The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-23
$4,000 TO BE RELEASED
WAR DEPARTMENT PREPARING TO
MUSTER OUT VOLUNTEERS.
Those i'm the Philippines to BE
and Sam Juan-AnOther Army bill.

WASHINGTON. Dec 22-The War De-
partment has not yet made definite plans
for the muster out of the $1,000 volunteers
which was decided on at the Cabinet meet
ing yesterday. but it is understood that this
work will be pretty well mapped out by
the first of the year The time required to
complete the muster out will depend on
whether the department adopts the plan of
a two months furlough or of an immediate
discharge, with two months extra pay, as
suggested by Congressman Hull. There are
a number of regiments which have already
returned from foreign service and are await
ing their discharge in this country. Among
these are the First Engineers, at New York,
and the Sixth Massachusetts, at Boston.
These it is understood are slated for early
discharge.
1t has been practically decided also to
muster out all the volunteers in the Philip
pines as quick as they can be replaced with
regulars, so as not to hamper the military
administration of the island. The regiments
on this station at present are Company A,
United States engineer battalion; Troops e,
G, G, 1, X and L, Fourth United States
Cavalry; Batteries G, II, K and L of the
Third and d and G. OF the Sixth United
States Artillery; the Astor Battery, which
has already been ordered home; Batteries
A and d, California; A and b, Utah, and
First Wyoming Artillery, Fourteenth,
Eighteenth and Twenty-third United States
Infantry, First California, First Colorado,
First Idaho, F1fty-first Iowa, Twentieth
Kansas, Thirteenth Minnesota, First Mon
tana, First Nebraska, First North Dakota,
Second Oregon, Tenth Pennsylvania, First
South Dakota, First Tennessee, First Wash
ington and First Wyoming Infantry.
Following the discharge of the regiments
on the Philippine station>it is understood
that the volunteer troops in the West Indies
will be mustered out. The volunteer regi-
ments now on this station are the Eighth
Illinois (colored) Infantry and Twenty-third
Kansas (colored), Santiago de Cuba Third
United States Engineers, Companies b, /,
l. and N at Matanzas, Cuba; Second United
States Volunteer Infantry, Ninth United
States Volunteer (colored) Infantry and
third company signal corps Santiago de
Cuba; fourth company signal corps. Porto
Rico, and fifteenth company signal corps,
Havana, Cuba.
At Honolulu there are now stationed Com
panies /. X, l. and M, Second United States
Volunteer Engineers, while the first and
fifteenth companies signal corps are on the
Manila station.
Encouraging reports of the condition of
affairs in Manila and Porto Rico reached the
War Department to-day from the officers
commanding the troops in those depart
ments. The dispatches from both General
Otis at Manila and General Henry at San
Juan were in response to Geographic in
Guiries by the secretary of war based on re-
ports of a disquieting nature which have
reached the officials here. That from Gen.
Otis, at Manila, was particularly gratifying
to the President and Secretary Alger. 1t is
as follows: Believe. city never more quiet.
augmented in three months. Volume of
business increasing. Conduct of troops good.
Most favorably commented on by citizens.
Discipline improving. Disorders promptly
punished, as business of courts show News
paper articles published in United States,
Hong Kong and Singapore without element
of truth. Military rule firm, as demanded
by circumstances.
The dispatch from General Henry at San
Juan is as follows: Complaints of disor-
derby conduct unknown here. If specific
charges can be sert investigation and If
necessary punishment will follow. Subord-
nate commanders have been appraised of your
telegram.