The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-10
SOLDIERS WANT THEIR GUNS.
THE LACK OF ARMS a SERIOUS
NATTER WITH THEM.

The Arms and Announcements which
the savannah Military Carried
Into the Service of the Govern
ment Have Not Yet Been Returned
and Several of the Companies Are
without ArmsEQunrterIy Meetings
Held by the Companies Last Night.
Cadets. German and OgiethOrpes
Have Not Yet Effected ReOrgani-
zation.
The military of Savannah are anxious to
know what the government is going to do
about returning them the guns which they
carried into the service when the compa-
MES volunteered for the war with Spain.
Although the local military commands are
all home again they are for the most part
without guns, the guns which they had
while in the service of the government
having been all turned in to the muster
ing out officers with other government
property.
The guns which were taken away from
Savannah by the local companies were not
the property of the government, but Of
the state which had issued them to the
! companies. 1t is true that these guns
| had been originally furnished TO the state
by the government, but they were charged
against the military appropriation to the
state at their fun value and consequently,
it is claimed, were as much the property
of the state as anything else which it had
bought and paid for.
The government being short on small
arms when the war with Spain began the
militia companies which volunteered for
the war carried their guns with them
! These guns were all properly checked in
| by the mastering officers and a record
made of the number of guns and also of
other accouterments turned in by the
companies the understanding being, of
course that the government would replace
the guns at the proper time.
The local companies have been mustered
out for about two months now and still
! they are without guns. As the drill sea-
| son is now on and efforts are being made
! to reorganize and continue the companies
on a substantial basis this lack of arms is
proving a great drawback to the local mil
itary. OF the local commands the
! Greens. Blues and German Volunteers are
without arms. The Savannah Cadets have
partial supply, having had an extra. sup
NV, of eIre on hand when the company
volunteered. AS the Oglethorpe Light
| Infantry did not get into the
| froNc this is the only com
pany in the First Regiment which
now has a full supply of arms. Before
the Guards battalion got away TO Camp
Northen the point was raised that the
| citv would be left without protection
c,'y " o IN ~ o.,,,s 10 tal[en aUav and
- II. ,ooo,.1i,,,,l,, carried only one
,IlIe 49,. - of e,r,e
A. en-. of ono Of the comnanies said
,1starl1o,-. .s-T,bere is evidently an over
49, eo,,a,,,beye as the e11ns should have
-. lt,-r,,l,1 10 Tho cornnanies nv this
tr,o The lack of arms is a great draw
.ilne' NJ ol1r,,Yia,ias irst at mis- time
~, 1s,,,,la,,i(,e aro recruiting and every
eeor4 ta Toi,,, made To nut them on 6
49,. foaffng for stote service. Nothing
III ooro1arv together and serves tC
at,,+at,, tbo interest Of the men so mucf
80 r,o,,1ar drills hut without guns drill.
i,o is ont of the question. l trust thai
, ,tt,,. IN he taken i'm hand at once
-, NJ ,r,,,ar authorities and our guns
oS ~, - ms at once y
A. ,,ar,y thousand troops have already
-, ,,,5,sfa,ed ont and as good many
,t,.,,s,,,a moro have already been supplied
LII, ~, new Tinted States rifle. the gov.
',.,,+,,x,,t ronst have on hand at least 90
zoo etsnds Of the old SDringfelds. whics
Mn, 4C,,ttless continue 10 be the arm sup.
,,in3 - The volunteers for some years tc
80 II would seem that it would only
~ ,oo,,ssor,, for the adiutant general &
49, ,o11,isition mon the proper authori
49, - Wraebfroton in order TO secure The
,ot,T,, of the Guns loaned the government
- state
e,-i5ence Of the difficulties under
,,.1,io,, .bo COMMENCES labor in being with
a,it'arr,s il ie stated that on several &C
oaei,,,s racont1v conDanies have been pu
- NJ ,,ooossifv of borrowing guns from
ot,,lrs ,,,bo were more fortunate for tn,
(,',,-,1so If attending the funerals of de
loa.o7 members
Tbo rneatina of the Savannah Cadets
which was to have been held last night
r,as adionrre5 until tomorrow night
= ,,.Ior II is ,er, likely that acton win b.
49,, for the concentration of the com
In, 1sbo ofricers of the comnanv ar,
~ .o,,,o as when If volunteered for Oh.