The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-25
TO RE0RGANIZE MILITARY
PLAN DECIDED UPON BY THE AD-
EISORE BOARD.

I
One Of Cavalry and Two Artillery
/ Batteries With No Independent
ComnianiiS-Enlistme TO BE for
Two Hears-The state TO Furnish
informs and Pay ArmOry Rent.
Encampments Not to BE Discon-
/ tinueE-An Appropriation of $50
/ 600 for Next Year TO Be Asked for.
/ Officers to BE Commissioned for
Five Years Only.
The recent meeting OF the military ad-
yisOry board in Atlanta was unquestiona-
I bly, ihe most important that the board has
he'd in years. Only an inkling of the
amount OF work done by the board al this
meeting has as yet reached the public, the
disbandins Of a number OF companies. in
Guiding nearly all the eo,ored companies in
the STATE being only one item of num-
Der passed upon.
As The result Of the thorough inspection
Of the military Of the state. lasting sever
al month. by Ispector General Obear. and
his complete and exhaustive report which
with its recommendation. has been indOrs-
cd BY the board, steps looking 10 a com
rlete revolution in the military system Of
the state. have been decided upon.
Mai. Beirne Gordon OF the First Cavalry
was the only Savannah officer in attend
auce upon the meeting. AS the sessions
were secret Maj. Gordon felt dellcacy in
making public matters which had trans
pired there when asked for information by
the Morning News. Feeling that there are
many things Of interest to the Savannah
military which had transpired at the meet
ing and waich it would be well for them
to be made aware of Mai. Gordon wrote
Adjt. Gen. Byrd on the subject and obtain
cd permission to make public such mat
tiers as he thought proper. This authority
was received yesterday
The steps decided upon by the advisory
board" said Maj. Gordon mean nothing
more nor less than a compete reorganiza-
ton Of the military force of the state. The
force IS hereafter 90 consist Of five regi-
ments Of white infantry and one regiment
of white cavalry, each regiment to consist
of three battalions of four companies
each. Thiss means the doing away with
Independent organizations and the reduc-
ton Of one in the number Of infantry reg
ilnents. the Sixth Regiment. having been
the last organized, was decide upon as the
one to be abolished, and the companies of
the other five regiments. The idea is to
have a compact, thoroughly organized mill
itary force. In consolidating the regiments
il is not intended to regard geograp hical
locations. The First Regiment al Savan-
nah may have its complement filed out
by companies located at Atlanta, Augusta
or elsewhere in the state"
Maj. Gordon was asked if this means
the consolidation of the Guards Battalion
with the First Regiment, and he replied
thar This point was not considered by the
board. Under the new scheme OF organi-
cation, however he did not see how it
would be possible for the Guards Battal-
ion 10 preserve its separate identity. An
order has already been issued consolidate
ing the First Battalion of Cavalry with
the First Regiment of Cavalry. OF the
eight companies of the First Cavalry two
the Burke and Screven Troops. were or
dered disbanded The Troup Hussars of
La Grange Of the First Batta ion were also
ordered disbanded. The other three
troops of the first battalion the Richmond
Hussars of Augusta, the Governors Horse
Guards of Atlanta and the Gordon Troop
have been incorporated with the First
Regiment giving il nine troops a present
This leaves only three vacancies The
Screven Troop viii be given a chance TO
reorganize. and may succeed in getting
back in lis place in the regiment 1t is
Likely that a troop will be Organized i'm
| battalions in this section of the state The
third vacancy VIII probably be filled from
the upper portion of the state. There are
ten vacancies in while infantry companies
and nearly forty applicants for the places
GOV. Gamblers idea" said Mai. Gordon
is to admit the new companies from sec
tons of the state not now enjoying mill
tary protection and in order to do this
movements II ~ be PUT on foot 10 organize
| companies N counties from which there
are now 20 applications on file"
The Savannah military men will hardly
/ believe it, but the advisory board has de-
/ cided to equip the entire force with new
/ uniforms. The state can secure uniforms
! and other equipment from the government
/ at very low cost and ii is proposed 20
/ buy about 5000 of the regulation state I'M
! forms a a cost of something less than SO
each. A provision of Importance is that
{ the companies are TO have a minimum
4 strength of forty men with a maximum o.
/ 1906. The seventy-tive companies provided for
/ by the new scheme will have a minimum
strength of exactly 5000. Not only does
the board propose 10 furnish uniforms for
the troops, but to give each command 5000
J year in lieu of armory rent and other
expenses incident to maintaining the or
CARNATIONS
The board also proposes 10 deal gener-
/ Cusly with the artillery. There are to Re
| only two artillery batteries. and it is pro-
/ posed to furnish each with a platoon of
/ field guns and platoon of gatlings As
/ the state owns three gaungs already il
7 viii only be necessary to purchase one.
/ Not only does the board propose 10 10
4 all these things. but il intends to continue
/ the annual encampments. Il bases lis ex-
/ pectalions upon two things one is the re-
turn by the government TO the state of
about $4,000 expended last year in putting
/ the volunteer regiments into the field. the
money being taken from The state militia
! ry appropriation. The other Is the ex-
1 pectation of a larger military appropriation
/ by the next legislature.
"The report that the annual encamp-
ments are TO be dispensed with is un-
founded" said Maj. Gordon. Il asked Col.
Obear about this. being epprehensive thar
with the other large expenditures contem-
plated the board could not afford to main
tain an encampment this year He replied
that there was no intention Of abandoning
the encampment. We shall set to work 10
obtain larger appropriation he said,