Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-05-19
The Troops of the Second Regiment
Are the First to Start for
Chickamauga.
READY For HARD WORK WHEN IT COMES.
No State Brfgndes Will BE Formed
Great Sight mt Camp Mckinley-An
Iowa Man with Snmpson-SOme In
surance Statistics and other Notes
of Interest.
[snecial Correspondence.l

on their way to Chickamauga before
this paper is in the hands OF its read
ers. They will start probably Tues
day or Wednesday, if the equipment can
be got ready in time. Every regiment
in Camp Mckinley wanted to be the
first one sent, when it was announced
that the war department had called for
one regiment to start first. Gov. Shaw
thought, 10 avoid trouble by taking the
regiments in their numerical order, but
this plan of selection was objected to
by most of the military men here, be-
cause it would send the First regiment
of the national guard out first, and this
is, according to military law, the junior
regiment. Gov. Shaw telegraphed to the
war department to know what. rule
should be followed in the selection of
whether the regiments should be taken
in the. order of their numbers, or ac-
cording to the seniority of the colonies.
Adjt. Gen. Corbin replied that the Sc
niority of the colonies was the proper
rule to follow, and that gave the honor
to the Second regiment, Col. Douglas
V. Jackson, commanding.
Regiment Well Drilled.
This regiment is composed of COM
panies from Keokuk, Davenport, Mus
catine,,' Washington, Centerville, Fort
Madison, Ottumwa, Charlton, Iowa City,
Grinnell, Newton and Fairfield. The
Second regiment is also one of the best
l,i11 hn nd ic
posed of fewer new men than the other
regiments. The age of the four reg
iments, computed by averaging the age
of the companies composing them, is
as follows: First regiment, 11H years;
Second regiment, ~ years; Third regi-
ment, 17A years, and Fourth regiment,
11h years. The rank of the regiments
by seniority of colonies, is: Second
regiment, Col. ID. V. Jackson; Fourth
regiment, Col. Il w. b. Humphrey;
Third regiment, Col. John c. Lopez, and
First regiment, Col w. G. Bows. That
is the order in which they will be sent
to the front, so tho Fourth will be the
next to go. Gov. Shaw has announced
that he will preserve the numerical or
der of the regiments when they are
mustered into the United States service.
He will begin to number the regiments
where the civil war regiments left Off,
so the First regiment of the national
guard will be. the Forty-ninth Iowa vol
unteer infantry in the United States
service. The Second regiment will be
the Fiftieth volunteers, and so on. The
rank of the colonies will also be pre-
served by a statement in their com
missions as to length of service.
Eager to Go.
The physical examinations threw out
about 25 per cent. of the enlisted men,
as the regular army surgeon, Capt. New
garden, was very strict and adhered to
the army requirements, rejecting many
men for slight imperfections and for be-
ing under weight. The vacancies in
the Second regiment were filled from
the other regiments, as many privates
made application to be transferred to
the regiment that was to go to the front
first. All the boys in camp are eager
to get where there is work to do. They
are being given some hard work in the
daily drills, but, comfortable as the
camp is, they want to get out of it and
be where the fighting is going on. 1t
will take several weeks yet to complete
the physical examinations and get the
equipment ready for all the troops to
start out.
Difficulties Disappear.
Nearly all the difficulties that ap-
peared to confuse the work of getting
the Iowa troops ready for service have
disappeared, but the combined infu-
ence of the Iowa delegation in congress
and senator's and congressman and mill
tary men from this and other states was
not sufficient to change the policy of the
government in regard 10 the formation
of state brigades. No such brigades
will be formed The war department is
determined that the troops of different
states, representing different sections
gether in brigades, so that no state jeal-
ousies and ambitions may interfere
with the administration of the army, or
give foundation to future claims that
one state did more than another toward
winning the victory.
Wanted an Iowa brigade.
1t was the wish of the volunteers and
the people of Iowa that an Iowa brigade
should be formed of the four regiments
from this state and that this brigade
should be commanded by Gen. James
Rush Lincoln, of the Iowa agricultural
college, present inspector general of
the Iowa national guard and command
er of Camp Mckinley. Gen. LincoIn's
ability as military officer is recog-
nized in Iowa and in Washington, and
the state and its representatives in
Washington are unanimously urging
the appointment of Gen. Lincoln to be
brigadier general Of volunteers.
A Living Flag.
Probably the greatest sight al Camp
Mckinley during the entire time the
troops will be there, was the Giving
flag" presented to-day by $500 Des
Moines school children. This inspiring
spectacle was arranged by Mrs. II. II.
Reynolds, director of music in the
West Des Moines schools. A tier of
seats was built in the field inside the
m m trock IN fhrse seats the children