The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-21
BACKUS PROVIDED FOR
WILL BE LIEUTENANT COLONEL OF
THE NEW REGIMENT.
Peterson and Megrew to BE Majors
Where the Companies VIII
Come From.

The advance arrangements for the new
regiment of Indiana volunteers are grad
ually nearing completion, and while nothing
official has been given out in the way of ap-
pointments in the absence of Governor
Mount the indications are. from an unoffi-
cial source, that the regiment will be off,
cered about as follows: Colonel, Winfield T.
Durbin lieutenant colonel, Victor r. Back
us. and majors, Harold c. Megrew and NJ.
r. Peterson. The latter officer is thor
oughly experienced. and his services
will be of immense value to the
regiment, as he, in addition to having
passed with distinction at the School of APP
piled Military Sciences at Fort Leavenworth
in class of forty-six, has seen service in
every department of the army. He is equal
ly at home in the engineers, signal corps,
commissary or line service. AS an illrstra-
ton Of the value of this, the opinion of Col.
Harry Smith, of this city, is worth consid-
GRAFTON. Himself nearly twenty years iden-
titled with the Nation Guard here. he
found, when he was called on to step into
the ranks of active officers along with the
rest that he had in spite OF serious appli-
cation to his military studies fallen behind
in the march of military affairs which in the
regular army has advanced of late years
with great strides. Since going to Chicka-
manga this fact has become more pro-
nounced, and both Adjutants Gorge Powell
and H. K. Scott when in this city on re-
cruiting service few days ago stated that
their experience had impressed them with
the idea that it is a necessity that every
regiment should have some regular army
officer with it who is familiar with the rou-
tine Of army duties. In addition to this,
there are many ropes to learn that if
knswn by an officer will place the regiment
on much better footing than could be
done by any civilian officer, as witnessed
in the case of the old Third Regiment from
this State, with which Lieutenant Colonel
May was sent. The prestige that this regi-
ment enjoys at the front can in the opinion
of other officers from Indiana regiments,
be traced directly to the work of Colonel
May.
The new regiment will, it is stated author
itatively. be composed wholly of white men,
the petition for the enlistment of colored
companies being independent of this regi-
ment altogether. The makeup of the regt-
ment by towns has been definitely decided
on, although the war department declines
for some reason to make the matter public.
The districts represented are substantially
as already printed in these columns, and the
towns are as follows: Corydon, Laporte,
Michigan City, Hammond, Monticello, New
Castle, Richmond, Madison, Rushvile, Shell
byville, Lawrenceburg, Mount Vernon, Co
lumbus and Jeffersonville. In most of the
towns there are companies already organ
lied and only await the summons of the
Governor to mobilize. In some of the cities
the men are beginning to tire of waiting for
chance TO go to the front, and recently
Captain Robert E. Morrison. of Laporte. is
reported to have sent word to this city that
twenty-five of his men had enlisted in ILL
nois regiments within ten days, and he
would like to get orders to get into active
service, as he desired to get some of them
into Indiana regiments. Governor Mount is
expected in town to-day, when the matter
of the regimental appointments will be def
nitely settled