The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-01
WANT THE TROOPS HERE.
COMMITTEE CALLED ON COL. LAW
TON WITH REGARD TO 1T.

pOrNnnr lhtnSs ana IhuN the war
Department Should Not BE Inter-
feFed with by state Disputes-VOI-
unteer Force VIII BE Recruited at
Home, Probably, and Organization
Thus Maintain d--COI. LawtOn Has
No Doubt That Return Expenses OF
Rejected Men VIII be Paid-Belier
That Rendezvous Point Might BE
Changed to savannah If a Proper
Effort Were Made.
committee composed of President Jos.
Ferst and Vice President l. b. Tiedeman Of
the Wholesale Grocers' Association, and
President B. H. Levy of the Retail Mer-
chants Associa ton, called on Col. A. R.
Lawton yesterday morning to make inqui-
could not be rendezvoused at Savannah in
stead of Atlanta.
The idea is that Savannah is a coast
city nearer to Tampa, which is considered
the ultimate point in this country to which
the troops will be sent, and the committee
considered too, that the troops in all Of
the other states are being brought togeth-
er In the coast cities, and thought Sayan-
nah should have been considered when it
came to the location of the Georgia troops.
The idea of the committee with regard
TO the matter was laid before Col. Lawton.
The gentlemen stated, too, that they had
been asked these questions by many other
Savannah merchants, and other Savannah
citizens who felt an interest in the matter,
and thought the troops should have been
brought here.
What the war department had In view
when 1t ordered that the troops from Geor-
gia be assembled in Atlanta is not definite
ly known. For one thing it has Fort Nc
Pherson barracks located there where the
troops will no doubt be temporarily quar-
tered. In the next place it may be the idea
of the war department to take them to
Chickamauga and put them into camp for
the present until they are needed to go to
the front. The war department no doubt
considered Atlanta a central point on that
| account. 1t Is also a central point to many
of the Gulf ports.
Whatever may have been the views of
| the war department when 1t acted in the
matter Col. Lawton told the committee
| that 1t was not for the troops to question
| them now, but to act as they were OF
| dered He said he had fully as much in
| terest in Savannah as any of those who
| had taken the matter up, and that he
would have liked nothing better than to
have seen the troops ordered here. But the
war department having acted in the mat
| ter, he did not think exceptions should be
taken to that action now. He spoke of the
| instance of South Carolina, where when
| the fight came up between Charleston and
| Columbia for the assembling of the troops,
| the war department practically told the
South Caroinians that If there was going
| to be any fuss about it, the country would
fight without the South Carolina troops.
The committee was thoroughly satisfied
| with Col. Iawton's statement of the case,
MIR. B. H. Levy said. They had not, Of
| course, taken that view Of it before and,
under the circumstances, they considered
that they could do nothing. Therefore, no
protest will be entered on their part.
1.-THE Eaain thing is the war;" Col Law
ton said, when asked about the matter
land not where the troops shall be assem-
bled. The war department alone has that
matter in hand, and when il has so many
things to look after as 1t has under the
present circumstances, I think 1t should
be let alone. Personally, / would like to
see the troops here, but l do not think
that we should interfere. There are forty
FIVE states in the Union, and If they al
came forward with the same dispute in
regard to this matter, it can readily be
seen what a predicament the department
would be in"
Col Lawton does think, however, that
the volunteers from Savannah should he
given their physical examination here, snd
efforts will be made to get the department
to send an examining surgeon and mus
tering officer here. Savannah will furnish
about one-third of the troops from Geor-
gia, and nearly a whole regiment will be
formed in this section. Arrangements
might be made to examine them here and
muster them in here, and they could then
be sent to any point where they are de-
sired
With regard to the Georgia commands,
the volunteer forces of the state, which
will not, of course, maintain their identity
as organizations in enlisting, nothing dell
mite has vet been decided. The majority
or a large part of the First Regiment IN
fantry. may enlist as volunteers, and yet
the First Regiment Infantry as an organi-
zation will remain right here in Savannah.
1t is the idea OF the Governor, Col. Law
ton thinks. to recruit up the commands
which remain at home and to thus main
mands. With regard to the officers those
who volunteer will still retain their com,
missions here. Col Lawton, for instance.
will still retain his commission as colonel
of the First Regiment, but during his ALB
sence the regiment will. be in command
of the ranking officer remaining; for IN
stance, Maj Edward Karow, who is major
of the First Battalion. Col. Lawton has
placed his resignation in the hands of the
Governor as a precautionary measure. so
that 1t can be accepted should il become
necessary. But that necessity is not an
ticipated.
In the case of the Irish Jasper Greens,
who will go as a company. they will also
still maintain their organization here. 1t
Is probable that veteran members of the
company will take charge of the COM
pany's property and affairs, so that the
existence of the company as the Irish JAS
per Greens viii be continuous as com.
pany, even in the very unexpected event
that not a single member of the com-
pany should return. In some instances
companies temporarily organized may be
put in to replace those which are taken,
away as q whole
In the army Of the United States volun-
teers each company will be known by a
letter and regiment number assigned 20