The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-08
WILL KNOW THE REASON WHY.
sTAY-AT-HOMEs MUST GIVE AN AC-
COUNT OF THEMSELVES.

Lieut.. Col. Garrard Talks Plainly of
the Situation in the Guard BattaI-
iOn-Wants % Leave Behind Only
Men Who Are a Credit to the Bat
taIIiOn-ThOse Who Have Failed to
Volunteer to BE Requested to Give
Their Reasons for Not Doing SO.
The enrolment list of the Savannah
Volunteer Guards is steadily growing Up
to last night the total en-
rollment was about 225. This
number will be largely increased
to-day. as information has been received
of a number of recruits who will reach
here this morning.
The recruiting officers of the Guards
have done good work In the country, as
their enrolment lists show. Surgeon Geer
| will not be able to begin his examinations
| of the Guards until tomorrow, and the
work will require at least two days The
| Guards will hardly be able to leave Savan-
nah before the latter part of the week.
A noticeable feature of the enrolment
lists, and one which causes regret to the
officers, is that the war volunteers are so
largely made Up of outsiders, men who
were not members Of the Guards when the
decision was made to volunteer for the
war. While a large number of the enlisted
members of the battalion have enrolled
with the volunteers there Is a still larger
number who have not done so, though
there are a number who will do so yet.
There are. of course. a number who, for
various reasons, cannot afford to go, and
who, consequently are not expected to do
50. but there are a number who, with no
stronger claims upon them at home than
those who have volunteered, have still
held back
The attention of Col William Garrard
was called to this state of affairs yester-
day. Col. Garrard was already aware of
il, and expressed himself freely on the
subject.
I'VE confidently expect every enlisted
man. in the Savannah Volunteer Guards
to stand by the corps, now that it il in
for the Spanish war" said Col Garrard,
land that every such enlisted man will
sign the enrolment lists and be mustered
in, If accepted by the surgeon, unless, in
any case, there be some overwhelming and
imperative reason for not doing so. In
other words. every man should march with
the battalion to war or show to his own
conscience, and to the corps manifest and
sound cause why he should not.
1T is true the Governor called for vol
unteers. This battalion has volunteered,
as it should do in every war when Geor-
gia Is expected to send her quota The
corps was organized for.hghting purposes,
and incidentally, to suppress riots. When
the time comes to fight, it should do SO,
and promptly. If this was a matter of
individual volunteering, every man would
be at liberty to enlist, or not, as he might
choose, and need give no reason il he re-
manned at home, but now that the corps
is actually preparing for war, no active
member can stand back and refuse to en-
list, without reason, and simply on the
ground that it is not his pleasure to vol
unteer i urge every man in the corps
to go, or be ready with an excuse so sound
and convincing that his own conscience
viii clear him, and the corps will commend
him for failing to march when the time
comes"
What steps will be taken with regard
to those who do not stand by the corps
at this timer" Col Garrard was asked.
1--WE cannot, of course, punish any of
our enlisted men who refuse 10 go under
the present circumstances" he replied.
but we can and will find out the reason
in each and every case, so that we may
judge as to whether or not the men who
refuse to go are worth anything as sol
diers, and If we find that they are not
there win doubtless be other modes of get
ting rid of them. They certainly do
us no good, if when the command prepares
to fight they, without good reason, decline
to join in.
Il certainly hope and believe, now
that the crucial moment has come
we will find that every active membar will
have done his duty as man and sol
der, and that a contingent of the corps
| which we may leave behind will be COM
| posed of good soldiers. who for sound rea-
| 81 ms, ha6, to remain and form a nucleus
| of The Savannah Volunteer Guards We
| win take steps to PUT officers in command
| of the battalion and endeayor to have the
same under our regular rules, recruited
up so that it can respond to any other cali
which may be made upon it,"
| In discussing this matter with members
| of the corps yesterday, Col. Garrard ex-
! pressed himself freely, and his views met
with general Endorsement, both from those
who have volunteered and those who
| would do so If they could.
Among the new recruits who enrolled
themselves with the Guards yesterday
was Mr. w. r. Leaken, who has Just re-
| turned from the North. Mr. Leaken put
| down his name with Company b. His ac-
| ton was very gratifying TO the members
of Company b and the battalion generally.
| Having for several years been a member
of the battalion staff proving himself at
several encampments to be one of the
most efficient commissaries in the state
he might have declined TO descend from
the rank of lieutenant to that of private,
| no such position being provided for in
the volunteer regiments. He did not view
the matter in that light, however Mr..
| Leaken is an old member OF Company b.
-S-ap-s
TOOK A REGISTERED LETTER.