The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-16
General ChaGee Instructed to With
draw All His Force, Except n
Legation Guard of $50 Men.
WORK OF WAR DEPARTMENT
10000 SOLDIERS TO COME HOME BE-
FORE THE FIRST OF JULY.
Volunteer Surgeons Nominated-0ne
IndianapOIftan Among the Num-
ber-Other Appointments.

WASHINGTON, March 15.-An order was
sent to General Chaffee to-day for the
evacuation of China by American troops,
leaving only a legation guard of 10 men.
The troops will be removed from China
the last of April. The War Departments
order follows:
I'm reply to your cablegram, the secre-
tary of war directs you to complete ar
rangements to sail for Manila with your
command and staff officers by the end OF
April, leaving as a legation guard an in
fantry company composed of $50 men, hav-
ing at least one year TO serve, or those in
tending to re-enlist. with full complement
of officers, medical officer. sufficient hos
pital corps men, and if you think best a
field officer especially qualified to COM
mand the guard. Retain and instruct an Of
ficer of the quartermaster's department to
proceed to erect the necessary buildings
for the guard according to the plan and
estimates you may approve. Colonel
Charles f. Humphrey, on arrival, will
make an inspection of the quartermaster's
department, Philippine islands, until July
l. when he will be assigned to duty as
chief quartermaster at Manila and Miller
ordered to the United States. Stores and
supplies not required for legation, guard
to be disposed of in your best Judgment,
of course. Serviceable supplies needed in
the Philippines will be sent to Manila. The
division of the Philippines will furnish
supplies for the legation guard. Macarthur
notified
1t was stated at the War Department
thai this clears up the Chinese situation
as far as the War Department is con-
cerned, as the protection of the lega-
ton can in no sense be taken as occupa-
ton OF Chinese territory and the guard
cannot beu sed for other purpose. The
transports Sumner and Indiana Will be
sent to Taku to take the troops in China
to Manila. Those troops consist OF the
Ninth Infantry, four troops of the Sixth
Cavalry and the light battery formerly
com ~ nv Contain Reilly TuVn trans
ports will bring away the LOO animals
which nave been used by the army in Chi
partment that the best place of embarka-
ton is Taku. which, no doubt. will be
clear of ice on the date fixed for departure
The officers of the adjutant generals and
q-uartermaster's departments are devotiny
their attention to the sending of regular
troops to the Philippines to replace the
volunteers brought home. The main OBJ
Ject of the officials is TO prevent any ma
terial decrease in General McArthur'S army
Of $4,000 men. There are about 10000 regu-
lar troops in the Orient, including those
now in China. In order to keep the
strength up to $4,000 it will be necessary TO
provide about 10000 fresh troops from the
United States before the LIST of July. The
transports Indiana, Meade and Pennsyl-
vania will leave San Francisco in q day
or two with battalions of the Tenth In
fantry and Fifth Cavalry; also battalions
of five new regiments. Arrangements also
have been made for the departure of other
vessels. as follows: The Buford, with a
capacity of 81 officers and 1000 men, on the
18th inst; the Hancock. with a capacity of
81 officers and 1000 men, on the 1st of April,
the Fitzpatrick, with a capacity of 81 Of
fcers and 1000 men. on the 5th of April:
the Warren, with a capacity of AZ officers
and 1,242 men, on the 18th of April. and the
Logan. with a capacity of Sc officers and
1.64S men. on the 18th of April. These YES
sells will be laden with regular troops con-
sisting of newly organized regiments or Cf
home battalions of regiments serving in the
West Indies or Philippines.
Satisfactory progress is reported in the
| transportation of the volunteer troops from
the Philippines to San Francisco. Several
transports are now at different stages of
their voyage across the Pacific. including
the Logan. with the Thirty-third and Thir-
ty-fourth Volunteer Infantry, and the Ga
| rome. with the Twenty-SiXth Volunteer In
arranged, other vessels will leave Manila
| for home as follows: The Thomas, on the
18th inst. with the Twenty-eighth and
Thirty-hfth Volunteer Infantry; the Rose
| Grams. on the 18th inst, with the Thirty
ninth Infantry. and the Grant. on the 25th
inst, with the Twenty-ninth and Thirty
second Infantry. The transportation ar
| at both ends of the line have
not yet been finally completed beyond the
dates mentioned. The officials of the War
Department are confident of their ability to
execute the plan of discharGing the entire
volunteer army i'm the United States before
the LIST of July next without materially re-
ducing the number and effectiveness of the
military forces in the Philippines.