The New York herald., 1875-12-21
NATIONAL GUARD TROUBLES,
EFFoRTs BEING MADE TO SAVE THE SEVENTY
NINrH-sKErcHEs OF THE DIsBANDED REGI-
N6ENTa

NlNTH-SKETCHES OF THE DISBANDED hkGl-
MENTs.
| The excitement in National Guard circles the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF the four regiments mentioned IN
| yesterdays HERALD is the increase Very many
who saw the despatch from Albany in Sundays papers
4 in reference TO the matter did not fully credit
| it until they saw Colonel Gons statement IN
yesterdays HERALD Immediately hearing
the news Colonel Lang Of the regiment,
visited number OF the influential and prominent
officers Of his command and consulted with them as TO
the proper steps be taken. II very decided
that the Colonel should TO Albany and see the Gov
ernor and the Adutant General in person, and leave
stone unturned whereby the revocation of the Lat
ter's order might be effected. Accordingly Colonel
Laing took the eight O'Clock train yesterday morning,
and will not return the city until he has exhausted
every means in his power TO save his regiment. The
general impression however that theAdjutant General
will stand by his order issued, although strenuous
efforts will be made TO have the Seventy ninth and
Eighty fourth consolidated, provided Colonel Laing
should not succeed In saving his command intact
The Adjuant General is known to oppose this idea, in
consequence OF which il Is pretty safe to say that the
men or each of the four regiments in qneston-the
Fifty frh, the Seventy ninth, tho Eighty fourth and
the Ninety sixth-wil very cease to be members
OF the National Guard OF the State ol New York The
disarmament proper will, 1t is thought, take place in
about two weeks, the arms and equipments being
turned to the ordnance officer in charge Of the
State arsenal, in Seventh avenue.
In view Of the fact that those who now know these
regiments will, long, know them more brief
sketch of each will now be out of place.
The Seventy NINTH Highlanders. it used TO be
called organized in 1858 by number of Scotch
residents Of this city In the course OF very short
time its rolls became well filed and it took rank
among the best regiments of the State. The Scotch
Highland dress by the men, consisting of
kilt sporran bonnet hose, spas, shake and feather,
attracted great deal Of attention whenever the reg
ment was paradcd, and excited no end Of enthusiasm
among the Scottish portion OF the community
On the 18th day of April 1861 the regiment offered
its services TO the general government TO aid IN sup
pressing the rebellion The offer was accepted and on
the I'd of June of the same year the gallant Hghanders
i 0l2 strong left New York for the national capital.
The regiment was then under command of Lieutenant
Colonel 5. NJ. Elliott, and before embarking was
marched up Fifth avenue to the residence OF Mr..
Cameron, brother of the then Secretary of War,
where IT presented with stand OF handsome silk
coors on arriving at Washington the regiment
quarered in the buildings OF Georgetown College. On
the 18th Of June Colonel Cameron Joined and took
charge of the regiment having been appointed
commandant by the Secretary OF War The first OPP
portunty the regiment had OF smelling powder or list
enng to the music OF the Mnie ball was afforded by
the sklrmsh at Blackburns Ford the 18th of July
Three days later the Scots went into the memorable
battle of Bull Run, and history records that they
ducted themselves in becoming manner. Here It was
that their intrepid colonel met glorious death while
CALAMITY leading charge the second headed by him
gagement 1qs men, killed and wounded
Unlike many other Malta regiments, the Seventy
ninth enlisted for three years during the -
After getting back TO Washington from Bull Run II
stationed on Arlington Heights, near the Chain
Bridge. On the 1lth Of September reconnaissance
was made out toward Lcesburg and nj Lewinsvle the
Johnny Rebsl met and gave the Seventy. ninth
lively little tussle. few months later the regiment
with General T. W Sherman TO Port Royal and
while this service participated ia the battles OF
Coosaw River, January l. 1862 Pocotaligo Bridge
S G NAV 20 1862 and James Island, S c.. June l6
landed al Newport News, in Hampton Roads, for the
nurnose OF reinforcing Mcclellan He however had
already retreated TO Harrson's Landing the High
landers reembarked and conveyed to Acquia
Creek, from whence they proceeded TO join Pope at
Fredericksburg The famous retreat from tins place TO
Manassas and the two days fight there August 20
and 30 warmly participated IN by the Scotchmen.
