The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-20
c,vANNAH'S MARTIAL STATUS.
MY TWO THOUSAND TROOPS
Ne VALUABLE FOR SERVICE.


conId BE Turned Out on a Mo-
- Notice Armed and Equippd.
ham Artillery Needs n Battery
c,,,s-Are the Volunteer Troops
,,,,io ,p-Their Status in Case of
war.
..ss of war between the United States
yosin or any other country, Savan-
would be- able to put into the field
"a'' .aoa between 1000 and 100 men, not
,,a,erial, but men, for the most part,
In armed. equipped and drilled.
s,.,nnah's armed forces are in round
-, infantry 1000, cavalry 100, artil-
,oo This includes both the white and
.,.-.d rroops, that is, the enlisted mem
hin Of the volunteer military compa-
mics Of the city.
r,i,,5ipg the veteran and exempt mem
,.rs of the various commands there are
A,,,y aO uniformed men in the city, and
80 most of these would undoubtedly enter
,zo ranks of their respective commands
/ ,tsro would be no trouble in raising the
total enlistment to that figure
Tho First Regiment of Infantry, Georgia
volirteers. includes five companies in Sa-
,ocnab and one in the country. The five
savannah companies have memberships
.,nginc from 80 to rs men each, an aver
ace of GO men to the company, besides ex-
emnt and veteran members. The strength
Of the companies could be easily increased
70 the full quota. The companies are we'll
Uniformed and equipped, including over
coats blanket bags. canteens and other
narsphernalia of military life.
The Savannah Volunteer Guards battal-
non has four companies, with an average
of IL men each. In addition, the Guards
have very large number of men on the
EXEMPT list, who could be depended upon
should their services be needed. Lieut.
Col Garrard, commanding the battalion,
estimates that it will be an easy matter
TO raise the companies to their full quota
in very short space of time. The Guards
are fully equipped.
All the white infantry are armed with
the 45-caliber Springfield rifle, a very eff
fective weapon, but not quite up to the
latest modern standard.
The Georgia Hussars have an enlisted
membership of SO, but, as the pay and vet
eran classes of the Hussars are very large
there would be no difficulty In securing
the transfer of a goodly number of men
from these to the active class.
Savannah is also the headquarters of
the First Regiment of Cavalry, Col. w
" Gordon, commanding. The regiment
has eight troops including the Georgia
Hussars with total enlisted strength, Of
fcers and men, of 1858. With the declara-
ton of war there would be a prompt in
crease in the number of men and in the
number of troops also, and Col. Gordon
would soon find himself commanding a
full regiment of over 1000 men. AS each
troop has a whole county to draw upon, it
should have no difficulty in filling its
ranks.
The Chatham Artillery now has an en-
listed strength of between fifty and sixty
men, besides a large veteran class, all OF
whom are enthusiastic members. The
battery is well uniformed, but its fight
ing machinery, unfortunately, is not what
il should be. The battery has two guns
belonging to the state, both three-inch
rifles, a underground howitzer, and a
sx-nound field piece, besides a Calling
gun The guns. except the Calling, are
all DID, but would do good work at short
range The company has no ammunition
for the guns, however. The Washington
and Lafayette guns are regarded simply
as relics In fact, to do any effective
work the battery would have to be en-
urty re-eQuipped. The caissons and Em-
mnnition wagons are all old and unserV-
icea1e. and the harness barely holds to-
gether for a parade and would not stand
an hours rough service. The Galatians
would ike to see the war scare keep Up
until the state or the government supplies
'nem with first-class armament.
The Savannah Naval Reserves have two
divisions with a total strength of ninety
seven men and eight officers. They are
armed with the Lee-Metford rife and are
well equipped. The reserves would do in
lanlry duty in case of an emergency, but
would doubtless be called into the naval
service at an early date.
Inc First Battalion of Infantry, Georgia
volunteers, colored, consists of six com
pdhles with total strength of about 275
tnlsied men. They are armed with 40
ana 0-caHber Springfield rifles. They
nave no overcoats and are not as well I'M
FORMED and equipped as the white troops.
o." John II, DeveauX, the commander OF
.le colored battalion, was asked if in case
VI "dl ne could NIL up the ranks OF MS
ompany TO their full quota. Easily q"
III replied. 1--WE would have done that al
ready had the state furnished us with
rms, Our membership is limited just
IoW by the number of our guns
Inc colored artillery the Georgia Artil-
~ mas about fifty men. They have two
pound field pieces. The colored cavalry
uooP the savannah Hussars, has about
ny men They are armed with carbines
and sabers.
i, VIII he seen that Savannah is able to
none quite a respectable military showing
ouu the occasion demand it. 1t has 1000
.I'" ready to respond at the first tap of
e aiarm and these can be increased to
WV INSIDE Of week and that too without
a"'ns upon civilians not now connected
~'N the military. 1t is safe to say that
Nv olher city in this section can make such
moving.
4"'re IS considerable interest among the
,'"IE men as to the exact status of the
sa,nzed volunteer forces In case war
'oud be declared Would they be sub
NV TO lne immediate order of the Presi-
wy LOT service wherever he might desiS-
@' OF are they simply on the same plane
o,"er cluzens of the state as to military
vice. In the first instance would it be
eSsdfy for the orders to be issued
ouSh the Governor, and in this case
1 'oe Governor have the power to or