The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-12
GEN. LEE GOES TO RICHMOND.
HIS WIFE's SERIOUS ILLNESS CAR
RIED HIM HOME.

ing His AbSence-fFepaFatio 1oF
the Removal of the Corps to sa-
xannnh VIII Go Right Along.
Land on Dale Avenue East of Wa
tiers Road selected as the Camp
site for the First DiviSiOn-SecOnd
Division TO BE Located as Soon as
POssibIe-A COmmissary Depot to
he Secured.
Gen. Fitzhugh Lee and son. Lieut..
Fitzhugh Lee, Jr., left the city early this
morning on train No. Is, via the Plant
System for Richmond, where they have
been called on account of the serious i'll
ness of Mrs. Lee.
A telegram announcing Mrs. Lees i'll
ness was received yesterday afternoon
lust after Gen. Lee and the officers of his,
staff had returned from an inspection tour
with a view to definitely locating the
troops of the Seventh Army Corps on their
arrival here. Preparations were at once
made for Gen. Lees departure, and he
left in special car attached to train No.
IS
Much regret at the unfortunate news
was expressed among the officers of the
the absence of their chief they must re-
main here and carry on the work Of ar
ranging for the removal of the corps to
Savannah, which will be made according
to orders heretofore published.
During Gen. Lees absence Gen. Arnold
of the Second Division Of the corps will
be in command in place of Gen. Lee. Gen.
Keiffer of the First Division is away on
leave of absence, and Gen. Arnold is the
senior officer of the corps left at Jackson
vile.
The officers of Gen. Lees staff who have
been here for the last two or three days
will remain in the city until Friday or
Saturday. and will continue their work of
making arrangements for the coming of
the corps to Savannah.
Gen. Lee appeared in his uniform yes
terday for the first time since he has been
In Savannah. He presented an excellent
appearance, and, in his SLOUGH hat. was
quite picturesque. He and his officers
made several trips out around the city yes
terday in search Of camp sites. They were
accompanied by Mayor p. w. Meldrlm and
Alderman A. s. Guckenheimer, who fur
nished all the Information desired.
Only one matter was definitely decided
on during the day, and that is the loca-
ton of the camp for the First Division of
the corps. The first division will go into
camp on Dale avenue, the new road TO
Thunderbolt on the high ground between
the intersection of the Waters road aud
the Casey canal. The officers considered
this one of the best locations around the
city 1t is comparatively high ground,
nd 4 DC bali all N no
easily furnished there.
The site for the Second Division has not
yet been selected. The officers inspected
the land around the Georgia Car and
Manufacturing Company's plant, and in
iifat vicinity, but did not decide on that or
any of the other places inspected, as a
site Tor the Second Division. The work on
this line win be continued to-day, and the
Second Division will doubtless be located
before tonight.
When asked about the Avondale tract,
Capt. Baker said it was found that the
water there was too near the surface of
the ground and for that reason it Is not
likely that the site will be available, I'M
less it is impossible to find better one
Upon summons from Gen. Lee, four other
officers of his STAFF arrived in the city
In the morning, and are stopping at the
De Soto They are Lieut.. Col. 0. e. Wood
chief commissary of the corps; Lieut.. Col
&uftla 6utiOs JE., inspector general OF the
corps; Maj. John Gary Evans, Inspector
general of the First Division, and Capt
George L. Mauser, surgeon. All of these
officers are well known men, particularly
Maj. Evans who is an Ex-Governor of
South Carolina. They are here to aid in
the work of arranging for the coming of
the corps.
Especially important duties devove upon
Col. Wood who has 10 look out for all the
commissary supplies for the corps Maj
Ruthers, the purchasing and depot COM
missary of the regiment, will arrive from
Jacksonville this morning, and he and Col
Wood will at once make arrangements
for securing one or two large warehouses
for the storing OF supplies for the troops
during their stay In the city. They have
made arrangements TO visit several large
buildings to-day, and will contract TO Sc
cure sufficient depot room at once.
the changes in the sites for the loca-
ton of the troops will make il consider
eble more difficult and expensive for the
city to provide the water supply for them
nevertheless 1t VIII be done at once A
Telegram was received from Supt. Lotion
of the water works In the afternoon stat
ing that he had arrived In CHATTANOOGA
and that sixteen cars of six-inch iE--n
water pipe had been loaded and would be
rushed forward to-day. 1t Is expected that
this pipe will reach Savannah by to-mor-
row as the railroads have agreed to put
It through on fast schedule. The work
of laying the pipe will begin al once on
its arrival. The connection for the camp
on Dale avenue Will have TO be made about
Abercorn and Eleventh streets, a dis
tance of nearly two miles to the camp
ground. If the Second Division Is camp
ed at any distance from the first. it viii
be necessary to put down a second main,
but otherwise an extension can be made
from the first main. Nevertheless the ex-
pense attached to putting down the water
pipes for the camps will be considerably
more than the city authorities first
though.
No definite plans have been made with
regard to the sewage, but it is thought
the camp of the First Division will be
drained to the Casey canal. One of the
officers said last night that he would not
consent to the use of sinks If 1t could be
avoided, both on account of the danger of
sickness and because ii viii leave the
property in such a bad condition.
The work of preparing for the removal
of the corps will so right along to-day
The staff officers now here will go TO