The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-29

department. DESIRES That the
Regiment Be Put on "a War Foot
ing as Soon as POssibIe-The
Troops, After a Course of Drill.
VIII BE Sent to the Philippines
at Earliest Possible Moment,
Col j. H. Dorst, commanding officer of
the Forty-ffth United States volunteers,
the regiment to be mustered in at Fort
Smelling, arrived in st. Paul yesterday di-
rect from Washington. where he received
final instructions from the secretary of
war. Immediately upon arriving he WIS.,
tied the army building and held a confer
eEce with the officers of the Department
Of Dakota and then went al, once to the
fort He spent the greater part of the
day in going over the military reservation
with Maj. Gerlach, outlining his plans
and gaining information regarding the re-
sources of the post. He was seen last
night and gave considerable additional in
formation regarding the regiment and the
movements at the fort.
The commander of three successful ex-
petitions to Cuba during the Spanish
American war is a typical soldier He
is shorter than the average, with keen
eyes and an expression which marks him
as an energetic and Woodworking officer
lie is a major in the Second cavalry, and
was connected with almost every move
ment of the Cuban campaign He COM
manded the GuSsie in her expeditions to
the Cuban coast, afterwards directing ex-
petitions which landed men and large
quantities of supplies at Point Arboritas
and Cabanas. During the landing at the
latter point the first fight between Span
ish and American forces took place. He
was afterwards detailed as adjutant gen
eral of Gen. Joe Wheeler's cavalry divfs-
ion and later served as adjutant general
of Gen Fitzhugh Lees corps Shortly
after the signing of the peace treaty he
was assigned to the staff of Gen. Wilson
at Mantanzas, serving there until ordered
to report at Washington to take COM
mand Of the Forty-f1fth.
Col. Dorst gave the following list of
the staff of the new regiment: Colonel,
Maj. J. H. Dorst, Second cavalry; lieu
tenant colonel, Maj. J. H. Beacon, Third
infantry; majors, Capt Brown, First cav
airy; Capt. Dan Fredericks, Seventh in
fantry; Col. William c. BOWS, Forty
ninth Iowa, Seventh army corps. He was
unable to give q full list of the line Off
GERS, but stated that he understood that
one captain each from Montana and Or
egon had been appointed, in addition to
the appointments. already announced from
Washington. He was unable to state the
length of time which the recruiting and
mastering in of the regiment will occupy.
ITO get a regiment in shape" said he,
occupies a year We do not hope to get
into shape before leaving for the Philip
pines, but the regiment will be put
ed to well trained organization as fast
as possible. Unless they submit to hard
drilling and severe discipline here they
will suffer when they get to the islands
I do not hope for crack regiment at
once, but we will swing them into line
and get them started right before they
start.
1.-THE war department desires that the
regiment be put on a satisfactory foot
ing as soon as possible 1 understand
that the intention is to get the troops
into the Philippines at the very earliest
possible moment. No time will be lost,
but it is impossible to say when we will
leave.
''As soon as the staff report, things will
soon become adjusted. 1 find an immense
amount Of correspondence awaiting me
here, and until get a force to work, lit
tie of consequence can be done. There
are about twenty-five recruits at the fort
and more will come in soon. Inside Of a
month things will look different at Smell
ing.
"The post is an excellent one am
much pleased with its accommodations
and location. The forty-fifth will prob
ably go into camp on the old target range
where the Fifteenth Minnesota was en-
camped. The location seems TO be health
full and the advantages which it offers are
numerous"