The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-22
FIRST TROOPS FOR HAVANA.
ENGINEERS ORDERED TO THE Gu
BAN CAPITAL.

BAN CAPITAL.
First Battalion Second L. 8. VOlun-
teer Engineers Leave This After
noon for Port Tampa and VIII Sail
ON the Florida for Hnvana-Orders
for Their Departure Were sudden
Hut Not Un1veIcOme-Men and OFF,
GERS Glad to De the First TO Get to
Havnna-WHI he Armed To-day
With E&raS-JOrgensens.
The First Battalion of Second United
states Volunteer Engineers will leave this
afternoon by the Plant System for Port
Tampa. and viii sail from there by the
steamer Florida for Havana. These will
be the first troops sent from the United
States 10 Havana. There have been many
sent to other places in Cuba, during ana
after the war, but it is reserved for the
engineers TO have the honor of being the
very first to lsnd at the capital of the
island. The officers and men are proud
of this distinction, and they are glad to
know that they are so soon destined to
make the acquaintance of Cuba.
The order for the departure of the bat
talon was received yesterday afternoon by
Mai Richard Henry Savage. The order
came direct from the war department. The
officers at once went to work to gather
In all their men so as to be prepared
to make all their hurried preparations for
the trip. The order was entirely unex-
pected Contrary to the usual custom,
in such cases, there had been no first Or
der instructing the commander of the bat
tallion TO hold the command in readiness
to move whenever a second order should
be received.
II is thought that all the men will be
on hand to-day when the bat
talon Is ready to move. Some of them
were notified at the theater last night
that the movement would be made to-day.
The announcement, at the request Of
Lieut.. Clark of the battalion, was read
from the stage. Miss Kirwin came out
between the acts and read the notice,
which stated that an order had been re-
ceived for the engineers to proceed at once
TO Port Tampa to take a transport for the
Cuban capital Any engineers that might
be in the theater were instructed to re-
port at camp Immediately after the per-
Torrance. Judging from the cheers that
followed the announcement there were en-
sineers present, and they were delighted
at the prospect of getting 10 Cuba.
1t is not known just what time the
battalion viii get off. Preparing to move
will take not little time, and it is doubt
1ul, two of the officers said last night
that the speciai train that viii be fur
nished viii get away before afternoon. The
order is to hurry, however. as the bat
TALON is wanted at Port Tampa by We'd
nesday and the officers will make every
effort TO have the work accelerated as
much as possible
large part of the equlpage Of the bat
TALON win be left here. 1t win be shipped
in few days, the latter part of the week,
the order said, aboard the transport Rou-
mania, TO Havana. The order was the
first intimation that had been received
here TO indicate that the Roumania is to
come TO Savannah.
Field rations for thirty days will be
taken by the engineers. They Will also
take five days travel rations for the trip
The field rations are taken because there
IS as yet no depot of supplies at Havana
the engineers being the first troops that
have been ordered there
The battalion will be armed to-day with
krag-Jorgensen rifles
When the battalion reaches Havana its
commander will report to Mai Gen
0iSehe- Inc engineers VIII at once 20 TO
work in laying out the camps for the
troops that are to follow to be camped
az Havana This will mean that there is
some rather hard work i'm store for the
engineers. Their first experience of Cuba
may not be as pleasant as some of their
iater ones, as it is not likely that they
VIII have to work as hard again as thew
Val during the few weeks following their
arrival.
There are about 2SO men in the four COM
panies of the battalion, which is the frst
OF the Second United States Volunteer En-
glneers. They are under command of Mai.
savage, the well-known novelist. author of
MY Ofhcial Wife" and other novels. Com
pahy A Is commanded by Lieut.. Brooks.
company b by Lieut.. Lawton: COMPANY
~ py Lieut.. Anderson. Company DIS Of
hcers are Capt. Dixon Lieut. Fitzgerald
ana Lieut.. Clark. The other officers of the
battalion are now In Havana, for which
pace they left some days ago with Cen.
Greene and party.
Inc engineers arrived at Savannah Nov.
L. They came from Camp Wikofr. Camn
was established at the old rife range near
the cathedral cemetery. Officers and men
We're well pleased with the location and
they have found their stay in Savannah
very pleasant They say they have re-
ceIved the most hospitable treatment and
that their delight at being the first troons
TO go 10 Havana is tempered bv the re-
sret they feel at leaving this city. One
OF the off1cers said last, night that they
Viii all regret particularly that they can.
not partake of the excellent ThanksRtvipq
dinher the ladies' were to serve them
THE NEW GINS ARE EnHTnv,