The National tribune., 1895-09-12
CHICKAMAUGA
Troops which VIII Attend the Celebration.
The Oldest Battery in the Army.

The oldest Battery in the Army.
Mai Gen. Miles, commanding the Depart
ment of the East has issued special orders in
regard to the coming celebration at the Chicka-
manga battlefield as follows:
ain accordance with. instructions of the
| Lieutenant General commanding the Army,
given by direction of the Secretary OF War,
three bsttalions of United States troops will be
encamped on the Chickamaugs battlefield rs
soon alter Sept. J. 1895 as practicable, and will
! remain there until after the dedication of the
/ National Military Park on Sept. 10 and 20,
| 1895.
1.-The entire camp will be under the COM
mand of Col. J. 8. Poland. 18th Inf, who is Or
| dered to proceed wi til his Regiment tai Adjutant
and Quartermaster to Chattanooga, Tenn, TO
select a site for the camp, comforting on arrival
with Gen. J. s. Fullerton, President of the Park
Commission.
TROOPS DESIGNATED.
"The troops designated for this service are
as follows:
1.-The Regimental Adjutant, band aud four
companies of the 9th Inf. from Fort Thomas,
Kentucky, under command of the Major of the
regiment Capt. L. J. Gibson, Assistant Sur
geon one acting Hospital Steward, aud four
hospital corps privates will be sent with these
troops.
The band and four companies of the 18th
Inf. from Columbus Barracks Ohio, under COM
u
Steward and three hospital corps privates will
be sent from Columbus Barracks with these
troops.
The Regimental Adjutant and band of the
Sd Art. from Saint Francis Barracks. Florida.
" The two batteries of the Sd Art. now in
camp at Fort Mcpherson, Ga. One Acting Hos
pital Steward aud three hospital CORPS privates
will be sent from Fort Mcpherson with these
troops; also, one hospital corps private from
Fort Barrancas now at Fort Mcpherson.
The two batteries of the Sd Art. at Jackson
Barracks, La. under command of Maj. J. q.
Ramsay Sd Art. Two hospital corps priyates
will be sent with these troops from Jackson
Barracks
The troops from each post will take with
them the necessary tentage. camp eqnipages
full and undre.s uniforms, 40 rounds per man
blank ammunition for rifles, small supply of
ball cartridges aud sufficient rations TO include
three days beyond the expected close of the
camp. Ample signal equipments and stores
will be taken by the troops from each post
The Chief Quartermaster of the Department
VIII arrange for the necessary transportation,
tentage and camp equipage for the command.
:" Mai. J. V. X. Hof, Surgeon. will proceed
from Governors Island. N. Y. aud Capt. T. K.
Ball. Assistant Surgeon, from Fort Adams K. l.,
to Chickamauga, Tenn. for duty"
THE OLDEST ORGANIZATION.
The Secretary Of War has issued special or.
der for Light Battery +, 4th Art, stationed at
Fort Riley, Kan, TO attend the Chickamauga
celebration. This battery is the oldest organ
ization in the Army. 1t has distinguished
record. dating back to JAN 6, 1776, when it was
organized As the New York Provincial Com
pany of Artillery, in command of Alexander
Hamilton, who was commissioned its first Cap
tain March ii, 17T6. 1t was subsequently trans
ferred to and served to the end Of tho Revolu-
tionary war in Col Lambs I'd Regiment Con-
., sal 81
participated in the battle of Long Island. White
Plains, Princeton, Yorktown, Brandywine,
Monmouth, and in other engagements of the
Revolutionary war, and in several Indian bat
ties in Ohio in $780, '9l and "a. !. has re-
manned constantly in the service Of the United
States in organization Or another since il
was organized in 1776. 1t was incorporated in
the present 4th Regiment of Artillery when
that regiment was organized, under the act of
March 2, 1921, and is now In command of Capt.
S. w. Taylor.
DURING THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.
At the outbreak of tho late war the battery
was commanded by Capt. J. c.. Pemberton, who
resigned to join the Confederacy, and sur
rendered the Confederate forces at Vicksburg.
The subsequent commanders during the war
were Lieut.. W. =. Terrll, after ward Briyadier-
General OF Volunteers who was killed at Perry
Vile. KY, Oct. 8, 1862; Capt. &. /. Best, who
commanded from Aug. 4, 1861, to Aug. g. 1862,
when appointed Chief Of Artillery, Twelfth
Corps; Lieut.. E. ID. Mublenberg. who COM
maudel until Sept. "a, 1862. from which date
Lieut.. f. b. Crosby commanded until killed at
Charlottesville, May 16, 1863. when Lieut.
Muhlenbcrg again assumed command and re-
manned in command until the close of the war,
except from June 80, 1864, to February, 1865,
when the battery was in command of Capt
Best.
The battery served in the Army Of the
Potomac until October, 1863 when it was trans
ferred TO the Army of the Cumberland, and |
served in the artillery reserve Of that army to |
November, 1864. when it's strength became re-
duced below the minimnm and it was sent to /
New York TO be recruited.
1t par,ici pated in the engagements at |
Strasburg and Winchester, May, 1862; Cedar
Mountain, August, 1862; Antictan, Septem-
Der. 1852, and Charlottesville and Fredericks-
burg, Va. May, 1868, aud in other minor
engagements.