The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1898-08-20
COMPANY E.
RESIGNATION OF LIEUTENANT
TAGGART.
First Sergeant John E. Wilson Pro-
noted Chances of Our Soldier
Boys Being Mustered Out
of Service

The chief events of the week in the camp
OF Company L of Elkton, at Fort Monroe,
were the rumors Of the Maryland Volunteers
being mustered out of service at an early
date, and the resignation Of Second Lieuten-
ant Edward f. Taggart. First Sergeant John
f. Wilson was promoted as his successor.
Lieutenant George T. King, of Co. E,
First Md, Volunteers, at Fort Monroe, is
visiting his family in Elkton.
The boys are now concerned over the pros
poets Of Company f. The First Regiment,
| coming in under the second call, will in all
probability be mustered out, although the
authorities have so changed the original list
retained in service.
The First Regiment was at Newport News
about to join General Miles in Porto Rice
when orders were received countermanding
the instructions. Unless ordered out on an
expedition it can be safely said that the boys
OF Company would leave their encamp-
ment at Fort Monroe with little regret. A
word from the camp states that little outside
of the camp routine transpires nowadays at
the home Of the First The men drill. eat
and sleep, and that's about ali there is to life
in the camp. During their leisure hours the
soldiers amuse themselves rs best they can
and have comparatively little fun at that.
The private soldier has few privileges at
Old Point, that is privileges such as the
Marylanders were used to before they Ionned
Uncle Sans clothes and started out to fight
for their country. The officers, though have
no right TO complain. They get reduced
rates at the big hotels and have every oppor-
tunity for enjoying themselves in style
which can only be afforded usually by per.
sons Of ailluence.
The reduction of the army, however, does
not imply the discharge of the volunteer reg
ments as II whole. In the early autumn
possibly sooner-there will be need for l5, :
600 mon, according to General Lees csti-
mate, for garrison duty in Cuba, distributed
at the leading centres Of activity and COM
merce. Twenty-Five thousand troops may
| be required for the preservation Of order at
| Havana and vicinity and perhaps 10000 in
other sections OF the island. The five i'm
mune regiments are ethought sufficient to pro-
tect property and preserve order at Santiago,
and these will soon be established there, pos
sibly for a long stay. No definite conclusion
has been reached as to the number Of troops
that will be required either for Cuba or
Porto Rico, but it is undoubtedly settled that
for the next year. or perhaps longer, it will
| be necessary to maintain an army of at
least 100000 men. The regular army con-
sists now of about 10000. General Merritt
has with him 20, 900 and one regiment has
been selected for service in Hawaii
Whatever may be the outcome of the de-
liberations and conclusions of the peace
commissioners respecting the Philippines, it
is reasonably certain that for months this
Government will have to maintain at Manila
several thousand men. Careful estimate
made by the authorities shows that not less
than 10000 will be called upon for service in
the new colonies of the United States, some
to remain permanently.