The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-03
MORE WORK FOR THE BOARD.
NEW OFFICERS or THE KELL RE
FILES ARE TO DE EXAMINED.

The StntcshOro Company Has Effect
ed IL RcorEanization-COI ObeRr
Allowed II Three Months in which
TO Build Up Its strength, and the
Efforts Made in That Direction
Have Been successfuI-This Means
the First Regiment VIII Have six
Instead of Five Companies, and
Possibly That There VIII Later be
~ Field Omccr Chosen.
The military examining board will soon
have more officers to come before it.
Elections have been held in statesboro,
and a captain and two lieutenants for the
lIell Rifles were chosen The board will.
within a few weeks, at most hold an ex-
animation Of the candidates for commits
sions
The Kell Rifles will be commanded by
Capt w. II. Bitch. Jr., OF Bitch, place
not far from Statesboro. The first lieu
tenant VIII be MIR. r. A. McGregor, editor
of the Statesboro Times. Mr.. j. NJ. MUIR
ply, "A young lawyer Of the town, will be
second lieutenant.
Those in Savannah who know the OIL
cers-elect have great hopes for the future
of the Rifles, as they believe the young
men are of caliber that will result in
the upbuildlng Of the company and its res
toration 10 it's former place in drll and
military attainments Mr.. Bitch has had
| enough training IN a military way 10 leave
no question of his ability to handle his
company properly, his school career hav-
| ing been at institutions where the military
feature IS strongly In evidence
Mr. MoGregor has been an officer of the
company for some time, but his reelection
came with the reorganization. He Is pop
ular and capable, and 1t has been largely
| through his efforts as the lieutenant COM
| handing during several months that the
Rifles have kept together at all. Mr.
Murphy served during the Spanish-Ameri-
can war as a member of Company x,
the Savannah Cadets.
When Col. Obear, inspector general,
Georgia Volunteers, made his inspection
Of the Ken Rifles. he found them sadly
deficient in numbers In point of equip
ment and arms the company was as well
| off as any in the state. but there were
few men TO use them. The few who had
hung on and displayed some interest in
the company were ready enough however,
10 attempt a re-orgauiza ton. Col. Obear
felt willing 10 lend any aid In his power
for the preservation Of the company, so
Lieut.. McGregor was given three months
from The date of the inspection In which
TO get the company on a good strong
| footing again.
In his efforts 10 build up the command
Mr. McGregor was entirely successful, and
| the election of officers was a result The
enlisted strength has been increased, anI
the company now bids fair 10 become as
great source of pride to the people Of
| Statesboro as ever.
The rehabilitation OF the Kell Rifles
means one more company for the First
Georgia Regiment. II looked very much
al one time as IL the seven companies for
merly in the regiment would be reduced to
five and Indeed the field officers regarded
such as practically the case II has been
thought there was but one battalion and
| a company over and on that account there
has been no major elected TO succeed Mel
Edward Karow. Some time ago the
Pooler Light Infantry was dsbanded,
thus reducing the companies OF the regi-
ment from five to six, and the evident
collapse of the Kell Rifles had apparently
still further reduced the strength.
It IS possible that the examination and
commission of the new officers OF the
Rifles may be followed by an election of
another field officer for the regiment with
but five companies or one company for
the Second Battalion, Il would be mani
testify Of no advantage to elect a ma or,
but 1t may be that the board of officers
Of the command vii. now decide that
there should be another field officer
Col. Jordan i. Brooks, president of the
examining board, has been apprised of the
legal election Of the three officers of the
Kell Rifles. They may waive a part Of
the time for preparation that the military
administration laws allow them and come
TO Savannah to stand their examination.