The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-04
Plans for Enlistment Of About $4,000
Volunteers Nearly Perfected by
the War Department..
MESSAGE FROM GENERAL OTIS
GIVING NUMBER OF RECRUITS NEED
ED TO FILL OUT HIS REGIMENTS.
EnIisfments Likely to BE Completed
This week-List of Volunteers to
Ne Returned from the Philippines.

WASHINGTON, July 3.-The proposed
organization OF nine volunteer regiments will
place a number of important military COM
missions at the disposal of the President
Although there will be three new brigades,
Adjutsnt General Corbin says 1t Is
not likely that more than one addi-
tional brigadier general will be needed,
the other two being provided Tor by
officers of that grade now in the army whose
terms of enlistment are about TO expire
General Grant who is now in the Philip
pines Is in this category, and he probably
will be one of the three new brigadier gem
erals. Another general officer now in the
Philippines Is also availa ole for reappoint-
ment to the provisional army. Probably the
most important point in connection with the
proposed volunteer organization Is the Presi-
dents declared intention to appoint none but
officers OF the regular army to the command
of the nine new regiments. Nearly fifty
regular army officers held regimental COM
mands during the recent war in the volun-
teer establishment, and the nine coionels to
be assigned 10 the new regiments Will be
selected from among that number. The Sc
lection will be based entirely on the records
of the officers during the late war, and the
nine officers whose practical work in the field
was most efficient will receive the appoint
ments. II Is not unlikely. however, that
some OF the most efficient volunteer officers
may be selected for subordinate commands
in the different regiments. inasmuch as the
decision to appoint only regular army officers
does not apply 20 positions below the grade
OF colonel.
II was said to-day the War Department
had nearly perfected details for the en-
listment OF volunteers under the terms OF
the act of the last Congress. There Is to be
nothing in the nature of a call, but as here
tofore stated. the soldiers will be obtained
I'm the regular method through the efforts of
the United States recruiting officers sta
toned in the various large cities. To this
end the department has already sent out to
these officers full instructions for their
guidance as well as blanks for enlistments
and everything Is now in shape to begin re-
cruiting at the word from Washington
1t was stated by the adjutant general to-
day that the department contemplates rails
ing nine regiments in all, and the instruc-
tions TO the recruiting officers are based on
this figure. Each regiment will have a
strength OF 1,326 men. making total force
of II 1874 men. This will be almost twice the
number OF men which General Otis reports
will be necessary to give him the force OF
$1,000 electives. which he requires.
The recruiting for the regular body has
brought that establishment up to within 200
of Its maximum strength. The force that
will be at General Otis's disposal when the
new troops now in this country reach him at
the beginning OF the fall campaign may be
summarized as follows: Seventeen regiments
of regular infantry. $40 men; three new
volunteer regiments. 4134: four batteries
Third Artillery. $50: ten batteries OF the
Sixth, 1,230: the Fourth Cavalry, 1870; an
engineer battalion. 2O0: Signal Corps $50;
making a total of 33,273 men,