The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-18
PRAISED THE GALLANT NINTH.
OFFICERS AND MEN PROUD OF
WHAT GEN. LEE SAID OF THEM.

in the Regiment Commanded by
Their COngressman-Each County
of the Twentieth Illinois District
Furnished a Company when the
Regiment Was Mustered In Under
the second Call.
The officers of the Ninth Illinois Regi-
ment quote Gen. Lee as having said at
the recent review In the Part Extension
that it is the best volunteer regiment in
appearance and on the march that he has
ever seen. They are justly proud of the
compliment, particularly as the verdict of
many who Witnessed the review bears 1t
out
The regiment has ranks that are prac-
tically full. There have been few deaths
since It was mustered into the service, and
few men have received discharges. The
result is the companies have not dwindled
as sadly as have those of some of the 9TH
er regiments and they are yet able to
make splendid appearance when they are
out for drill or a parade. 1t is for this
reason, and on account of the men being
well drilled in marching and the manual,
that this regiment is one of the best that
can be visited when it is desired to wit
ness regimental parade given by one of
the best. commands of the corps.
The efficiency of the Ninth Illinois is
remarkable when the fact of it's being
purely volunteer command Is considered.
II was raised under the second call, also,
and has not had as much time for drill
ing as some Of those regiments 1t excels
The officers and men have taken warm
and continued interest In the command
and have done their utmost TO make IT
one of the cracks of the corps.
But very few of the men of the Ninth
and only two or three of the officers. had
ever mad any military training before they
entered the service. Those who had had
training before, however, were well IN In
military knowledge and they soon were
successful In instilling something of what
they knew into the green material.
Inc regiment was mustered into the SER
vice June rs at Springfield. Ii was raised
IN the southeastern section of Illinois, the
twentieth congressional district of the
state having furnished every man. There
are twelve counties in this district. eyerv
one of which supplied a company. The
men did not know much about military.
but they are from a section of their state
Where the handling of a rifle Is not a lost
art The other Illinois regiments call The
Ninth the squirrel shooters" IL was not
only the district from which the men came
and the abundance of game to be found
along the rivers there that suggested this
name The Ninth has outstripped the
other regiments on, the rifle range. having
made so per cent. of hits on the last trial
good margin above the record of any
other command. The soldiers show as
much skill with the Springfield as they
did with the arms with which they were
wont 70 knock squirrels off of high limbs.
An officer of the regiment said last night
that there must be as many as 800 Demo-
Gratis In the Ninth. 1t comes from Dem
ocratc district. where the nomination is
usually equivalent to an election The
men are commanded by a Democrat and a
congressman at that. This is Col. James
r. Campbell of McLeansboro He has not
resigned his seat in Congress, being allow
ed to retain 1t during the time he is in the
service He is one of those congressman
of whom IL cannot be said that he brought
on the war and then expected other people
to fight it out
Col. Campbell was no military man
when he went into the service. He had
the brains, however, and close attention
10 his duty and careful study has made
him an excellent officer. His administra-
tive work Is not to be excelled, and his
regiment shows the effect of the wisdom
of his management. He has been splend-
idly seconded In his efforts to make the
command an exemplary one by Lieut.. Col
Edmund Swift, who is soon to be promoted
TO the colonelcy of the Fourth Illinois
Col. Swift is a West Pointer and a cap
tain in the Fifth Cavalry He was detail
ed as inspector of the National Guard of
Illinois and was serving in that capacity
at the outbreak OF the war His first APP
pointment in the volunteer service was to
a majority in the Seventh I'LL
nois, This position he filled
with such satisfaction to the
department that he was commissioned
lieutenant colonel of the Ninth when the
order was issued for it's organization
The officers and men say Col. Swift Is a
most thorough military man in every re-
spect, and that he Is emlnently qualified
to fill the position to which his ability has
advanced him.
Maj. Franklin Funkhouser of Albion.
H., is the senior major of the regiment
! His Second Battalion shows up well be-
side that Of the lieutenant colonel, though
the latter is a regular officer. Maj. Funk
houser got his military training in the
/ civil war, in which he was a captain. Gov.
| John r. Tanner of Illinois was private
! III MS CoNpdiSs 1ON. Tanner remember
| ed the wartime ability of his old captain,
and made him a major.
The commander of the Third Battalion
| is Maj. Nell Spencer of Carmi. Mai
! Spencer, in civil life, is superintendent
/ of the public schools of his native place
/ He was also private secretary to Col
! Campbell while he was in Congress.
Therell be promotion of the majors
before long. on account of the promo
ton of Col. Swift Maj. Funkhouser will
go up TO the lieutenant colonelcy. ana Nal
! Spencer will become senior major This
will mean a promotion of Capt Matt Buck
! of Company a to the junior majority of
the regiment. He will be succeeded as
captain by First Lieutenant william
! Woodward, who, in turn. will be succeed
| ed by Second Lieutenant Com Wright
| First Sergeant Echols will probably be
made second lieutenant.
The adjutant of the regiment is Lieut..
Samuel NJ. Wright who laid down his
law books 70 grid on sword. When he
! NJ homo 10 is iudpa nf IJ,,,tr4... r,