade Oficers-Bar-
nett Made Colonel of the First
-McKee's Chances.

The matter of moving the troops to their
| final rendezvous received an unexpected
| setback yesterday which will bring the
| hour of departure up to some time this
| evening" probably. Early yesterday morning
word was received by Captain May to the
| effect that the place of rendezvous had
| been changed from Chickamauga Park to
New Orleans for the Second and Third
Regiments and Battery A This intelligence
came in the nature of great surprise to
every one concerned, but was generally
| looked on with favor The fact that the
| soldiers are ordered to New Orleans is in
the mind of most people significant, mas
much as it implies that they will be used
| Immediately in the contemplated invasion
of Cuba, while had they been sent to
| Chickamauga Park the chances would have
been that they would have stayed at that
point undergoing the process of seasoning
until October or later before seeing any
| active service. Among military men this
sudden overturning of General Miles's plan
| by Secretary Alger is as good as a formal
declaration that the actual conquest of
| Cuba is to begin at once and that the In
| diana boys are to participate in the event.
| The main difficulty in the way of the NOV
| ing of the troops was the fact that Capt
| May received a message from the Jeffer-
sonville supply depot saying that the de-
| mand on that institution for equipment had
| been so heavy that the officers in charge
would be unable to ship the necessary
| equipment to the Indiana trops. This I'M
welcome intelligence caused conference to
| be held between the regimental officers,
| Captain May and Governor Mount at head
! quarters, in which Captain May stated that
as the unpleasant emergency confronted
| them the best thing possible to do under
the circumstances would be to have the
| Governor make acquisitions for the pur-
chase Of whatever would be needed in the
way of shoes, shirts. socks and underwear
] for the men and purchase them if possible
| here in indianapolis, sending the bill 0fter-
| ward to the federal authorities for reim-
| bursement
ThlS plan 1T was decided to put into exc
cut1on, in the hope that the men could be
put into shape for movement tomorrow
AFTER brief inquiry, however, it was
learned that the supply of the proper sort
! OF equipment was far from sufficient to
supply all the men. 1t is stated that nearly
five thousand suits of underwear will be re-
quired, and that the price should be at
wholesale rates about So dozen. If the
entire city should be ransacked it was
stated probable that that amount might
be found, but it would not be of one quail
lty, and no dealer could afford to furnish
enough to supply the men at the price the
government can afford to pay The matter
of shoes IS also a serious problem. 1t would.
of course. be possible to secure 5000 pairs of
shoes in Indianapolis, but the difficulty lies
in the fact that the dealers stock up heav-
lily on shoes of the prevailing fashion.
which are not of the approved army pat
tern.
The shoe required for marching service is
a square-toed heavy, dat-heel shoe, and
there is no considerable supply of this sort
Of shoe on hand in this city. 1t is, there
fore, decided that the quickest means of
supplying the necessary equipment would be
to order them either from Cincinnati or
Chicago, and it was thought likely that a
rush order sent to such firm as Marshall
Field. of Chicago. would bring the neces-
sary amount of equipment on tweuty-four
hours notice.
1t was learned yesterday that the ar
rangement for moving the troops to New
Orleans had been made with the Monon
Railway people, and, although nothing def
mite could be learned as to what road would
haul them out of Indianapolis, it was
thought probable by the regimentaI officers
and Captain May that, in view of the close
relations existing between the Monon and
the c., H. s. D., that the later would have
the CALL In case the c., II. & d, secures
the contract from the Monon road the rest
of the route is easily figured out, inasmuch
as the Cincinnati Southern, which is a part
of the Queen & Crescent route, has a close
traffic arrangement with the c., H & d.
road direct to New Orleans. 1t was stated
that the officers of the Second and Third
Regiment, with those of Battery A, would
have their own dining and sleeping cars.
equipped with their own servants, while
the men would also have a dining car at
their disposal, but just what would be fur
nished in the way of sleeping cars no one
was able to say with certainty Captain
May, however. believes that the men will
be furnished accommodations in tourist
sleeping cars, as the ride is a long and
tedious one, and it is his purpose to land
all the men in New Orleans in as good
condition possible. In fact he saws he
will make it his business to see that every
comfort possible will be furnished the BOYS
en- route.
Last night 1t was stated that because of
the delay in obtaining the necessary equip
ment for the men it was likely that they
would be unable to leave the camp for New
Orleans until some time Thursday The
problem of supplying the men with uni
forms has been temporarily solved after a
makeshift fashion by the Governor agree
ing to donate to the use of the troops three
hundred discarded uniforms that are now
stored in the Statehouse. They will not af-
ford the boys much Of a chance to present
spruce appearance, but are considered
from every standpoint an Improvement over
ls.,. nIr
ply Of belts and leggings and other accou-
trements in the capital to meet all demands
The Springfield rifles now in use by the
State troops will not be taken to New Or
leans. with the exception OF about ten guns
to each company TO be used by the men on
guard duty while en- route. Captain May
received intelligence yesterday To tina enact