Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-03-11
COMING HOME.
Volunteer Troops in Cuba Will
Shortly Be Withdrawn.

volunteer troops IN CuDa VIII
Shortly Be Withdrawn.
POLITICAL CONDITIONS OBTAIN
Armament to BE Replaced-ilow the
| Battle should Have Been Foush:-
SamOans Waiting to See What fow-
ers Will DO-"China,' Say, BeIes-
| ford, .Nlu,t BE Kept on Her Feet
Scattering Notes From l. ield and
Cnp.tO'.
Washington, March 9.-Orders havc
been issued at the war department for
the Twelfth New York infantry, now al
Matanzas, Cuba, to take passage on the
| transport Berlin for New York city,
where it will be mustered out. This is
the beginning OF a general movement for
the mus t"r out of all the volunteer troops
stationed in Cuba. ana indicates that
the administrator believes that the time
has come when ii can safely reduce its
the rainy season is not far off is II potent
reason for the carly recall Of the vo!un-
teer troops in cuba.
The homeward movement will have to
| be gradual because of the limited trans
| portatiDn facilities now at the disposal
of the war department. The various
regiments will be brought home, how
ever as rapidly as the available troop
ships can make the trips between the
island and various ports in the United
States selected for their Decentralization.
There are now about $4,000 volunteers
| in Cuba. and their withdrawal will leave
about $4,000 regular troops there for the
enforcement of the policy of the admin
istration for the establishment of a
stable government on the island. The
volunteer troops now on garrison duty
in Cuba and under muster out orders
include the following organizations:
| Second Illinois, One Hundred and
| Sixtieth Indiana, Fourth IllinCis. One
| Hundred and SiXty-tirst Indiana. Ninth
| illinois, Forty-ninth Iowa, Third Ken
lucky, Thirty-tirst Michigan. Second
Louisiana, sixth Missouri, Eighth Mas
| suchusetts, Twelfth New York, First
North Carolina. Third Nebraska, Second
South Carolina. Fourth Tennessee,
Fourth Virginia. First Texas. Sixth Ohio.
the Second and Third volunteer en-
gineers. the Second ard Fifth United
States volunteer infantry, and the Sec
ond, Third, Eleventh, Twelfth. Thir-
o. Vt n nd
teenth companies Of the signal corps.
As yet no orders have been issued for
the muster out Of these regiments, with
the exception of the Twelfth New York,
but it is expected that formal orders will
be issued in the case of all the organiza-
| lions named within the next few days.
| Under the present plans of the depart
| ment it Is expected that all of the voun-
| teer troops will be withdrawn from Cuba
by or before the first of May and so es-
cape the dangers of the fevers which
make that country such an undesirab BILE
| place of residence during the GUNNER.
| The officials of the administration eX-
press satisfaction at the present political
state of affairs in Cuba, and are conf
dent of a continuance of the prevailing
peace and good order. The troops are
to be Withdrawn on the theory that
there is no longer need of their services
In that country. and that the question
of government will work out themselves
without the presence of large military
force. Consequently there is no present
purpose of replacing the volunteers with
| regular troops, but such a course of ac-
tion will be taken only in case it becomes
necessary for the execution of the ad-
ministratlon's policy.
The Second United States regular in
fantry has been at Admission, Ala, for
several weeks under orders to proceed
to Cuba. and it is expected that that
regiment will make the trip in a short
| time. SO far as known no other troops
are intended for service on the island
| during the coming summer. But one or
| two artillery regiments will be held in
reserve at points on the Atlantic coast
for such service in case some of the regu-
| lars in Cuba have to be brought home for
change of climate or reinforcements
should become necessary
A fact in connection with the regulars
who are now reinforcing General Otis
in the Philippines that is giving con-
siderable satisfaction to the war de-
rartmcnt is that they are all arme d
| with the 'calibre 30'' rifle. commonly
known as the krag-Jorgensen.
There has been more or less uneasi-
I,o cpa hat
on the firing line around Manila We're at
a decided disadvantage against the ma
tives, owing to the fact that the Fill
ipno sharpshooters. armed with Maus-
ers. could lay out of range of the Spring
fields. with which our volunteers were
armed and pot them to an extent that
was limited only by the bad marksman-
ship of the natives. This was not only
the source of a good many casualties
among our troops. but had bad moral
effect on them. since it was very trying
to be continually under fire from an
enemy who keep discreetly out of range.
With the arrival of the regulars this
situation will be completely changed.
The reinforcements all have the calibre
80 rifle, which is practically just as good
gun as the MauSer, while in addition
our regular troops are sharpshooters
almost to a man. This is largely owing
To the fact that for years the target am
munition allowance in our small army
has been about S6 per man per annum.
an amount no European nation has ever
thought of spending. This does not say
that there are not many excellent shots
among the volunteers, and though the
war department has no definite infor-
nation on the subject. there is little
doubt that the best shots among the
volunteers are armed with the new
rifles already. 10000 stands of these
arms having already been sent to Cen
eral Otis. while there are 5000 more
waiting his order at the Benicia arsenal
London. March 9. --- Vice Admiral
Colombo retired lectlt,d yeStarday m