The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-08-10
All Volunteers Will See Service.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6.-The ques-
ton is being asked here as to how
long will the volunteers have to serve,
or rather how long they will be per-
mitted to serve. There is good deal
OF anxiety in the question for both
the men in the field and the represen-
tatives of their States do not want
their ardor damped by being kept in
camp all summer, only to be sent home
without seeing any actual service.
I heard Colonel Robertson say once
that after the second battle Of Manas-
sas when he had not been in either he
felt that he would never smell powder
or even be called upon for garrison
work. But he lived to see plenty of
both.
1t is very likely that the boys now
at Fort Thomas and Camp Alger will
likewise see plenty of actual work.
They may not fire their Springfelds
at the enemy or charge battery, but
the chances are that they will have
all the rest. Some will 60 on the
memorable march from Ponce to San
Juan, entering that city triumphantly
and witness the hoisting Of the stars,
and stripes.
Others will be called upon for garri-
son duty at Havana and face the fever
in other parts Of the island. Fifty
thousand alone will be needed for the
Havana district, and it is not likely
that any of those who served in front
of Santiago will be sent south again
until cold weather, if indeed they are
ever sent at all.
The Round Robin sent to the ad-
ministration as to the condition of the
men in Cuba has appalled, the anthor-
tiles, and they will be brought back to
this country as rapidly as possible:
The theory advanced by Colonel
Roosevelt that only three or four regi-
ments will be needed in Santiago is
not believed in Washington, and other
men, composing good-sized army,
will be sent there for garrison duty.
It would not be safe to leave the city
open for surprise, either from the
Spaniards or the Cubans. Army Off
cials here believe that most of the
volunteer force will be under orders
for the full term of their enlistment.
The administration is determined that
Porto Ricans shall see the force Of
the American militia. 1t is not in
tended that they shall feel it, but it
will be sent there as an object lesson
for the revolutionary element which
is always to be found in Spanish
American countries.
Secretary Alger said to-day that all
the immunes would be sent south and
that most of the men now in camp
would see service and hoped they
would be patient under the restraint
1t is possible that the troops
scheduled and ordered for Porto Rico
may not get there, but may be sent
to Cuba instead. 1t will be necessary
to have force ready for Cuba the
moment General Blanco is ordered to
capitulate. It will not be possible to
have the cities to be overrun by the
Cubans, for this country is under
bend practically to protect the prop
erty Of the citizens there. Six weeks
at least will be required if not three
weeks longer to get the Spanish army
out of Havana, which will throw the
ingress of our troops to that island to
the end Of September, by which time
the rains begin to slack and the
healthier weather begins to set in.
The theory is advanced also that the
movement of troops to Porto Rico is
merely to acclimate them to the tropics
before transferring them to Cuba.
They are certainly not needed in Porto
Rico as ehere will be enough there
when those at Newport News reach
there to garrison the island.