Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-06
THE NEW REGIMENT.
IT'S CONNECTION WITH THE OLD
FIRST OF GLORIOUS MEMORY.
The DELAY IN REORGANIZATION.
Some Probable Causes-A Battaiion
May lie Formed I'm This City,
sketch OF the First Regiment and
of Company Il.

The glorious traditions OF the old First
sure obscured by the long-drawn-out
process OF reorganization through which
the remnant is now passing.
The efforts to form a battalion In or
der to keep the headquarters In this.
the city OF the regiments birth, have so
far been met with considerable apathy,
due, on the one hand. perhaps. 10 the
surieit OF military life experienced by
the volunteers in the late American
Spanish campaign, and on the other 10
the blot on tho escutcheon Of the regi-
ment due 10 its anomalous position when
the call came for troops 10 fight agaip4t
the nations enemy.
HISTORY Of THE FIRST.
Long before the civil war between tho
States tho First Regiment formed one
Of the finest bodies OF citizen soldiers IN
this country, and Richmond booked ON
with natural pride whenever the organi-
zation paraded its Streets. preceded by
Jim Smiths Band, and the drum corps.
under Drum Major Pohie.
The regiment boro an honorable part
I'm the John Brown war in 1853, under tbs
command Of Colonel Thomas y. August.
In 1860 Z. T.. Moore was elected colonel.
and when the State called its soldiers
into the field IL was composed OF the
following companies. Company y Qiich-
mond GrayO, Company b, Company
Montgomery Guard, Irish company,
Company d (Old Dominion Guard. Conn
pany Il Richmond Light Infantry Blues,
Company r, Company q. Company III
Second Company Grays), Company l.
and Company X Virginia Rifles, German
company.
THE REGIMENTS RECORD.
The diary OF tho regiment. kept by one
OF It's officers during the CIVIL war, tels
or gallantry and carnage, OF many bat-
ties. and OF peace with honor. IL bore an
honorable part I'm many battles, seeing
service al Bun Run, Manassas, fSiis
Church. Yorktown, Williamsburg, seven
Pines. Second Manassas. Sharpsourg'
Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Dre"rys
Bluff, Petersburg. and others.
After the war tho Guard OF the Com
monwealth was the first military COM
lduy organized lHc NdNS "a 80 -" =
was April u, 1871. and IL was brought
into being by the Elyson-Chahoon trou-
bles. and the evident need which existed
about that time for some such body To
q. sist in preserving order. IL formed the
nucleus of the First Regiment, and many
OF its captains served a. colonels OF tnas
organization.
ONLY ONE COMPANY NOW.
The only company now IN the service
O, the State is Company r which Is abs
10 establish its relationship with Com.
many Il. organized In tho beginning OK
October. 1879 The original object OF tns
organization was to secure high Oesreo
OF skill In tactics and social department.
The original company has been perpetu-
ated By the old Company K. Assoeiatioh'
which has been the connecting INK pe-
tween the present and the past. Dlfecty
after the civil war the Survivors OF olo
Company + took steps 10 organize al a.
ssciatlon, which has lived ana psosp@1e"
ever since. nth
The various associations connecteo w..
the First Regiment are Lending 'he's
moral support to the reorsani]a.on, en~
| Companies A and y have enlisted .ns ie
CURED quota. and Il Is on the earas .na'
| Company { or - will also be reors4u'@Sa-