The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-06
NOW GEORGIA STATE TROOPS,
THE DESIGNATION OF THE FORCES
HAS BEEN CHANGED.

Men in the Service ere No Longer
Georgia Volunteers" Other
Changes That Are Brought About
by the McRae BiII-Enlistments Are
for Two Years-Detnils Regarding
the Elections to BE Held on Feb.
VIII BE Sent ont From the Of
flee of the Adjutant GeneraI-Be-
IicVc Companies and Line Officers
VIII Hold Preliminary Meetings
10 Consider Those whom They
VIII Elect.
Col A. r. Lawton of the First Regi-
ment returned yesterday morning from
Atlanta where he went to attend The
meeting of colonies that was called by the
Governor, who desired the advice of the
officers in matters relating to the military
forces of the state.
Principal among those things about
which the Governor desired to consult the
colonies was that of the expiration of
commissions and elections on Feb l. 1t
was decided that field officers, as well as
those of The line, should be elected on
that day, the present officers electing.
On Feb. / every military command in
the city Will be expected to hold an cleo
ton. Col Lawton does not believe that
company can fail 10 do so ana keep with
in the law as passed by the last Legisa-
ture The Governor, while on a recent
visit TO Savannah, expressed this opinion,
but il was not sustained by the colonies.
The elections will be held.
All the details regarding elections were
not considered. Those will be drafted into
an order that win be issued from the Of
flee of the adjutant general. The informa-
ton will be eagerly awaited as officers
and men are now rather in the dark about
a good many matters.
Col Lawton found that it was a mis-
take that the Attorney General had de-
cided that field officers did not have 20 be
elected on Feb /. 1t was reported that
that official had ruled that they could
hold over for three years. His view of it
did not contemplate their holding com
missions for as long a period as that
without reelection.
Preliminary elections will probably be
held by all the companies Those on Feb.
! will be the formal elections. The com
panies will desire to know just what will
be done at that time. Informal elections
precede the legal ones ordinarily, and it is
not presumed there will be any deviation
from the rule. The line officers will
doubtless be called together for the cleo
ton of field officers, also. In the First
Regiment of Infantry, the First Cavalry,
the Chatham Artillery and the Naval Mil
tia the elections will be held, and for
field officers there should be preliminary
elections, just as in the companies. In
the First Regiment there viii be three
vacancies. Col. Lawton will unquestlon-
ably be chosen to command the regiment,
but there will be the lieutenant colonelcy,
made vacant by the resignation of Col
Jordan r. Brooks, and the majorties of
the First and Third Battalions to be filled.
Lieut. Col. William Garrard of the sec
ond Battalion, the Savannah volunteer
Guards is spoken of as Col. Brooks sue
cessor He would make an excellent one
Col. T. S. Wylly is also mentioned, and
many of the officers would be glad to see
him elected. Capt. w. L. Grayson of the
Republican Blues was recently chosen ma
ior of the First Battalion at an informal
meeting of the officers Capt. Ernest Dart
is mentioned as Major of the Third. He
is captain of The Brunswick Rifles. 1t Is
stated that there is opposition to him, and
this may result in the choice of some 9TH
er officer Capt. Dunn is mentioned as an
officer who would make an excellent Ma
jor.
Col Lawton declined to enter into dis
cussion of the prospects of any officer for
election of reelection, and the Held as
given is as it is generally understood
About his trip to Atlanta, however, the
Colonel had more to say that military
men will find of interest. Already" he
said, the name of the troops in the serv-
ice has been changed. They are known
now as the Georgia State Troops in
stead of the Georgia Volunteers This
change was accomplished by the McRae
bill, which has many other provisions re-
lating TO the military. One of them is that
there shall be a quartermaster sergeant
in every company; another, that the term
of enlistment shall be two years instead
of one; another, that the minimum enlis ted
strength of a company shall be so and the
maximum 100, with not less than four
or more than eight corporals. This was
the bill effecting the reorganization of the
troops into the five regiments of infan-
try, the one of cavalry, the artillery and
the naval militia