At Chantlly September j, 1862 the regiment lost
heavily from the murderous fire Of the Confederates
and were doomed that magnificent soldier
their former colonel and then division commander
General Isaac Stevens, fall mortally wounded while
waving the Seventy ninth oolors over his head in
endeavor rally the boys TO charge General Stew
the sixth man who had been killed while hold
ing that same flag South Mountain, Md, September
IA 1862; Antietam, Nd, September II, 1862; Freder
icksburg Va, December Is and H. 1862 VlcksburG
Miss. July l. 1868 jackson, Mss, July 10 to II,
1868; Blue Springs Tenn, October 10, 1868; Campbell
Station Tenn November 10, 1868 were successfully
passed through the regiment by this time having been
reduced to less than 200 men all told But il was at
the defence OF Knoxville Tenn Nov. 90 1868 that the
Scotch regiment covered itself with glory 1t tins
time defending together with Battery f. Second United
States artillery what was known as Fort Saunders
the key to the position held by Burnside On the day
above mentioned two brgades OF Confedcrates under
Gordon, OF Georgia assaulted this fort with the utmost
fury The lines of telegraph wire stretched from
stump stump front OF the fort served TO break the
enemy's line IL came sweeping up, but this checked
them but for moment, and then on they came again,
notwithstanding the Of Bruce and Wallace poured
upon them deadly and incessant storm OF lead. AT
eight stands Of Confederate colors
upon the top Of the works. but now the bayonet was
brought into use and soon the intrepid fellows who
had so bravely sormed the place were either AN killed.
captured dispersed The Seventy ninth took three
stands Of colors III this engagement
The regiment transferred, with the Ninth
corps, to the Army OF the Potomac, and shared with
Grant the gories of that campaign which began at the
Wilderness, and only ended with Lees surrender on
the 9th OF April 1868.
This then is the history OF regiment which IL Is
proposed blot out OF existence. that the city and
county of New York may expense of IS 900
or $40 600 year Its present commander, Colonel
Joseph Lang served with the regiment during the en-
and was wounded no fewer than seven times
The regiment never once lost its coors but brought
home with IL five complete stands Captured from tho
Confederates
last report of the Adjutant General-Colone Joseph
LANG, Adlutant, Thomas D. Hughes Surgeon, James
Norvel: Chaplain Stler Merritt, Jr Captains-Wllam
c. Clark Alonzo Dutch, Joseph Ross, William A. Do
THE FIFTY -PTPTH REGIMENT.
This regment-one of the doomed-was organized
about fifty years ago the Garde Lafayette Ten
years later IL designated the Fifty yGfh reg-
nent New YORK State militia The regiment was
mustered into the United States August |
Is 1861, r de Trobriand then commanding. A /
ss s New ~S York "S
regiment organized in TINS De Trobriand assumed
command OF the consolidated organization. The regi-
ment participated in the following battles:-Bull /
Run Williamsburg Fair oaks Glendale Malvern Hill,
Blackburns Ford, Second Bull Run, Chantilly Fred
ercksburg and ChanceorsvIle. IL what was I
known ais a two years rociment-that u.s. IL enlisted /
for two years The officers now serving IN the
maDd are follows Colonel Edward Gilon Lieuten. |
ant Colonel Francis n Scbilng; Major, Sebastian /
ZuschlaR; Adjutant, Louis A. Jackson; Quartermaster
William H. Quincy; Surgeon, Clifford X. Morse Assist |
ant Surgeon, Valentine Schreiner.
Captains-Soohodne Merinsky, Francis j. Wokals, /
Albert Marrcr Frederick Fieschbein Jacob Hay, john
Wiederbod. c. Won Gerlchten and John II. Klatthaar.
First ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Gebhard, Gustave i
Aiting Henry Q. Bertrand, John e Moehring Charles
Ross and George NJ. Berge.
Second Lieutenanis-yoseph B. Paper, George F. i
Giminder John Won Gerichten Charles Weyer, Will
lam Polge Charles Borrer John I. Hay and John
Bayer