Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-04-19
STATE ENCAMPMENT
Proposed to Take All the Guards
men to Des Moines.
COL. CAUGHLAN NOT In FAVOR OF IT

Says BENEFIT That Would Accrue by
Reason of a State Encampment
Rather than kesimental En-.
camplnents is SMALL
From Tuesdays Daily.
Adjutant General Byers proposes to
hold grand encampment of the Iowa
National Guard in Des Moines this
year. 1t will be the first year for en-
campmsnts since the guard was mus
tered into the federal service for the
Spanish and Filipino wars. 1t has
usually been the custom TO hold sep
arate encampment for each regiment,
but this year desire has been eN-
pressed by some members OF the
guard to have a mass encampment at
some central point in order that the
features of reunion might be enjoy
ed. Moreover some consider that much
greater benefit would be derived from
such gathering. General Byers is of
the opinion that the new recruits
will have opportunities to secure bene-
| fits from such a gathering that they
could not possibly find in regumental
I.camp.
The plan of holding the encampment
in Des Moines, however, has still
! larger interest for that city than the
simple gathering of all the guardsmen
there. General Byers and Major j. A..
Olmsted, the inspector general for
Iowa. are planning TO select as the
site for the camp the location which
may be chosen for the Des Moines
army post. They will thus be able to
determine the availability of the loca-
ton Tor such purposes, and incidentally
give the people of Des Aloines an idea
OF what an army post would mean.
The plan is yet embryonic, but General
Bysrs saws that he believes it will
succeed. He has been investigating the
question of expense. 1t will cost some
what more for railroad transportation,
al1ho the difference is not nearly so
large as might be supposed, and in
other regards it is calculated that a
single camp will effect enough saving
to offset this.
Col. H. H. Caughlan.
Colonel Caughlan was seen today in
state encampment and stated that he
was not in favor of it. He said that the
very fact that the camp would be so
large would largely preclude the idea
of getting much benefit from it. ST
is not the intention of the state of
Iowa to pay for reunion said Colo
mel Caughlan, ''they furnish us with
transportation and rations, etc, while
in camp for the express purpose Of
enabling us to learn something. 1
think that the intent OF the legisxl-
ture when the appropriation was made
for encampments would be more nearly
realized by separate regimental en-
equipments than by state encamp-
ment. We go to these places to learn,
not to fight over old times. l think
also that the expense would be much
greater should a state encampment be
held than for the four regular en-
campments. However, / am soldier,
and if the general orders it he. will
find me on the ground. =
Adjutant General NJ. H. Byers of
the Iowa National Guard, has issued
general orders Nos. and 5, copies of
which have just been received at regi-
mental headquarters in this city. No.
announces the appointments on the
staff OF the comniander-in-chief, and
No. S announces the inspection of all
companies, troops, and regimental
bands OF the Iowa National Guard, at
their respective stations and on such
dates as may be determined upon in
the future. One paragraph of the sec
ond clause of general orders No. 5 will
be OF especial interest to Guardsmen,
as it provides that all non-commission-
ed officers not showing proper knowl-
edge of their duties, ETC., will be rec
commended to reduction of ranks.
General Orders No. A.
The orders are given herewith in
full:
!. The following appointments on
the staff OF the commander-in-chief,
are hereby announced:
Brigadier General Melvin II. Byers,
Des Moines, adjutant general and act
ing quartermaster general, reappoint-
ed February 1, 1900, with rank from
February /, 1898.
Colonel Jerauld A. Olmsread, Des
Moines, inspector general, with rank
from March 26, 1900.
Colonel c. G. Saunders, Council
Bluffs, Judge advocate general, reap
pointed February /, 1900, with rank
from February 1, 1898.
Colonel Henry H. Rood, Mt. Vernon,
,quartermaster general, reappointed
February l, 1900, with rank from Feb
ruary 1, 1896.
Colonel Parker, w. McManus, Daven-
port, commissary general, reappointed
February 1, 1900, with rank from Feb
ruary /, 1896.
Colonel James Taggart Priestley, Des
Moines, surgeon general, reappointed
February l, 1900, with rank from Feb
ruary /, 1894.
Colonel Arvin B. Shaw, Des Moines,
chief of engineers, reappointed Febru-
airy !, 1900, with rank from February
1, 1898.
|, CASH GROCERY. r
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