Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-06-16
ATKlNSON'S STRANGE WAYS.
Are the Rasis for "a Violent Kicking Among
Officers of the First West Virginia kesi-
ment at Chattanooga


Officers of the First West Virginia Resi-
ment at Chattanooga.
A well informed member of the First
West Virginia regiment, at Gnatta-
nooga, writing home, gives the follow
ing information concerning the i'll
concealed feelings that are uppermost
among the officers of the regiment:
The harmony among the officers OF
the First West Virginia volunteers IS
by no means perfect, and it requires no
very astute observer to discover that
the trouble is simply a reminding of
the spark of G.Acord which caused SO
much trouble in the organization OF the
regiment from the two State regiments
of the National Guard, at Camp Lee.
about a month ago. IL was supposed
that the dissatisfaction had been allay-
ed by Governor Atkinson's promise that
all the officers who were compelled TO
take a reduction in rank should con-
tinue TO hold the same relative seniority
in line of promotion in the government
service as they held in the state guard.
Had there been no cause to doubt
that this promise would be carried out
to the letter, there would likely never
have been another murmur, but even
before the muster into the United States
service was completed the trouble be-
gan, and still continues. This dlmcuity
was caused by the declaration about the
time the muster was complete, thal ac-
c0rding to the United States army regu-
lations paragraph 8, article 3 Ulcers
Of equal grade, together with thelr COM
mands should take precedence OF sank
from their date of muster, and lot ac-
cording to the dates of their commits
sions. No attention was paid to this
i important act, when mastering IN the
/ West Virginia regiment, ana II some
rather remarkable collision of clrcum-
| stances some CT the lowest rahhiAS
| officers were mustered IN the service
| at the very first, thus placing them IN
precedence Of officers Of the same CLASS
VINO have served in the National Guard
| for years.
| Bv his procedure the lowest ranking
| captain in the Guard is gwen pfece-
dence ever officers who were majors IN
| the State Guard, while several similarly
! inconsistent rankings are made III OIL
GERS of other grades.
| The complaint against this is very
| general among officers, and IS causing
much comment. If allowed TO stand,
| this order places Captain Humphreys,
who has served about seven months IN
| the National Guard, next in line OF
promotion for major, while Captain
| John Baker White, and Captain Z. L.
| Morrison, who were reduced from rank
| Of major upon entering the government
service, and who have held unlmpeach-
! able records for ten and SIN years ser
vice in the Guard, respectively, are
placed several PAGES back In the Inc
| by reason that they were not ailo"ed
to muster into the United states ser
vice as soon as some others.
Among the higher officers, Major ".
{ H. Banks. who held a coloneicy III The
State militia, is ranked by this order by
| Major Phil A. Shaffer, who held an
inferior position of lieutenant colonel
of the First regiment OF the Guard.
If the decision is allowed to sland the
order Of rank among the officers Will pc
as follows, Critic preceding the name IS
the present rank in the United States
service. while the second title is their
| former rank in the National guard ana
the time given is the length Of time IN
| service):
Colonel B. D. Spillman, brigadier gen
eral: eight years; Lieutenant colonel e..
L. Smith, ranking colonel, nine years;
First Major Phil A. Shaffer, lieutenant
! colonel First regiment, seven years;
! Seconds Major w. f. Banks, colonel
! Second regiment; nine years.
| Captains-First, Captain Humphreys,
captain, seven months; second, Captain
Payne, captain, four years; third, cap
tain White, major, ten years; fourth,
Captain Morrison, major, six years;
| fifth, Captain Verlander, captain, seven
years; sixth, Captain Collett captain,
four years; seventh, Captain Moore,
captain, five years, eighth, captain
Smith, captain, seven years; ninth,
| Captain Householder, captain, three
years; tenth, Captain Vawter, captain,
six years; eleventh, Captain Cramer,
captain, six years; twelfth, Captain Sa-
bic, captain, six years.
While the above order of rank is
| in accordance with United States regu-
lations the promotions in the regiment
are left in the hands of the Governor
| of the State, who has power. however,
! to deviate from this order as ne pleases.
Until a few days ago there was no I'M
easiness in the minds of any as too how
| a promotion should be made in case the
occasion arose, as the Goxernor had al
ready expressed himself on the subject
when the muster was being made and
promised that the United States army
regulations should bear no weight in
| his action in the matter His blissful
| certainty has been changed to uncer
| tainty, however, by Captain Humph-
| reys. the junior captain in the State
guard, but senior in the government
service, who has publicly announced
| that he has Governor Atkinson's prom
Use made to four prominent politicians
| of West Virginia that he will get the
next vacancy. The assertion is made
with so much positiyeness that in spite
of the strong faith Of the officers in the
Governor. the situation is rather dis
turbing, to say the least.
| Reduced Rates via Ohio River K. r.
! Wheeling to Cincinnati, o.. ..S5 so