The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-25
GOVERNOR AND THE COLONIES
REGIMENrAL COMMANDERS ORDER
ED TO TIE CAPITAL.


win De AbOut-COI. Lawton Ex-
meets Something to Result and he
Ifeyes an Announcement VIII AT
Once re Made-HiS Idea as to the
Enlistment of the VOIunteers-A
plan as Given Out by the Governor
in Atlanta.
Col A. r. Lawton, commanding the
First Regiment. Infantry; Col. W. W. Cor
don First Regiment, Cavalry, and
Col. William Garrard. of the
First Battalion. Volunteers, left
last night for Atlanta, in re-
sponse to orders received late yesterday
afternoon from the Office Of the adjutant
general.
The telegram, in answer to which
they have gone to the oapi-
tai, read as follows: Governor di-
reefs you to proceed 10 Atlanta for con-
ference with him and other regimental
commanders at Il o'clock Monday,April 25
oscar J. Brown, Assistant Adjutant Gen
eral"
Col Lawton said he did not know what
the conference is for, but he expects
something definite viii be given out after
it is held. The Governor and the colonels
will probably take up the matter of the
enlistments in responsible the call for vo.-
unteers that has been made by the Presl-
dent The officers expect ito return to-
morrow morning.
An Atlanta dispatch to the Morning
q, for xvh ba
conference is 10 be held but the exact
pan by which the enlistments are to be
received is not known. The purpose is
that Of the Governor, but it is evidently
not final or he would not call the regimen
tai commanders together for its considera-
ton.
The Savannah. officers are still in igno-
rance of what the first move win be in
raising the troops that fan to Georgia 10
furnish. No orders have been received
from the office of the adjutant general,
with the exception of that calling the colo
nels to Atlanta. Talk of war and the meth
cd of recruiting that may be adopted could
be heard In all the military clubs yester-
day, but it was all surmise, no one having
anything more than his opinion to bear
him out in the position he assumed.
Unless the lHltSIllg OF tLSlF
is maintained after they volunteer and
they have some assurance that 1t will be,
IL is likely that there win
not be very many enlisted
men in Savannah who will respond
to the call of The President The determin-
alton not to volunteer unless they can go
with the commands 10 which they now be-
long is strong with about three out of
four of the enlisted men, who have been
heard to express themselves. The idea is
disiasteful to them to volunteer, and then
be associated in the campaign with men
whom they have never known. They want
their present officers and comrades and
the understanding that they will have
them will be the only thing that will in
duce the military organizations of the city
TO volunteerAn any considerable number.
Col. Lawton believes that it can be so
arranged as to admit of the companies
maintaining their present organiza tons.
He says he believes a company of forty
five volunteers will be accepted in a body.
and that they will be made the nucleus 10
which thirty-nine men VIII be added for
the formation of a company under the
army reorganization bill now pending IN
the Senate. Col. Lawton has no .informa-
ton to uphold him in this opinion, but he
gives it from his understanding of he sit
uation as a military man and as the most
probable solution of the difficulty that
seems TO stand in the way of the Georgia
Volunteers answering the call of the Pres
ident.
The colonel Of the First Regiment believes
that even smaller number of men Volun.
teering IN a body as members of an exist
ing military organization may receive rec
ognition and retain their integrity. Whilt
he does not know that 1t is the intention
of the Governor to. direct his. first call fol
troops to furnish Georgia's quota to th'
Georgia volunteers, he says 1t is the de
sire of the President to have trained mel
respond TO the call, and a smaller pumbe
than forty-tive, even thirty, may be mad
the nucleus for the formation OLA com
pany, the raw material subsequently enlist
ed being used TO fill cut the skeleton com
pany to its complement of eighty-four.
Col. Lawton says some officers will prob
ably be dropped from the lists. He think
there win be but few officers who will no
volunteer with their commands. If the or
ganization of the Georgia troops Is upo
the plan mentioned, about oil the line of
fcers can be retained, as those of tn
companies going in for a taste of war wi
be likely to offer their services. Filling tn
skeletons of companies out to their prope
numbers will give the line officers the pre-
scribed commands. If this plan is not 70
lowed, and the volunteers from the Geol
ga troops nave 10 De IOIIneu INTO new COLI
panies some of the officers VIII have
stay at home or go as privates If forty
five men, instead of being the basis upo
which their complement is run to its limi
are added to thirty-nine from some otht
company, there will be three officers
spare.
II does not seem likely that such will |
the case, as there are not enough infaI
trymen of the Georgia volunteers, eve
If they all respond 20 the call, to furnis
Georgia's quota. Taking in the three arm
of the service, there are enough, but Co
Lawton says he has seen
reference to any but lnfanti
being needed. and that the
are less than S17i. Georgia's quota, enlis
ed in the Georgia volunteers. Consequen
Iy, there will not be enough volunteers
assimilate them, forming new cOmpani
from the fragments of those that send
their bodies of men. The plan of taNir
such men of companies as volunteer
bodies and making them the nuclei of Il
companies TO be formed, using the "a
volunteers to fill out may be followed al
all the company officers can thus be /
tanned If such plan could be followe
there would probably be more interest
the situation, and more talk of going
war heard from the Savannah organic